Honestly, it’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a decade since we first saw that yellow raincoat disappear into a storm drain. When Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King's IT hit theaters in 2017, it didn't just break box office records for R-rated horror; it launched a group of kids into the stratosphere of Hollywood's A-list. People often focus on the scares, but the real magic was the chemistry. The cast from the movie It felt like a real group of friends. They weren't just actors hitting marks. They were the Losers Club.
You've probably seen them everywhere since. Some stayed in the horror genre. Others jumped into massive superhero franchises. A few basically became the "it" kids of indie cinema. It’s a weirdly high success rate for a single ensemble. Usually, in a group of seven child actors, a couple might fade away into the background of "where are they now" trivia, but this crew? They’re dominant.
The Shape-Shifter Behind the Smile: Bill Skarsgård
Let's talk about the clown. Most people didn't even recognize Bill Skarsgård under the layers of greasepaint and that terrifying prosthetic forehead. He wasn't just playing a monster; he was doing something physical and deeply unsettling. That weird eye thing where his pupils go in different directions? That wasn't CGI. That was just Bill.
He comes from the Skarsgård acting dynasty, but Pennywise was his definitive breakout. Since hanging up the oversized clown suit, he hasn't slowed down. He took on the lead in The Crow (2024), played a terrifyingly polite stranger in Barbarian, and even voiced characters in big-budget projects like John Wick: Chapter 4. He has this knack for picking roles that feel slightly "off," leaning into his ability to be both handsome and deeply menacing at the same time. It's a specific niche.
Bill Denbrough and the Rise of Jaeden Martell
Jaeden Martell, who played the stuttering leader Bill Denbrough, was always the emotional anchor of the group. He had this quiet, soulful energy that made you actually care about his grief over Georgie. It wasn’t flashy. It was just good.
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After the Derry nightmare ended, Jaeden stayed busy. He starred alongside Chris Evans in the murder mystery Knives Out, playing a very different kind of character—a literal alt-right troll teenager. Talk about range. He also led the Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob. He seems to gravitate toward prestige dramas and projects with a bit of a dark edge. He’s not the "action hero" type, and that’s why his career is so interesting. He plays the kid next door who has a lot of secrets.
Finn Wolfhard: From Hawkins to Derry and Beyond
Finn Wolfhard was already a massive star because of Stranger Things when he joined the cast from the movie It. He played Richie Tozier, the foul-mouthed comic relief. He was the one who got all the best lines, mostly involving "your mom" jokes.
What’s wild about Finn is that he’s balanced a massive acting career with a genuine music career. He fronted the band Calpurnia and later The Aubreys. He also jumped into the Ghostbusters: Afterlife franchise. He’s essentially the face of 80s nostalgia for a generation that wasn't alive in the 80s. He has a frantic, nervous energy on screen that makes him feel incredibly relatable, even when he’s being chased by an ancient cosmic entity or a Demogorgon.
Sophia Lillis and the Beverly Marsh Impact
Sophia Lillis was arguably the breakout star of the first film. Her portrayal of Beverly Marsh was tough and heartbreaking. She had to handle some of the most difficult themes in the movie—abuse, menstruation, and the transition into womanhood—all while fighting a clown.
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She didn't stop at Derry. She went on to star in Gretel & Hansel, which was a stylized, dark take on the fairy tale, and the Netflix series I Am Not Okay With This. More recently, she showed up in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Sophia has this classic, old-Hollywood look that fits perfectly in period pieces, but her acting style is very modern and raw. She’s one of those actors who says more with her eyes than with three pages of dialogue.
The Rest of the Losers: Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, and Chosen Jacobs
Jack Dylan Grazer, who played the hypochondriac Eddie Kaspbrak, became a fan favorite almost instantly. His fast-talking, anxious delivery was perfect. He later landed a huge role as Freddy Freeman in the Shazam! movies and voiced the lead in Pixar’s Luca. He’s got that manic energy that directors love.
Wyatt Oleff (Stanley Uris) and Chosen Jacobs (Mike Hanlon) had slightly more understated roles in the first film, but they’ve both stayed active in the industry. Wyatt starred in I Am Not Okay With This alongside Sophia Lillis, which was a fun reunion for fans. Chosen Jacobs has moved into music and more mature acting roles, including the film Purple Hearts. Jeremy Ray Taylor, who played the lovable Ben Hanscom, has appeared in Goosebumps 2 and Are You Afraid of the Dark?.
The Casting of the Adults: A Meta-Move
When It Chapter Two was announced, the biggest question wasn't about the scares. It was about who would play the grown-up versions of these kids. The fans basically did the casting themselves on Twitter, and for the first time in history, the studio actually listened.
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Bill Hader as the adult Richie Tozier was a stroke of genius. He didn't just play the character; he mimicked Finn Wolfhard’s specific mannerisms perfectly. Same for James McAvoy as Bill and Jessica Chastain as Beverly. It’s rare to see a sequel where the adult actors feel so much like the child actors they are replacing.
Why the It Cast Still Matters in 2026
The reason we’re still talking about the cast from the movie It is that they represent a shift in how horror is made. Before this, horror movies were often seen as a place for "disposable" actors. You'd go there to get a paycheck or to start a career you hoped would lead somewhere else.
But these actors treated IT like a character study. They brought depth to a story that could have just been about jump scares. Because of that, the movie has a legacy that goes beyond just being "that movie with the clown." It’s a movie about friendship and the trauma of growing up.
Practical Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're a fan of this ensemble, there are a few ways to keep up with their legacy beyond just re-watching the movies every Halloween.
- Watch the "behind the scenes" documentaries: The IT Blu-ray extras show the chemistry between the kids. It’s not manufactured; they actually spent their summer together in Toronto and became best friends.
- Follow their indie projects: While many are in blockbusters, actors like Sophia Lillis and Jaeden Martell do a lot of small, independent films that are often better than the big-budget stuff.
- Look for the upcoming "Welcome to Derry" series: While it's a prequel, the DNA of the original cast's performance is all over it. It’s a chance to see how the world of Derry expands without the Losers Club.
- Check out the horror conventions: Several members of the cast, including the "minor" characters like the bullies (Nicholas Hamilton, who played Henry Bowers, is a great follow), frequently appear at conventions to meet fans.
The impact of this specific group of actors is going to be felt for decades. We are essentially watching the next generation of Hollywood legends grow up in real-time. They aren't just the cast from the movie It anymore; they are the new vanguard of the film industry.
To really appreciate the evolution of this cast, your next move should be to track down the short films and indie debuts they made immediately after Chapter One. Watching Jaeden Martell in The Lodge or Jack Dylan Grazer in Beautiful Boy provides a much deeper understanding of the technical skill they brought to the Derry universe. It wasn't luck that made those movies work; it was a rare alignment of genuine talent that rarely happens in a single production.