Honestly, if you grew up in the late 90s, you probably spent at least one Saturday afternoon convinced your Golden Retriever could hit a three-pointer. We all did. The 1997 classic Air Bud wasn't just a movie about a dog playing basketball; it was a cultural reset for kid-friendly sports flicks. But looking back, the cast of Air Bud is a fascinating mix of rising stars, seasoned character actors, and one very legendary dog who lived a life much more dramatic than the script.
The kid who started it all: Kevin Zegers
Kevin Zegers played Josh Framm, the grieving kid who finds a friend in a stray dog. Back then, Zegers was just this wide-eyed Canadian child actor. He wasn't some Hollywood brat. He was actually quite good at the "sad kid" trope, which made the friendship with Buddy feel real instead of cheesy.
Zegers didn't just fade away after the sequels. You’ve probably seen him a dozen times without realizing it. He played the lead in the trans-themed drama Transamerica (2005), which was a huge pivot from Disney dog movies. Later, he showed up in Gossip Girl as the drug-dealing Damien Dalgaard. Most recently? He’s been a series regular on The Rookie: Feds as Brendon Acres. It’s wild to see the kid who once fed vanilla pudding to a dog now playing a sophisticated FBI agent. He’s 41 now, married with twin daughters, and has been very open about his journey with sobriety, which makes you root for him even more.
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The real MVP: Buddy the Dog
We have to talk about Buddy. This wasn't just a "trained movie dog." Buddy was a legit athlete. His real owner, Kevin di Cicco, found him as a stray in the Sierra Nevada mountains in 1989. Buddy was a natural at sports—basketball, baseball, even hockey.
The most bittersweet thing about the cast of Air Bud is that the original Buddy didn't get to enjoy the franchise’s massive success. He had his right hind leg amputated due to synovial cell sarcoma shortly after filming. He died in his sleep in February 1998, just months after the movie became a hit. He was only nine years old. Before he passed, he sired several puppies, some of whom actually took over the family business in the later Air Buddies spin-offs.
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The veteran talent: Bill Cobbs and Michael Jeter
The adults in this movie carried the emotional weight. Bill Cobbs, who played the wise janitor-turned-coach Arthur Chaney, was a legendary character actor. He brought this gravitas to the court that most kids' movies lack. Sadly, we lost Cobbs in June 2024 at the age of 90. He worked right up until the end, leaving behind a massive legacy in films like Night at the Museum and The Hudsucker Proxy.
Then there's Michael Jeter. He played the villainous Norm Snively—the abusive clown who wanted to reclaim Buddy for fame. Jeter was a Tony and Emmy winner, and his physical comedy was top-tier. He had this frantic, rubber-faced energy that made him the perfect foil. Jeter passed away in 2003 at only 50 years old. If you haven't seen his work in The Green Mile, you’re missing out on one of the best performances of that decade.
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The "Where are they now" of the supporting players
The rest of the human cast of Air Bud stayed pretty busy in the industry:
- Wendy Makkena (Jackie Framm): She played Josh’s mom. You definitely know her as the shy Sister Mary Robert from Sister Act. She’s still working, with recent appearances in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and various NCIS episodes.
- Brendan Fletcher (Larry Willingham): The school bully. Fletcher turned into a massive "that guy" actor. He’s been in everything from The Revenant (alongside Leo DiCaprio) to the Arrow TV series. He’s carved out a niche playing gritty, intense characters—a far cry from a junior high basketball rival.
- Cynthia Stevenson: While Wendy Makkena played the mom in the first film, Stevenson took over the role for the sequels. She became a staple of the franchise and went on to have a great run in shows like Dead Like Me.
Why it still resonates in 2026
It’s easy to poke fun at the "dog playing sports" genre, especially since there are now roughly 4,000 sequels and spin-offs. But the original Air Bud worked because it was grounded. It dealt with grief, moving to a new town, and the genuine bond between a kid and a pet.
The cast wasn't just there for a paycheck; they treated the material with a level of sincerity that’s rare in modern direct-to-streaming kids' content. Whether it was Bill Cobbs giving a pep talk or Kevin Zegers looking genuinely devastated at the thought of losing his dog, they made us believe a Golden Retriever could actually take a team to the state championships.
Actionable Takeaway for Fans
If you're looking to revisit the franchise or introduce it to a new generation, here is the best way to handle it:
- Stick to the Original First: The 1997 film is objectively the best. It has a heart that the CGI-heavy "talking puppy" sequels lack.
- Look for the "Golden Retriever" connection: If you're a dog lover, check out Kevin di Cicco's book, Go Buddy!. It goes into the real-life training of the original Buddy and is a must-read for anyone interested in animal acting.
- Support the cast's new work: Seeing Brendan Fletcher in a gritty Western or Kevin Zegers in a procedural drama is a great way to appreciate how far the "Fernfield" kids have come.