Philip Kaufman’s 1990 film didn't just tell a story about a messy, bohemian love triangle in 1930s Paris; it literally forced the MPAA to create the NC-17 rating. Honestly, looking back at the cast of Henry and June, it’s wild to see how many of these performers were either at the absolute peak of their indie powers or just about to explode into the mainstream. You’ve got Fred Ward, Uma Thurman, and Maria de Medeiros forming this volatile nucleus, backed by a supporting cast that includes Kevin Spacey before he was Kevin Spacey. It was a gamble. It was scandalous. Mostly, it was a masterclass in casting people who actually looked like they belonged in a smoke-filled Parisian café writing erotica.
The Trio That Anchored the Scandal
Fred Ward played Henry Miller. Now, if you know Ward from Tremors or The Right Stuff, you know he has this rugged, distinctly American blue-collar energy. That’s exactly what Miller was—a Brooklyn boy lost in France, trying to write the "great American novel" while living off the kindness (and cash) of strangers. Ward didn’t play him as a dainty intellectual. He played him as a predator of experience. He was gritty. He was loud. He brought a physical weight to the role that made the attraction felt by the other characters totally believable.
Then there is Maria de Medeiros as Anaïs Nin. If Ward was the earth, Medeiros was the air. She’s a Portuguese actress who captured that specific, wide-eyed curiosity and deceptive fragility that defined Nin’s diaries. You’ve probably seen her later as Fabienne in Pulp Fiction—the one asking about the "blueberry pancakes"—but here, she’s the engine of the movie. She manages to portray Nin’s intellectual thirst alongside her sexual awakening without making it feel like a cliché. It’s a delicate balance. One wrong move and the character becomes annoying, but Medeiros keeps her grounded in a very real sense of longing.
And, of course, Uma Thurman as June Miller. This was Thurman in her absolute prime as a cinematic muse. She was only about 19 or 20 when this was filmed. Think about that. She had to play a woman who was simultaneously the obsession of two different writers, someone who could walk into a room and change the oxygen levels. She played June as a mystery that even June didn't quite understand. It’s a haunting performance.
The Supporting Players Who Stole the Show
You can’t talk about the cast of Henry and June without mentioning the weird, wonderful peripheral characters. Kevin Spacey plays Richard Osborn, a friend of Miller’s who is basically the audience’s entry point into this bizarre world. He’s neurotic. He’s slightly overwhelmed. It’s a reminder that before he became a household name for playing villains, Spacey was one of the best character actors in the business.
✨ Don't miss: Why La Mera Mera Radio is Actually Dominating Local Airwaves Right Now
- Jean-Philippe Écoffey as Eduardo: He brought that necessary European flair, acting as a foil to Miller’s brash Americanism.
- Richard Booher as the photographer: A small but vital role in establishing the visual language of the film.
- Gary Oldman (credited as Maurice Escargot): Yes, that was Gary Oldman. He took a tiny, uncredited role because he wanted to work with Kaufman. It’s a fun "Easter egg" for film buffs.
Richard Osborn’s character serves a very specific purpose. He represents the "normal" world trying to peer into the lives of these radical artists. Spacey plays it with a twitchy, nervous energy that balances out the high-stakes melodrama of the central romance.
Why This Specific Cast Worked for Kaufman
Philip Kaufman is a director who obsesses over texture. He didn't want "Hollywood" versions of these people. He wanted skin, sweat, and genuine chemistry. The cast of Henry and June had to be comfortable with nudity, sure, but they also had to be comfortable with the silence of the 1930s.
The chemistry between Medeiros and Thurman is particularly striking. In the 90s, portraying a lesbian or bisexual attraction with that level of sincerity was rare. Most films treated it as a gimmick. Kaufman and his actors treated it as a fundamental evolution of the soul. When you watch them together, it doesn't feel like they're "acting" for a male gaze; it feels like two people discovering a secret language.
Fred Ward’s presence is the anchor. Without his hyper-masculine, almost boorish portrayal of Miller, the film might have drifted too far into "art-house" territory. He keeps it visceral. You can almost smell the cheap wine and old paper when he's on screen.
🔗 Read more: Why Love Island Season 7 Episode 23 Still Feels Like a Fever Dream
The Legacy of the NC-17 Rating
We have to address the elephant in the room. This cast was the first to ever receive an NC-17 rating. Before 1990, you had X, which was associated with pornography. The cast of Henry and June found themselves at the center of a cultural war. The studio, Universal, didn't want an X rating because it would kill the movie's commercial chances. They fought the MPAA.
The result was a new rating.
It’s ironic, honestly. The film is sensual, yes, but it’s far more interested in the psychology of its characters than just their bodies. The cast's ability to portray that depth is what actually makes the "adult" themes work. If the acting were bad, it would just be erotica. Because the acting is superb, it’s a period piece about the cost of living an unfiltered life.
Where Are They Now?
Looking back at where the cast of Henry and June ended up is a trip.
💡 You might also like: When Was Kai Cenat Born? What You Didn't Know About His Early Life
- Uma Thurman became a global superstar through her collaboration with Quentin Tarantino.
- Maria de Medeiros continued a prolific career in European cinema and even directed the acclaimed Captains of April.
- Fred Ward passed away in 2022, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most reliable and versatile actors of his generation.
- Kevin Spacey... well, his career trajectory is well-documented and far more complicated.
Final Practical Takeaway for Film Buffs
If you're going to watch Henry and June today, don't just look at it as a piece of "scandalous" cinema. Pay attention to the blocking. Notice how Kaufman places Ward and Medeiros in the frame to show the power imbalance. Watch Thurman's eyes—she says more with a glance than most actors do with a five-minute monologue.
To truly appreciate the film, you should also check out the source material. Read Anaïs Nin’s Henry and June (the unexpurgated diary). It provides a fascinating contrast to how the actors interpreted their real-life counterparts. You’ll see that Medeiros actually captured Nin’s voice almost perfectly—a mix of extreme confidence and crippling insecurity.
If you are a student of acting or film history, this movie is a goldmine. It represents a moment in time when major studios were willing to take massive risks on literary adaptations with complex, unlikable characters.
Next Steps for the Viewer:
- Compare the Performances: Watch Fred Ward in Henry and June and then immediately watch him in Tremors. It’s the best way to understand his range.
- Contextualize the Rating: Research the MPAA's transition from the X rating to NC-17 to see how this specific film changed the business of Hollywood.
- Explore the Director: Look into Philip Kaufman’s other work, specifically The Unbearable Lightness of Being, to see how he handles the intersection of sex and politics with different casts.