Honestly, if you grew up in the late '90s, you probably remember the neon-green posters or the weirdly sentient silver jumpsuit from the 1999 live-action remake of My Favorite Martian. It was one of those Disney projects that felt like it was trying so hard to be the next Men in Black but ended up being its own chaotic, bubblegum-flavored thing.
The critics weren't exactly kind. Roger Ebert basically called it a live-action cartoon for kids in the "low double digits." But looking back now, the cast of My Favorite Martian movie is actually kind of insane. You’ve got Emmy winners, a future Oscar nominee, a British fashion icon, and even a legend from the original 1960s show. It’s a weirdly high-pedigree group for a movie that features a scene where the leads shrink down and end up in a toilet.
Christopher Lloyd as the Zany Uncle Martin
Christopher Lloyd was coming off a massive decade. He’d already done the Back to the Future trilogy and The Addams Family, so playing a "hapless alien" was right in his wheelhouse. He plays Uncle Martin—a Martian who crashes his ship in Santa Barbara and has to pose as a human to avoid the government.
Lloyd is basically doing "Doc Brown" but with more rubber-faced mugging and a penchant for eating ice cream. He’s the heart of the movie, even when he’s being upstaged by a CGI suit. Most people don't realize how much physical comedy Lloyd actually did here; he’s snapping his body around like a human Slinky. It’s zestful looniness at its finest.
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Jeff Daniels and the Struggle of the Straight Man
Jeff Daniels plays Tim O’Hara.
He’s a down-on-his-luck news producer.
He just wants a Pulitzer.
Instead, he gets a Martian roommate.
It’s easy to forget that Daniels was already a huge star by 1999, having done Dumb and Dumber and Speed. In this film, he’s the anchor. While Lloyd is bouncing off the walls, Daniels has to sell the idea that a talking silver suit named Zoot is actually doing laundry. It’s a thankless role in some ways, but his chemistry with Lloyd is what keeps the plot from completely flying off the rails. You’ve gotta respect a guy who can act opposite a floating CGI costume and make it look like he’s actually annoyed by it.
The Supporting Players: From Elizabeth Hurley to Wallace Shawn
The rest of the cast is where things get really interesting. You’ve got Elizabeth Hurley as Brace Channing, the "ambitious and slightly ruthless" reporter who serves as the antagonist’s daughter. She was at the height of her Austin Powers fame here, and she plays the over-the-top, "will do anything for a scoop" character with a lot of bite.
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Then there’s Daryl Hannah. She plays Lizzie, the camera technician who (spoilers for a 27-year-old movie) eventually becomes Tim's real love interest. Hannah had a weirdly quiet role compared to her usual work, though she does get one bizarre scene where she transforms into a bug-eyed monster and literally eats a guy.
And we have to talk about Wallace Shawn.
He plays Dr. Elliott Coleye.
He’s a government scientist obsessed with SETI.
Shawn is one of those character actors who makes everything better just by showing up. He plays Coleye with this jittery, immoral energy that makes you wonder if he’s about to chew on a piece of Martian gum—which, predictably, he does by the end of the movie.
A Meaningful Passing: T.K. Carter
It’s worth noting that the world just lost one of the film’s supporting actors. T.K. Carter, who played Lenny in the movie, passed away very recently on January 9, 2026, at the age of 69. Carter was a veteran of the industry, famous for his role as Nauls in John Carpenter’s The Thing. His role in My Favorite Martian was smaller, but he was part of that late-90s ensemble that gave the movie its specific, frantic energy.
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The Meta Connection: Ray Walston
The absolute best part of the cast of My Favorite Martian movie is the inclusion of Ray Walston. If you’re a fan of the original 1963-1966 TV series, you know Walston was the original Uncle Martin.
In the 1999 film, he doesn't just do a quick cameo. He plays a character named Armitan (later revealed to be Neenert), a Martian who has been undercover on Earth for decades. Seeing the "old" Uncle Martin interact with Christopher Lloyd’s "new" version is a great bit of fan service that actually has plot relevance. Walston was in his late 70s when they filmed this, and he still had that sharp, alien-like precision that made the original show a hit.
Why the Movie Still Gets Talked About
Despite a box office run that didn't even cover its $65 million budget, the film has a weird longevity. Maybe it’s because it captures a very specific moment in VFX history where movies were pivoting from practical effects to "look what we can do with a computer."
Zoot, the talking spacesuit voiced by Wayne Knight (yes, Newman from Seinfeld), is the perfect example. He was a fully realized CGI character that interacted with the physical cast in almost every scene. While the effects might look a little dated now, the voice work by Knight gave the suit a personality that kids in 1999 absolutely loved.
What to Do Next if You're Feeling Nostalgic
If reading about the cast has you wanting to revisit the 1999 flick or discover the original series, here are a few steps to dive deeper:
- Check Streaming Availability: As of early 2026, the film often pops up on Disney+ or can be rented on platforms like Amazon. It’s a quick 94-minute watch that hits different as an adult.
- Watch the Original 1960s Series: To truly appreciate Ray Walston's performance in the movie, you have to see him in the black-and-white (and later color) original. It’s much more of a dry, witty sitcom compared to the slapstick movie.
- Explore the Filmography of Christopher Lloyd: If you liked his "Uncle Martin," you’ll probably appreciate his more understated work in things like Taxi or his legendary turn in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.