Horror sequels are usually a gamble. When Wes Craven and his son Jonathan wrote the script for the 2007 follow-up to the brutal 2006 remake, they shifted the focus from a family in a station wagon to a group of National Guard trainees. It was a weird move. Some fans loved the change in scale; others missed the intimate terror of the first film. But honestly, the The Hills Have Eyes 2 actors are what actually kept that movie grounded while everything around them was going to hell in the New Mexico desert.
They weren't just playing "victims." They were playing soldiers who were wildly unprepared for a subterranean war against mutated cannibals. Looking back nearly two decades later, it's fascinating to see where that cast ended up. Some became staples of prestige TV, while others basically vanished from the Hollywood spotlight altogether.
Who Were the Main Players in the Desert?
The core of the movie rests on the shoulders of Jessica Stroup and Reshad Strik. Stroup played Amber, the rookie who somehow finds the grit to survive the meat grinder of the Sector 16 mines. Before she was dealing with Papa Hades and his horrific family, Stroup was just starting her climb. You probably recognize her most from her long run as Silver on the 90210 reboot, which she landed shortly after escaping the desert. She’s one of those actors who just has that "final girl" energy—tough but believable.
Then there’s Michael McMillian. He played "Sarge" (Napoleon), the guy who starts off looking like he’ll be the first to go but ends up being one of the most resourceful members of the squad. McMillian is a great example of a character actor who found his niche. If you watched True Blood, you know him as the fanatical Reverend Steve Newlin. It’s a total 180 from his role in the hills, showing off a range that most people didn’t give him credit for back in 2007.
- Jessica Stroup: Went from fighting mutants to the high-drama world of Beverly Hills. She later joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Netflix series Iron Fist as Joy Meachum.
- Michael McMillian: Became a cult favorite in the vampire genre and has since become a successful comic book writer and podcaster.
- Daniella Alonso: She played Missy, the soldier who suffers through some of the film’s most controversial and difficult-to-watch scenes. Alonso has stayed incredibly busy, appearing in Revolution, The Night Shift, and the Dynasty reboot.
- Jacob Vargas: As Crank, he brought a lot of the "tough guy" energy. Vargas was already a veteran actor by then (remember him in Selena?), and he’s continued to work steadily in shows like Mayans M.C.
The Mutants Behind the Makeup
We can't talk about The Hills Have Eyes 2 actors without mentioning the people under the prosthetics. This is where the real "unsung hero" stuff happens. Being a mutant in a Wes Craven-produced film isn't just about wearing a mask; it's hours of grueling makeup applications and physical acting that usually gets ignored because the audience is too busy screaming.
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Derek Mears played Chameleon. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Mears is a legend in the horror community. He eventually went on to play Jason Voorhees in the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot and the title character in the Swamp Thing series. The guy is a physical powerhouse. In The Hills Have Eyes 2, he had to blend into the rock walls, which sounds cool but was likely a nightmare to film in the heat.
Michael Bailey Smith returned as well. In the first film, he was Pluto, but in the sequel, he took on the role of Papa Hades, the leader of the clan. Smith is a former professional football player and a black belt, which explains why the mutants in these movies feel so physically imposing. They aren't just skinny monsters; they’re absolute tanks.
Why the Casting Felt Different This Time
The first movie worked because we felt for the family. The sequel tried to make us care about a group of "screw-ups" in the military. It's a harder sell. Reshad Strik, who played Mickey, actually had a pretty interesting path after the film. He’s an Australian actor who eventually moved his career toward international cinema, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s not the typical Hollywood trajectory, but it’s a reminder that these horror sets are often international melting pots.
Casting Director Donna Isaacson clearly wanted a mix of fresh faces and grit. Look at Eric Edelstein, who played "Spitter." He’s become a massive voice-acting talent, notably voicing Grizzly in We Bare Bears. It’s almost jarring to think that the guy voicing a lovable cartoon bear once played a soldier getting picked off by radioactive mutants in a cave.
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The Brutality of the Shoot
The actors have often talked about how miserable the filming conditions were. They weren't in New Mexico; they were in Ouarzazate, Morocco. It’s the same place they filmed Gladiator and parts of Game of Thrones. The heat is oppressive. The dust gets into everything. When you see the sweat and the grime on the actors' faces, it's usually not spray-on. They were genuinely exhausted.
This physical toll adds a layer of realism that you don't get in CGI-heavy horror movies today. When Jessica Stroup is crawling through those narrow tunnels, she’s actually in tight, claustrophobic spaces. That kind of environment changes how an actor performs. It makes the fear feel less like acting and more like a reflex.
Where Can You See Them Now?
If you’re looking to do a deep dive into the careers of these performers, you’ve got plenty of options. Most of them have transitioned into television.
- Watch Iron Fist on Disney+: To see Jessica Stroup play a corporate shark rather than a terrified soldier.
- Check out Mayans M.C. on Hulu: Jacob Vargas is still doing incredible work there.
- Find Michael McMillian on Bigfoot Collectors Club: If you want to hear the man behind Napoleon talk about high strangeness and urban legends, his podcast is actually great.
- Daniella Alonso in Dynasty: For a complete 180 from the grit of the desert to high-end fashion and drama.
The Legacy of the 2007 Cast
The movie itself sits at a weird spot in horror history. It was released right at the end of the "torture porn" era started by Saw and Hostel. Because of that, the performances are often overshadowed by the gore. But the The Hills Have Eyes 2 actors did a lot of the heavy lifting. They had to sell a script that was, frankly, a bit thinner than the first one.
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They succeeded by making the military unit feel like a group of people who actually knew each other. Even the smaller roles, like Ben Crowley as Stump or Lee Thompson Young as Delmar, contributed to that sense of a doomed brotherhood. Sadly, Lee Thompson Young passed away in 2013, which remains a tragic note in the history of this cast. He was a massive talent who had been a Disney star before moving into more mature roles like this one.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Sequel
People think these actors were just "redshirts"—horror slang for characters who exist only to die. But if you watch closely, the character arcs are actually there. Napoleon goes from a pacifist who won't touch a gun to a man who realizes that some evils can't be reasoned with. Amber goes from a "tag-along" to the tactical leader of the survivors.
The nuance provided by the cast is why the movie still gets played on cable networks and streaming services every October. It’s not just the shocks; it’s the fact that you actually kind of want these idiots to make it out of the hills.
Actionable Insights for Horror Fans:
- Track the "Horror-to-Heros" Pipeline: Notice how many actors in this film ended up in superhero properties (Stroup in Iron Fist, Alonso in The Flash, Mears in Swamp Thing). Horror is often the "boot camp" for big-budget action stars.
- Explore the Practical Effects: Look up the work of Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger (KNB EFX Group) for this film. They are the same team behind The Walking Dead. Understanding how the actors interacted with these practical suits gives you a much deeper appreciation for the technical skill involved.
- Follow the Cast on Socials: Many of the actors from this era are very active on Instagram and frequently share "throwback" photos from the Morocco set, providing a cool behind-the-scenes look at the production.
- Re-watch with a Focus on Stunt Work: Much of the cast performed their own stunts in the desert heat. Pay attention to the verticality of the sets—those cliffs and rappelling scenes required legitimate physical training.