Honestly, if you grew up in the 90s, you probably have a soft spot for the neon-soaked chaos that is Vegas Vacation. It’s a weird movie. Released in 1997, it was the first one in the franchise to drop the "National Lampoon’s" name from the title, and it felt a little like a passing of the torch—or maybe just a really expensive excuse for Chevy Chase to hang out in Nevada.
But when people search for the cast of national lampoon's vegas vacation, they usually aren't looking for a box office breakdown. They want to know why the kids changed again, if Cousin Eddie is still living in that rotisserie-style RV, and where everyone ended up after the credits rolled.
It’s been decades since Clark Griswold lost his mind at the blackjack table. Here is the reality of where that cast is now and the strange stories from behind the scenes of the Mirage.
The Core Four: New Faces, Same Problems
The Griswold family dynamic is built on a lie we all just sort of accept: the kids never look the same. By the time 1997 rolled around, the "kids" from the 1989 Christmas classic, Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki, were actual adults with burgeoning careers. They weren't coming back to play teenagers.
Chevy Chase (Clark Griswold)
Chevy was the anchor. By '97, his movie star power was arguably waning, and Vegas Vacation was actually part of a three-picture deal he had with Warner Bros. to avoid a lawsuit. He still brought that manic, "everything is fine" energy to Clark, but you can see a bit of the weariness in his eyes.
After Vegas, Chevy’s career took a long, strange road. He had a massive resurgence on NBC's Community as Pierce Hawthorne, though that ended with a well-documented falling out with creator Dan Harmon. In 2026, he remains a comedy legend, recently touring for screenings of Christmas Vacation and releasing a documentary titled I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not. He’s 82 now, still leaning into the prickly-but-iconic persona that made him famous.
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Beverly D’Angelo (Ellen Griswold)
Beverly is the unsung hero of this franchise. She’s the only one who can play off Chevy’s insanity without looking like a victim. In Vegas Vacation, she gets a weirdly romantic subplot with Wayne Newton—filmed at his actual 40-acre estate, Casa de Shenandoah.
Beverly never stopped working. You’ve seen her in everything from American History X to Entourage. She even showed up in the 2015 Vacation reboot. She’s often said that the Griswolds are basically in her DNA at this point.
The Kids: Ethan Embry and Marisol Nichols
This is where the cast of national lampoon's vegas vacation gets interesting.
- Ethan Embry (Rusty): He was credited as Ethan Randall back then. He played Rusty (aka Nick Papagorgio) with this weird, quiet confidence that actually makes him one of the best Russos in the series. He went on to become a staple of 90s teen cinema in Can't Hardly Wait and later found a long-term home on Netflix’s Grace and Frankie.
- Marisol Nichols (Audrey): This was one of her first big breaks. She played the rebellious, club-hopping Audrey. Most people today know her as Hermione Lodge from Riverdale. Interestingly, she’s spent much of her adult life as an undercover advocate working with law enforcement to help trap child predators. That’s a far cry from dancing on platforms in a Vegas club.
Cousin Eddie and the Scene Stealers
You can’t talk about this movie without talking about Randy Quaid. At this point in the timeline, Cousin Eddie had moved from a "burden" to a "local guide."
Randy Quaid (Cousin Eddie)
Randy Quaid’s life after this movie became more bizarre than any script. He and his wife became "Hollywood refugees," claiming they were being hunted by "Star Whackers." They fled to Canada for a while and faced various legal issues. It’s a bummer, honestly, because his performance as Eddie—eating a "Dam Snack" or living in a radioactive test site—is comedic gold. He’s largely been away from the mainstream industry for years.
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Wallace Shawn (Marty the Dealer)
"Good luck, everybody!"
Wallace Shawn plays the blackjack dealer who systematically destroys Clark’s bank account. His name tag says he’s from Massillon, Ohio, which is a tiny detail fans always point out. Wallace Shawn is a character actor powerhouse (The Princess Bride, Toy Story). He’s still active today, bringing that same intellectual, slightly condescending charm to every role.
Wayne Newton
Mr. Las Vegas played himself. Or a version of himself that was obsessed with Ellen Griswold. He actually let the production film on his property, which was a massive deal at the time. Newton is still a fixture in Vegas, recently celebrating over 65 years of performing in the city. He’s basically the human version of a neon sign.
Why the Kids Kept Changing
It’s the question everyone asks. The official reason is always "the kids aged out," but by 1997, it had become a meta-joke. In the movie, Clark actually tells the kids, "I hardly recognize you anymore!"
The producers wanted the kids to stay roughly the same age while the parents aged in real-time. It’s a cartoon logic that only works because the movies are so absurd. If they had kept the same actors, Rusty would have been 30 by the time they hit the Hoover Dam.
The Bittersweet Final Bow of Sid Caesar
One detail people often miss is the inclusion of Sid Caesar as Mr. Ellis. He’s the old man at the end who wins the jackpot and then... well, dies. Sid Caesar was a titan of early television comedy (Your Show of Shows).
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His casting was actually a tribute. Imogene Coca, who played Aunt Edna in the original 1983 movie, was Sid’s longtime comedy partner. Having him in Vegas Vacation was a full-circle moment for comedy nerds. This was his final major film role, and he played it with a silent, physical grace that reminded everyone why he was a genius.
Does the Vegas Vacation Cast Still Talk?
Usually, when a franchise lasts this long, the cast is sick of each other. Surprisingly, that’s not the case here. Chevy and Beverly are famously close friends. They appeared together at Fan Expo Chicago as recently as August 2025.
Ethan Embry has also spoken fondly of the experience, despite the movie getting panned by critics at the time. It’s developed a massive cult following on cable and streaming, mostly because it captures a version of Las Vegas that doesn't really exist anymore—the transition from "mob town" to "family-friendly theme park."
If you’re planning a rewatch of this 90s staple, pay attention to the background extras. A lot of the people in the casino scenes were actual Vegas locals and Mirage employees who were there during the peak of the Steve Wynn era.
Next Steps for the Griswold Fan:
- Look up Marisol Nichols' recent work in Spiral or Riverdale to see her transformation from Audrey.
- Track down a copy of the 2015 Vacation sequel to see Chevy and Beverly's most recent outing as the elder Griswolds.
- If you're ever in Vegas, the Mirage (where they filmed) is undergoing massive changes, so see it now before the "Griswold era" is completely renovated away.