If you grew up in the 90s, Saturday night meant one thing: SNICK. You’d grab a bowl of cereal, dim the lights, and wait for that matches-striking-in-the-dark intro. It was terrifying. It was iconic. Honestly, looking back at the cast of Are You Afraid of the Dark, it’s wild how many future stars were sitting around that campfire throwing "midnight dust" (which was actually just non-dairy creamer) into the flames.
The show wasn't just a horror anthology for kids; it was a massive launchpad. We’re talking about a Canadian-produced powerhouse that essentially scouted the next generation of Hollywood A-listers before they even had driver's licenses. But it wasn't just the guest stars like Ryan Gosling or Neve Campbell that made the show work. It was the Midnight Society itself. They were the glue. They were the ones who made us feel like we were part of a secret club, even if we were just sitting on our couches in footie pajamas.
The Original Midnight Society: Where Are They Now?
Gary was the heart of the group. Played by Ross Hull, Gary was the nerdy, glasses-wearing leader who founded the 90s iteration of the club. He wasn't the "cool" kid, but he had the best stories. Today, Ross Hull has taken a bit of a pivot. He’s not out there fighting the Ghastly Grinner anymore. Instead, he became a very successful personality in Canadian media, specifically as a meteorologist. If you’re in Canada and watching Global News, you’ll see Gary—err, Ross—predicting the weather. It’s a funny transition when you think about it. He went from telling us about "The Tale of the Frozen Ghost" to literally telling us when it's going to snow.
Then you have Raine Pare-Coull, who played Betty. She was the brave one. Betty never seemed to flinch at the scary stuff. After the show ended in 1996, Raine largely stepped away from the spotlight. She did some work on The Tomorrow People, but she’s mostly stayed out of the Hollywood grind, which is a common theme for many child actors who realize the industry is, frankly, kind of a nightmare.
Jodie Resther, who played Kiki, was the one with the attitude. She didn't take any crap from the boys. Resther stayed in the industry for a while, notably voicing Francine Frensky in the beloved animated series Arthur. Think about that for a second. The tough girl from the Midnight Society is the same voice behind one of the most iconic characters in educational TV history. She’s also a talented singer, having released R&B albums in Canada.
The Breakout Guest Stars We All Forgot
You can't talk about the cast of Are You Afraid of the Dark without mentioning the "before they were famous" cameos. It’s a goldmine.
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Take Ryan Gosling. Before he was an Oscar nominee or the face of Barbie, he was a dorky kid in "The Tale of Station 109.1." He played Jamie Leary, a kid obsessed with death who ends up at a radio station for the deceased. He looks exactly the same, just... smaller. It’s surreal to watch him now and see the same smirks he uses in $200 million blockbusters.
And then there’s Jay Baruchel. Jay is basically the mascot of the series' later years. He appeared in multiple episodes, most famously "The Tale of the Dead Man's Float." He’s since become a massive star, directing and acting in hits like This Is the End and How to Train Your Dragon. Jay has always been vocal about his love for the show, often mentioning how it was a staple of the Montreal filming scene where he grew up.
Why the 1999 Revival Felt Different
In 1999, Nickelodeon tried to bring the magic back. They brought back Gary’s younger brother, Tucker (played by Daniel DeSanto), to lead a new Midnight Society. Tucker was the bridge between the old and the new. DeSanto has had a steady career since then, including a memorable role as Jason in Mean Girls. You remember him—he was the one Gretchen Wieners was dating.
The revival had a different energy. It was "slicker." Maybe a little too slick? The original series felt gritty and low-budget in a way that added to the creepiness. The 90s cast felt like real kids you’d meet at school. The 1999 cast felt like "TV kids." That’s not to say they weren't good. Elisha Cuthbert was a standout. Before she was the "girl next door" or fighting terrorists in 24, she was Megan, the rich girl who hated the woods. Cuthbert is arguably the biggest star to come out of the regular cast members.
The Ghastly Grinner and the Monsters
We have to acknowledge the actors under the makeup. The "cast" isn't just the kids around the fire; it's the nightmares. Gilbert Lachance played the Ghastly Grinner. His performance was legitimately disturbing—the blue slime, the manic laughter, the comic book aesthetic. It remains one of the most cited reasons for 90s childhood trauma.
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Most of these monsters were played by Canadian character actors who worked tirelessly in the Montreal and Toronto circuits. They were the unsung heroes. They spent six hours in a makeup chair just to jump out of a locker and scare a twelve-year-old.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Show
People often confuse Are You Afraid of the Dark? with Goosebumps. Huge mistake. Goosebumps was campy. It was fun. But Are You Afraid of the Dark? was genuinely bleak. Characters didn't always get a happy ending. Sometimes they were trapped in a dollhouse forever. Sometimes they were turned into statues.
The cast of Are You Afraid of the Dark had to sell that stakes-are-high reality. If the kids around the fire didn't look scared, we wouldn't be scared. The acting was surprisingly grounded for a kids' show. They weren't playing to the camera; they were playing to the campfire.
The Modern Reboots
Nickelodeon hasn't let the brand die. Since 2019, they’ve released several limited series reboots. The casts are younger, the special effects are better, and the stories are serialized instead of episodic. Bryce Gheisar, Malia Baker, and Arjun Athalye have stepped into those roles. These newer versions are actually surprisingly good—they respect the source material while acknowledging that modern kids are harder to scare because they’ve seen everything on the internet.
Realities of the 90s Production
Filming was mostly done in Richmond, British Columbia, and around Montreal. It was a union gig for a lot of Canadian actors. Because it was a non-American production for much of its run, it had a specific "flavor." The clothes were baggier, the lighting was moodier, and the accents were occasionally very North-of-the-border.
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If you go back and watch "The Tale of the Night Shift" or "The Tale of the Midnight Madness," you’ll see a level of practical effects that just isn't common anymore. The cast had to interact with puppets, animatronics, and buckets of slime. It wasn't green screen. That physical presence is why the show holds up. You can feel the cold air in the woods. You can smell the woodsmoke.
How to Revisit the Series Properly
If you’re looking to dive back into the world of the Midnight Society, don't just go for the "Best Of" lists. Those always list the same three episodes. Look for the deep cuts.
- Check the Guest Lists: Watch for a young Hayden Christensen in "The Tale of the Family Radio." Before he was Darth Vader, he was just a kid dealing with a haunted radio.
- The Sardo Episodes: Richard Dumont played Sardo ("No, Mr. Accent on the 'do'"). He was the recurring magic shop owner. He’s a legend in the voice-acting world now.
- The Vink Factor: Aron Tager, who played Dr. Vink, passed away in 2019, but his legacy as the show's most "mad scientist" character is untouchable. He brought a theatricality that the show desperately needed to balance the horror.
The cast of Are You Afraid of the Dark remains a fascinating "Who's Who" of the industry. Some became superstars, some became meteorologists, and some vanished into normal, happy lives. But for a few years in the 90s, they were the keepers of our nightmares. They taught us that the dark isn't something to be feared—it's something to be explored, provided you have a good story and a handful of magic dust.
To really appreciate what they did, go find the original episodes on streaming services like Paramount+ or even the official YouTube channels. Avoid the remastered versions if you can; the graininess of the original 4:3 aspect ratio is part of the charm. It makes the monsters feel more real and the campfire feel a little warmer.