If you were haunting the halls of a movie theater in the fall of 2005, you probably remember the orange-and-black posters for a little thriller called Cry_Wolf. It was a time of flip phones, AOL Instant Messenger, and a very specific kind of "PG-13 horror" that relied more on plot twists than buckets of blood. Looking back, the movie was actually ahead of its time, focusing on how easily lies spread online—long before "fake news" was a household term.
But the real reason people still Google the cast of Cry Wolf isn't just nostalgia for the mid-2000s. It’s because the call sheet for this $1 million indie movie was accidentally stacked with future superstars.
Honestly, it’s wild. You’ve got a CW legend, a rock god, and a group of young British and American actors who went on to define some of the biggest TV shows of the next two decades.
The Lead Who Fooled Everyone: Julian Morris as Owen Matthews
Julian Morris played Owen, the new kid at Westlake Prep with a bit of a troubled past. Owen was the audience's eyes and ears—the guy who gets sucked into a dangerous game of "Wolf" by a group of bored rich kids.
At the time, Morris was a fresh face in the States. He’s British, but his American accent was so spot-on that most people didn’t realize he was from London until the DVD extras.
Since Cry Wolf, Julian has basically been everywhere. If you’re a fan of Pretty Little Liars, you know him as the perpetually suspicious (and very handsome) Dr. Wren Kingston. He also spent years playing Prince Phillip on Once Upon a Time and Ryan on New Girl.
He’s one of those actors who just doesn’t seem to age. Recently, he’s moved into more dramatic territory, like the limited series Man in an Orange Shirt, proving he was always more than just a "horror movie lead."
The Mastermind: Lindy Booth as Dodger Allen
Every teen thriller needs a "vixen" or a manipulator, and Lindy Booth played Dodger to perfection. She was the one who came up with the "Wolf" persona—the orange-vested killer that the group used to prank the entire school.
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Booth was already a bit of a genre veteran before this, having appeared in the Dawn of the Dead remake and The Famous Jett Jackson. She brought a certain sharp intelligence to Dodger that made the character feel genuinely dangerous.
Lindy has stayed incredibly busy. She starred in The Librarians as Cassandra Cillian for years and has become a staple in the Hallmark movie circuit. It’s a bit of a jump from a slasher film to "A Royal Queens Christmas," but she has the range for it.
The Supernatural Connection: Jared Padalecki as Tom
This is the big one. If you look at the cast of Cry Wolf today, Jared Padalecki is likely the name that jumps out most.
In 2005, Padalecki was just coming off Gilmore Girls (Team Dean, anyone?) and was about to start a little show called Supernatural. In Cry Wolf, he played Tom, the roommate who was arguably the most grounded of the group.
It’s actually funny to watch the movie now. You can see the early flashes of Sam Winchester in his performance—that mix of "I’m tired of this nonsense" and "I’m genuinely terrified."
He spent 15 seasons hunting demons after this movie wrapped. Now, he’s the face of Walker on The CW. He’s basically the king of network television at this point.
That Time Jon Bon Jovi Was a Teacher
Seriously. Let’s talk about Rich Walker.
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The production somehow landed rock legend Jon Bon Jovi to play the journalism teacher. It’s such a 2005 casting move. He wasn’t just a cameo, either; he was a central figure in the mystery.
Bon Jovi had a decent run of acting roles around this time (like U-571 and Sex and the City), but Cry Wolf let him play someone a bit more academic and grounded. Or so it seemed.
The movie even threw in a cheeky Easter egg: at one point, his character mentions that someone "gives love a bad name." Clever.
The Rest of the Westlake Prep Crew
The supporting cast was equally filled with "hey, I know that person!" faces:
- Sandra McCoy (Mercedes): She was a huge music video star and dancer at the time. She later appeared in Supernatural (alongside Padalecki) and Toxic.
- Paul James (Lewis): Paul went on to star in Greek as Calvin Owens, a role that was groundbreaking for its time. He’s since been in The Path and Soundtrack.
- Gary Cole (Mr. Matthews): The man is a legend. Whether you know him from Office Space or as Kent Davison in Veep, he brought some serious weight to his small role as Owen's father.
- Kristy Wu (Regina): She was already known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and went on to do voice work for major games like Genshin Impact.
Why This Specific Cast Worked So Well
Director Jeff Wadlow (who later did Kick-Ass 2 and Truth or Dare) didn’t have a massive budget. He had about a million bucks and a really tight script.
When you have a limited budget, you rely on the chemistry of the kids. These actors actually felt like a group of pretentious, over-educated prep school students who were bored enough to invent a murderer.
They weren't just "victim #1" and "victim #2." They had personalities. That’s why the ending still hits—even if you’ve seen it a dozen times and know the twist.
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The 2026 Connection: A New Cry Wolf?
It's worth mentioning that "Cry Wolf" is back in the headlines for a different reason lately. In early 2026, FX announced a limited series also titled Cry Wolf.
This isn't a remake of the 2005 movie. It's actually an adaptation of a Danish series called Ulven Kommer. This new version stars Olivia Colman and Brie Larson.
If you're searching for the cast of Cry Wolf and seeing names like William Jackson Harper and Alyvia Alyn Lind, you've likely stumbled onto the new prestige drama instead of the cult classic slasher. Both deal with the fallout of lies and accusations, but they are very different animals.
What to Watch Next If You Love the Cast
If you’ve just rewatched the original and want more from these actors, here are the best places to find them:
- For Julian Morris: Check out the miniseries Man in an Orange Shirt. It's a gorgeous, heartbreaking look at a hidden romance across two generations.
- For Lindy Booth: The Librarians is pure fun. It’s got that same "smart people solving puzzles" vibe that Cry Wolf hinted at.
- For Jared Padalecki: You have 327 episodes of Supernatural waiting for you. It's a commitment, but worth it.
- For the Vibe: If you liked the "deadly game" aspect, Jeff Wadlow’s 2018 film Truth or Dare is basically the spiritual successor to Cry Wolf.
The 2005 film remains a time capsule of a specific era in horror—right before smartphones changed how we communicate and how we lie. The cast was the secret sauce that made a low-budget indie earn over $32 million at the box office. They weren't just scream queens and heartthrobs; they were talented actors on the verge of massive careers.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Verify the Version: If you're looking for the 2026 FX series, check the latest casting calls on Deadline for the Olivia Colman project.
- Stream the Original: The 2005 Cry_Wolf is frequently available on platforms like Peacock or for rent on Amazon Prime.
- Check the Credits: Watch for the unrated "Director's Cut" if you want to see the slight differences in the "Wolf" reveal and more interaction between the core cast.