Honestly, it’s rare for a movie to age as gracefully as a fine Napa Valley cabernet, but The Intern somehow pulled it off. When Nancy Meyers sat down to write this thing, she wasn't just making a "fish out of water" comedy. She was building a bridge between Boomers and Millennials. But let’s be real: the secret sauce wasn't just the gorgeous kitchen sets or the fancy Brooklyn brownstones. It was the people. The Intern 2015 cast brought a weirdly specific magic to the screen that made you actually believe a 70-year-old widower could be best friends with a high-strung tech CEO.
Most people remember Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. Obviously. They’re the heavy hitters. But when you rewatch it today, you start noticing how deep the bench really was. You’ve got future superstars like Andrew Rannells and established character actors like Rene Russo holding down the fort. It’s a masterclass in casting chemistry.
The Unlikely Duo: De Niro and Hathaway
Robert De Niro as Ben Whittaker is a vibe. We’re so used to seeing him play terrifying mobsters or over-the-top " Fockers" style dads, but here? He’s pure class. He plays a retired VP of DEX One who decides to join a senior intern program at a fashion startup called About the Fit. De Niro brings this quiet, observational dignity to the role. He doesn't need a lot of dialogue. He just uses his eyes.
Then you have Anne Hathaway as Jules Ostin. She is the engine of the movie. Jules is stressed, she’s misunderstood, and she’s trying to keep her marriage and her company from imploding. Hathaway has this incredible ability to make a "boss" character feel vulnerable instead of just "bossy." Watching her realize that Ben isn't there to judge her, but to support her, is basically the emotional spine of the whole film.
It’s funny to think about now, but Nancy Meyers actually had a different cast in mind initially. Tina Fey was attached at one point. Michael Caine was considered for the Ben role. Can you imagine? It would have been a totally different movie. Caine is legendary, but there’s a specific "Old School Brooklyn" grit that De Niro brings which feels essential to Ben's DNA.
The Supporting Players Who Stole the Show
You can’t talk about The Intern 2015 cast without mentioning the guys in the office. They provide the comic relief that keeps the movie from getting too sentimental.
✨ Don't miss: Priyanka Chopra Latest Movies: Why Her 2026 Slate Is Riskier Than You Think
- Adam DeVine (Jason): Fresh off Pitch Perfect, DeVine plays the guy who is constantly in the doghouse with his girlfriend. He’s the "modern" guy who needs Ben's "old school" advice on how to actually be a gentleman.
- Zack Pearlman (Davis): The quintessential intern. He’s the one who eventually moves into Ben’s house. Their dynamic is hilarious because it highlights the generational gap without being mean-spirited.
- Jason Orley (Lewis): He rounds out the trio. Orley actually went on to become a director himself (he directed Big Time Adolescence).
And then there’s Rene Russo. As Fiona, the in-house massage therapist, she provides the romantic interest for Ben. It’s such a mature, respectful depiction of a late-life romance. There are no games. They just like each other. It’s refreshing.
The "Villains" and the Family
There aren't really "villains" in a Nancy Meyers movie, just obstacles.
Andrew Rannells plays Cameron, Jules' right-hand man. He’s the one pushing her to hire a CEO. Rannells is great at playing someone who is technically "right" on paper but feels like a threat to the soul of the company.
On the home front, we have Anders Holm as Matt, Jules' stay-at-home husband. This is where the movie gets surprisingly heavy. His storyline about infidelity and the pressure of being the "supportive spouse" to a powerful woman was a big talking point back in 2015. It still feels relevant. JoJo Kushner, who played their daughter Paige, was also incredibly charming without being one of those "annoying movie kids."
Why the Casting Worked (The E-E-A-T Perspective)
From a cinematic standpoint, this cast worked because of contrast.
🔗 Read more: Why This Is How We Roll FGL Is Still The Song That Defines Modern Country
You have the Method acting legend (De Niro) playing opposite the Theater-trained Oscar winner (Hathaway). Behind the scenes, Meyers is known for being meticulous. She doesn't just cast for talent; she casts for "fit." In a 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Meyers mentioned that the chemistry between De Niro and Hathaway was instant during the first table read.
There's a nuance here that often gets missed. The movie was filmed on location in Brooklyn (Red Hook and Clinton Hill). The cast spent a lot of time in these environments, which helped ground their performances. It wasn't just a soundstage in Burbank. The authenticity of the setting bled into the acting.
Where Are They Now?
Since the film's release, the trajectories of the cast members have been fascinating to watch.
Robert De Niro went back to his roots with The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon, proving he’s still the GOAT. But he hasn't completely left comedy behind; he recently did About My Father. Anne Hathaway has had a massive resurgence lately, often called the "Hathaslayance." Between The Idea of You and her fashion icon status, she’s more relevant than ever.
Adam DeVine is a household name in comedy and voice acting. Andrew Rannells is a Broadway king and a lead in Girls5Eva. Even the smaller roles, like Christina Scherer (who played Jules' assistant Becky), have continued to work steadily in the industry.
💡 You might also like: The Real Story Behind I Can Do Bad All by Myself: From Stage to Screen
Practical Takeaways from The Intern
If you’re watching The Intern for more than just the vibes, there are actually some career lessons hidden in these performances.
- Experience is unhackable. Ben’s value isn't that he knows how to use Instagram; it’s that he knows how to read people. In a world of AI and automation, those "soft skills" are becoming more valuable, not less.
- The "Handkerchief" Rule. Ben tells Jason that a handkerchief isn't for him—it's to lend to a woman. It’s a metaphor for being prepared and being empathetic.
- Mentorship is a two-way street. Jules teaches Ben about the modern world, and Ben teaches Jules how to breathe.
Deep Scrutiny of the "Startup Culture" Representation
Some critics at the time argued that the office environment was too "clean." If you've ever actually worked at a startup in 2015, you know it was way messier. More Red Bull, less artisanal tea. However, the cast sells the feeling of a startup—the frantic energy, the open floor plans, the lack of boundaries.
Celia Weston’s small role as Doris also shouldn't be overlooked. She represents the "other" side of Ben's generation—the one that isn't quite ready to jump back into the workforce. It provides a nice foil to Ben's ambition.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Film Buffs
If you want to dive deeper into the world of this cast and film, here are a few things you can actually do:
- Watch the "Special Features": If you can find the Blu-ray or the digital extras, there’s a great segment on the "Generation Gap" where De Niro and the younger actors talk about what they learned from each other.
- Follow the Crew: Look up the work of Kristi Zea, the production designer. The cast looks so good partly because the world they inhabit is so well-realized.
- Revisit "The Holiday" or "It’s Complicated": To understand why the cast of The Intern works, you have to understand Nancy Meyers' rhythm. She writes for actors who can handle rapid-fire dialogue while doing something mundane, like making a sandwich.
The legacy of The Intern 2015 cast isn't just a box office number. It’s the fact that ten years later, people still put this movie on when they’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s cinematic comfort food. And while the technology in the movie (like the MacBooks and the specific apps they use) might start to look dated, the performances by De Niro, Hathaway, and the rest of the crew remain timeless. They captured a specific moment in time where we were all just trying to figure out how to balance work, life, and the people around us.
To get the most out of your next rewatch, pay attention to the background actors in the "About the Fit" office. Many of them were actual Brooklyn locals or people working in the fashion industry, which adds that extra layer of realism to Jules' world.