If you turned on a TV at any point in the late 2000s, you couldn't escape the faces that made up the When in Rome cast. It's one of those movies. You know the type. Critics generally trashed it when it hit theaters in 2010, but thanks to endless cable repeats and streaming, it has become this weirdly permanent fixture in the collective pop culture memory. Looking back, the sheer density of talent in this movie is kind of insane. You have a future Marvel superhero, a comedy legend from Saturday Night Live, the voice of a Disney princess, and the guy who eventually became the most famous person on TikTok for a week because of a sea shanty.
Beth, played by Kristen Bell, is an ambitious Guggenheim curator who travels to Rome for her sister’s shotgun wedding. After a few too many glasses of Prosecco and a disappointing encounter with a handsome best man, she impulsively steals coins from a "fountain of love." Magic ensues. Or a curse. Whatever you want to call it, she ends up being stalked back to New York by a group of men who are now helplessly in love with her. It’s a ridiculous premise. Honestly, it’s borderline creepy if you think about it for more than three seconds. But the cast sells it.
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The Leading Duo: Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel
Kristen Bell was right in the middle of her Gossip Girl narration era and coming off the cult success of Veronica Mars when she took this role. She has this specific brand of "relatable but slightly high-strung" that works perfectly for a rom-com lead. In When in Rome, she’s the anchor. Without her grounded performance, the slapstick would just feel messy.
Then you have Josh Duhamel as Nick. At the time, Duhamel was the go-to guy for the "hunky but approachable" male lead. He had just done Transformers and was a staple in the Nicholas Sparks cinematic universe vibes. In this film, he’s basically tasked with being charming while running into light poles and getting struck by lightning. Their chemistry is fine—it's standard rom-com fare—but the movie really lives and breathes through its supporting players.
The Suitors: A Comedy Gold Mine
The real reason people still talk about the When in Rome cast isn’t the central romance. It’s the four guys chasing Beth. This is where the casting director really earned their paycheck.
First, you’ve got Danny DeVito as Al, the sausage king. It’s Danny DeVito. Do I even need to explain why that works? He brings a level of chaotic energy that only he can. Watching a billionaire meat tycoon try to woo a museum curator is peak comedy.
Then there’s Will Arnett as Antonio, the narcissistic Italian painter. This was peak Arrested Development era Arnett. He plays the "delusional artist" trope to perfection, leaning heavily into that gravelly voice and over-the-top arrogance. If you’ve seen his work as BoJack Horseman or LEGO Batman, you can see the seeds of those characters here.
Jon Heder, the man forever known as Napoleon Dynamite, plays Lance the Street Magician. It’s a very "Jon Heder" role—awkward, slightly weird, and physically comedic. By 2010, the Napoleon Dynamite fever had cooled off, but Heder still had that niche carved out.
Finally, we have Dax Shepard as Gale, the self-absorbed male model. This is actually pretty funny in hindsight because Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell were already a real-life couple at the time. They’ve since become one of Hollywood's most prominent "open book" couples, sharing way more about their marriage on podcasts than most people do with their therapists. Seeing them share the screen in this context, where he’s obsessing over his own reflection while trying to date her, adds a meta-layer to the viewing experience.
Why the Supporting Cast Matters
- The Chemistry: Even though they are rivals, the "stalker" squad has a weirdly fun dynamic.
- The Timing: Most of these actors were at the height of their specific "types" in 2010.
- The Contrast: You have DeVito’s grit vs. Arnett’s ego vs. Heder’s quirk vs. Shepard’s vanity.
Surprising Cameos and Smaller Roles
If you blink, you might miss some of the other heavy hitters in the When in Rome cast. Anjelica Huston plays Beth’s boss at the Guggenheim. Having an Oscar winner play a supporting role in a movie about a magic fountain is a flex. She brings a much-needed gravity to the New York scenes, making the art world feel somewhat legitimate before things devolve into slapstick.
Don Johnson—yes, Miami Vice Don Johnson—shows up as Beth’s dad. He’s essentially playing a version of the "charming rogue" father who has been married too many times. It’s a small role, but it fits the film’s theme of questioning whether love is actually real or just a biological glitch.
Alexis Dziena plays Beth's sister, Joan. You might remember her from Entourage or Fool's Gold. She’s the catalyst for the whole trip to Italy, and while her character is mostly there to be the "happy bride" contrast to Beth’s "cynical singleton," she does it well.
Then there is the random appearance of Bobby Moynihan and Kate Micucci. Moynihan was just starting his legendary run on SNL, and Micucci is one half of the comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates. They represent that era of comedy where everyone seemed to be one degree of separation from an improv basement in New York or LA.
The Rome vs. New York Dynamic
The film splits its time between the timeless beauty of Italy and the frantic energy of Manhattan. When the When in Rome cast filmed on location in Italy, they were dealing with a version of Rome that feels very "Hollywood postcard." The Fountain of Love—the Fontana de Amore—isn't actually a real landmark you can visit. It was built specifically for the movie in the Piazza della Rotonda, right in front of the Pantheon.
The production team did a decent job making the New York side of things feel authentic to the Guggenheim. They actually filmed inside the museum, which isn't always easy to pull off. Seeing Kristen Bell navigate the iconic spiral ramp while being pursued by a sausage tycoon and a magician is a visual contrast that shouldn't work, but somehow does.
Critical Reception and Why It Still Lives On
Let's be real. The movie wasn't a hit with critics. It sits at about a 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics called it "bland," "predictable," and "clichéd." They aren't necessarily wrong. If you’re looking for a deep exploration of human connection, this isn't it.
But movies like When in Rome don't exist for critics. They exist for airplane rides, Sunday afternoons on the couch, and background noise while you’re folding laundry. The When in Rome cast is the secret sauce. You stick around because you like these people. You want to see what Will Arnett is going to do next. You want to see if Danny DeVito actually eats the sausage he’s holding.
There is a comfort in the predictability. We know the girl is going to get the guy. We know the curse will be broken. But the journey is made tolerable by a group of actors who are clearly having a better time than the script probably deserved.
Actionable Insights for Fans of the Cast
If you enjoyed the ensemble in this movie, there are a few ways to dive deeper into their work that you might have missed.
First, if you want more of the Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard dynamic, you have to watch Hit and Run (2012). It’s a totally different vibe—an indie action-comedy written and directed by Shepard—but it captures their real-world chemistry in a way that When in Rome only teases.
For the Will Arnett fans, Running Wilde is a short-lived TV show that aired shortly after this movie. It features Arnett playing a very similar "clueless rich guy" character, and it’s honestly funnier than people gave it credit for at the time.
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If you're interested in the filming locations, don't go to Rome looking for the Fountain of Love. You'll be disappointed. Instead, visit the Piazza della Rotonda to see the Pantheon, and then head over to the Trevi Fountain if you want to throw coins. Just don't take them out—apparently, that’s where the trouble starts.
Lastly, check out the soundtrack. It’s a time capsule of 2010 pop-rock. You’ve got 3OH!3, Katy Perry, and Jason Mraz. It’s the ultimate "early 2010s" audio experience.
Final Thoughts on the Ensemble
The When in Rome cast represents a specific moment in Hollywood where the mid-budget rom-com was still a theatrical staple. We don't get many of these anymore; they’ve mostly migrated to Netflix and Hallmark. But looking back at this roster—Bell, Duhamel, DeVito, Arnett, Heder, Shepard, and Huston—it’s clear that the production team wasn't just checking boxes. They put together a group of genuine comedic heavyweights.
Even if the plot is paper-thin, the performances are what keep the movie in rotation. It’s a testament to the idea that a great cast can elevate mediocre material into something that, while not a masterpiece, is undeniably watchable. Next time it pops up on your streaming feed, take a second to appreciate the weird, wonderful collection of talent that somehow ended up in a movie about a magic fountain. It shouldn't work, but in its own goofy way, it totally does.
To get the most out of your next rewatch, pay attention to the background actors in the Guggenheim scenes; many are actual New York art world figures or up-and-coming comedians from the UCB scene. Also, watch the credits for the choreographed dance number—it’s a classic trope of the era that the cast actually seems to be enjoying.