There are a few things synonymous with October 31st in my household: pumpkin-spiced candles, a comically oversized skeleton, and Halloweentown playing on a neverending loop. The 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie turns 25 this year, so you may be wondering what has happened to the Halloweentown cast in all those years. We've got you covered.
Halloweentown has become a classic Halloween movie for people who want a good dose of nostalgia outside of other popular Disney Halloween movies. Or just an authentic spooky season viewing experience that isn't truly terrifying like a horror movie.
If you've somehow made it this far in life without seeing it, let me paint you a picture. The film follows Marnie Piper (played by Kimberly J. Brown), a bubbly preteen who discovers she's descended from a long line of witches—and will lose her powers if she doesn't get proper training before her 13th birthday. Since her mother is deadset on raising her as a mortal, Marnie decides to secretly follow her grandmother to get the magical education she needs.
When she realizes that the place her grandmother calls home is a supernatural haven for goblins, ghouls, werewolves, and other creatures known as Halloweentown, she's thrown headfirst into an adventure to save it from an evil force. You can even visit Halloweentown filming locations in the charming Oregon town that brought this magical world to life.
The movie spawned three sequels—Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001), Halloweentown High (2004), and Return to Halloweentown (2006)—and has earned its place in the hearts of many Gen-Zers who grew up watching it. But what happened to the Halloweentown cast since they've grown up?
Read on to discover who played who in the original Halloweentown and where they are today.
Disney; Unique Nicole/Getty Images
Kimberly J. Brown
Back in the late 90s, everybody wanted to be Kimberly J. Brown. As the plucky protagonist Marine Piper, the young actress solidified herself with the Halloween season—earning a Young Artist Award nomination in the process.
After Halloweentown wrapped, Brown went on to appear in several other movies, including Tumbleweeds, A Bug's Life, and Be Cool. She also continued to play the role of Marah Lewis in the soap opera Guiding Light, a part she held on to for nearly two decades. In more recent years, she's appeared in a few shorts and miniseries (like Mondays and Low Winter Sun) as well as the infamous soap General Hospital.
Outside of the spotlight, Brown runs an Etsy shop selling Halloweentown-inspired merch and is currently engaged to her Halloweentown II costar Daniel Kountz.
Disney; Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds was already a Hollywood icon by the time she stepped into the shoes of Marnie's beloved grandmother Aggie Cromwell in Halloweentown—and her star only rose from there.
After her huge success in the 50s with films like Singin' in the Rain and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Reynolds had a long and varied career—appearing in everything from Will & Grace to Family Guy. She also starred in several Broadway shows and recorded a number-one single on the Billboard pop charts, "Tammy."
Sadly, the star passed away in 2016 at the age of 84 after suffering a severe stroke following the death of her daughter and fellow actress Carrie Fisher. The mother and daughter died just one day apart. Her official cause of death was an intracerebral hemorrhage.
Disney; Bobby Bank/Getty Images
Judith Hoag
Actress Judith Hoag played the role of Marnie's mother, Gwen, for the entirety of the Halloweentown franchise. While she had appeared in a couple of big series like Quantum Leap, Roseanne, The Nanny, Murder, She Wrote, and Nash Bridges—not to mention her iconic role of April O'Neil in the 1990 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—the Disney Channel TV movie pulled her out of guest-star purgatory and into the spotlight.
Post-Halloweentown, Hoag continued to appear in major TV series as both a guest star and a regular. She's had recurring roles on shows like Big Love, The Magicians, and Nashville and has appeared in films like Hitchcock and I Am Number Four. Most recently, she starred as Ruby in the comedy Roll with It.
Outside of her life in the spotlight, Hoag is also a mother of two.
Disney; IMDB
Joey Zimmerman
He may have played Marine's annoying younger brother Dylan in Halloweentown, but actor Joey Zimmerman has come a long way since his days as an awkward preteen.
As well as reprising his role for all three sequels, the actor has made appearances on shows like 7th Heaven, That 70's Show, and Lizzie McGuire. While he's landed a few gigs here and there—the most recent being lending his voice to the role of Henry in a 2020 video presentation for Thomas the Tank Engine—the now 37-year-old has definitely stepped out of the spotlight. But he occasionally posts about Halloweentown nostalgia on his Instagram.
Disney; Instagram
Phillip Van Dyke
Who could forget Luke, the charming goblin who was "cursed with handsomeness"—and thus makes a pass on Marnie? Phillip Van Dyke may have been the perfect fit for Luke, but his acting career didn't take off quite as much as we'd hoped.
Following his stint as Luke, Van Dyke made a few appearances in shows like The Amanda Show, Gilmore Girls, and NYPD Blue. He also starred in his own series for Nick.com titled Noah Knows Best for a single season. But the actor's biggest claim to fame to date is lending his voice to the hit animated series Hey Arnold! for the parts of both Ludwig and Sandy.
It's been two decades since Van Dyke has been back in the spotlight. But he did tell E! News in 2020 that he would be open to returning for a Halloweentown reboot. Fingers crossed!
Disney; IMDB
Emily Roeske
As the youngest member of the Piper household, Emily Roeske was the perfect fit for Sophie, Marnie's precocious little sister. While she had a few minor acting roles prior to Halloweentown—including the film 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain—the movie put her on the map as a potential child star.
But after reprising her role for Halloweentown II and Halloweentown High, Roeske went MIA from the Hollywood scene. According to her Instagram, she's now a mom of four—and a third-degree black belt.
Disney; John Lamparski/WireImage
Robin Thomas
The evil Kalabar was brought to life by veteran actor Robin Thomas, who had already appeared in a string of TV movies and series before scoring the role.
Following Halloweentown, Thomas continued to land guest roles on shows like The West Wing, House, and Criminal Minds. But he's perhaps best known for his work in films like The Contender, Bulworth, and About Last Night. Most recently, he played the role of Graham Winslow in the Hallmark series Mystery 101 alongside Jill Wagner.
Where to Watch Halloweentown
You can currently binge all four Halloweentown movies on Disney+.
