Into the Woods has been out for almost ten years now – I think it’s time we check up on the cast.
As someone known to love musicals, I’ll be among the first to check out where the stars are now. I loved watching Mamma Mia!, and I will gladly tune into anything Amanda Seyfried makes. I may have mixed feelings about the Les Misérables cast, but they are all incredibly talented in many ways. And, of course, I could go on for hours about how much I love the West Side Story cast, too – because they are all so amazing.
However, one musical cast that I still need to talk about is the Into the Woods ensemble. This was such a huge deal back in 2014 because the line-up of stars that were included in this movie was terrific. Actresses like Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Anna Kendrick led the talent, as did actors like Chris Pine and Billy Magnusson.
Now, almost ten years later, let’s look at the Into the Woods cast and what they’re up to now.
Meryl Streep (The Witch)
First up on this list has to be Meryl Streep, who played The Witch in Into the Woods. What can I say about her that hasn’t already been said? The actress is a visionary, an icon in every sense of the word. Honestly, she’s a Hollywood it-girl, and she continues to be.
I decided to rewatch Into the Woods years later, and my opinion has changed a decent amount on the musical film.
Since Into the Woods came out, Streep has appeared in various movies, from dramas to comedies. Some of her best-known hits include The Post, Florence Foster Jenkins, The Laundromat, and Little Women. She was also a part of the Don’t Look Up cast, and she appeared in other films such as the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and Let Them All Talk.
Streep also stepped into the world of television for a bit. Not only did she have a primary role that garnered critical acclaim in the second season of Big Little Lies, but she also had an important role in Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building. She was also a part of the Extrapolations cast.
When writing this in November 2023, Streep has nothing set up for the future, but come on – it’s Meryl Streep. I’m sure it won’t be long before we see her again in some role that will blow us away.
Emily Blunt (The Baker’s Wife)
Emily Blunt portrayed the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, the first time I witnessed Blunt’s musical talents. Since then, she has genuinely exploded in Hollywood, even more so than before, appearing in a variety of films that have showcased her acting prowess.
Just in 2023, she was a part of the Oppenheimer cast, a role that earned her plenty of acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Along with that, she’s had starring roles in movies such as Sicario, The Girl on the Train, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, A Quiet Place and its sequel (which were directed by her husband, John Krasinski), Mary Poppins Returns, Sherlock Gnomes, Pain Hustlers and more. She also appeared alongside Dwayne Johnson in Jungle Cruise.
Blunt hasn’t done much in television besides a starring role in The English, but truthfully, when someone is that busy with film, I can push that aside. She also has some great stuff set up for her, including her role in The Fall Guy cast and her part in the upcoming film IF.
James Corden (The Baker)
James Corden has undoubtedly blown up since the release of Into the Woods. Corden is primarily known for his late-night talk show, The Late Late Show with James Corden, but he’s also appeared in various films.
These include Trolls and Trolls World Tour, The Emoji Movie, Ocean’s 8, Kill Your Friends, The Prom, Cinderella, Cats, and more. He has also hosted the Tony Awards several times, and his series, Carpool Karaoke: The Series, which is a spinoff from a popular segment on his talk show. He will be in a new movie called Animals United 2: The Chilldown.
Anna Kendrick (Cinderella)
While I already knew who Anna Kendrick was from her time in Pitch Perfect (a film I have watched time and time again), she had an excellent voice for Cinderella in Into the Woods. Since then, Kendrick has starred in a lot of film and TV.
With films, Kendrick has appeared in both Pitch Perfect 2 and Pitch Perfect 3, as well as movies like Mr. Right, Digging for Fire, The Accountant, Table 19, A Simple Favour, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Alice, Darling, Woman of the Hour and more. She has also played one of the lead roles in all three Trolls movies.
She has appeared on television as well. She had a leading role on one of the best Max original shows, Love Life, and she had a voice role in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, reprising her role from the hilarious Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
Kendrick is set to appear in a new film called Unsound.
Chris Pine (Cinderella’s Prince)
Chris Pine played Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods, and I still think about “Agony” today. Since then, he has had an incredible career over the past ten years. He continued appearing in Star Trek films, and he had a role in Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman: 1984.
Aside from that, Pine appeared in films such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, High or Hell Water, A Wrinkle In Time, The Contractor, and more. He also held a starring role in the underrated Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and he played the villain in Disney's Wish.
Pine also appeared in four episodes of Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later and six episodes of I Am The Night. Coming up, he’ll be in a new movie called Newsflash and should appear in the next Star Trek film, which has been unnamed so far.
Johnny Depp (Big Bad Wolf)
Johnny Depp portrayed the Big Bad Wolf in Into the Woods, and he was the perfect choice because his vocal range is impressive. Depp has appeared in various movies since the film, including Alice Through the Looking Glass, Murder on the Orient Express, Mortdecai, Black Mass, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and the Fantastic Beasts movies.
Depp had a career hold during the trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, which was very publicized, and already has a Netflix docu-series about it. But he returned with a new film in 2023 called Jeanne du Barry in France. He also had a prominent voice role in the Puffins miniseries. He doesn’t have anything set up yet, but I feel it won’t be long before we see him again.
Lilla Crawford (Red Riding Hood)
You can’t have the Big Bad Wolf without Red Riding Hood, and Lila Crawford was undoubtedly the person to play her. Famous for taking on the role of Annie on Broadway before Into the Woods, Crawford played the character perfectly and delivered an expert performance.
Since Into the Woods, she has appeared in two movies, Little Miss Perfect and Sunny Day. But the actress has found much more success in television. Her most significant role thus far has been a recurring part on Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin on Max, but she’s also appeared in shows such as Blue Bloods, The Who Was? Show, and Raven’s Home. She is set to appear in a new TV movie called Fairy Tale Forest.
Daniel Huttlestone (Jack)
Daniel Huttlestone was another young child actor who got his start on Broadway before Into the Woods, where he played Jack. He portrayed Gavroche in Les Misérables just the year before, and then his role as Jack in Into the Woods further showed his musical talent.
However, Huttlestone only appeared in a few other films after Into the Woods, including Friday Download, London Town, and The Lost City of Z. Other than that, we haven’t heard much from him in some time.
Billy Magnussen (Rapunzel’s Prince)
Billy Magnussen was Rapunzel's Prince in Into the Woods, and he did very well after Into the Woods. With films, Magnussen has appeared in several, including Bridge of Spies, Aladdin, No Time To Die, Spy Kids: Armageddon, The Survivor, Game Night, The Many Saints of Newark, The Meddler, Ingrid Goes West, and many more.
He has also appeared in several TV shows, including The People vs. O.J. Simpson, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Bold Type, Maniac, Tell Me A Story, and Made For Love. Coming up, he’ll be in the new Lilo and Stitch movie, a new series called The Franchise, and another film titled Lift.
Mackenzie Mauzy (Rapunzel)
Mackenzie Mauzy played Rapunzel in Into the Woods, and since then, she hasn’t done much in film but has appeared in several TV shows. These include Forever, The Good Fight, Gone, and NCIS: New Orleans. Mauzy also appeared in the TV films Girls Night Out and Manson’s Lost Girls.
Tracey Ullman (Jack’s Mother)
Tracey Ullman portrayed Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods, and she’s appeared in two films since, The Prom and Onward. Ullman has mainly stuck to television, especially with her starring role in The Tracey Ullman Show, but she’s also appeared in series such as Howards End, Mrs. America, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Next up, she’ll be in a new movie called The Actor and a TV show called Never Let Me Go.
Christine Baranski (Cinderella’s Stepmother)
Last, but not least, we have Christine Baranski, who played Cinderella’s Stepmother in Into the Woods and made me never look at heels the same again. Since this film, she has appeared in movies such as Yellowbird, Trolls, A Bad Moms Christmas, Christmas on the Square, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, among others.
Baranski also starred in The Good Fight from 2017 to 2022, and she held a primary role as part of The Gilded Age cast, among several voice roles. She is still co-starring in The Gilded Age during its second season.
So many stars were a part of the Into the Woods cast, and now I have a million reasons to go and rewatch their movies again. I think it’s time for another Pitch Perfect rewatch; how about you?
