The Labyrinth Cast 40 Years Later: Where Are They Now?

A dark and twisted children's fantasy from the man behind The Dark Crystal? Looking back, it’s probably unsurprising that Labyrinth got a bit lost at the box office initially before finding an audience (and eventually, a dedicated cult following) after coming to home video in the 1990s.

The movie, which was produced by George Lucas and has gone down as Jim Henson’s final creation (the Muppet Show and Sesame Street creator died tragically just four years later), is now considered an offbeat ‘80s classic — the kind of genuinely creepy family film (like The Witches or Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) that certain Gen Xers and Millennials take great pride in having seen at a young age.

If you are one of them, you can probably list off some of Jareth’s best lines. You might even have tried your hand(s) at contact juggling at some point in history. But even the most ardent Labyrinth fan might struggle to tell you where the majority of the cast ended up — you know, aside from those two.

For this, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn about what the cast of Labyrinth has been up to in the last 40 years, and use the guide below to find out where to stream some of their best work on Apple TV, Netflix, Prime Video and elsewhere. 

Jennifer Connelly (Sarah Williams)

Looking back, you could be forgiven for thinking that Jim Henson discovered Jennifer Connelly when he cast her, aged 16, in the lead role in Labyrinth. In truth, the actress had already racked up six years as a professional model at that point, as well as three film credits — including Sergio Leone’s One Upon a Time in America and Dario Argento’s Phenomena.

Henson’s film did, however, help to establish her as an up-and-comer on the Hollywood scene. In the 1990s, she continued to draw acclaim for her performances in films like Higher Learning and Requiem for a Dream before moving to the top of the Hollywood pile in the ‘00s with movies like Blood Diamond, Little Children and A Beautiful Mind — the last of which saw her win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Since 2010, her work rate has slowed a little, but she’s still found time to reunite with her Beautiful Mind costar Russell Crowe in Noah; provide the voice of Peter’s suit A.I. in Spider-Man: Homecoming (no, really); and play Tom Cruise’s love interest in the hugely successful Top Gun: Maverick. What a life. 

One to watch: A Beautiful Mind

David Bowie (Goblin King Jareth)

The story goes that Sting (who’d recently acted in Dune), Michael Jackson and Prince were all considered for the role of Jareth (the Goblin King) before Henson decided that David Robert Jones — aka Ziggy Stardust, aka David Bowie — was his man. Henson would have to pursue the rockstar for two years before Bowie agreed to take on the part, but when he did, he fully immersed himself, even going so far as to contribute five original songs — not that any of them would trouble a compilation of Bowie’s best work.

In terms of casting, it wasn’t such an unusual choice at the time as Bowie had already proved his acting chops in films like The Man Who Fell to Earth and Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence. He continued to pop up in films all the way up until he died in 2016, appearing over the years in everything from The Last Temptation of Christ and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk to Zoolander and The Prestige. 

One to watch: The Man Who Fell to Earth

Toby Froud (Toby Williams)

I find it quite endearing that Toby Froud’s Wikipedia page claims that the actor “rose to prominence” with his role as Sarah's baby half-brother in Labyrinth. This is not a dig at his performance; of course, it’s just a funny choice of words to think about when you consider that Froud celebrated his first birthday during the film’s shoot.

Regardless, that experience must have planted some kind of bug in the young lad, as Froud has gone on to an impressive career in puppetry and practical effects. His credits to date include The Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and — in what must have been a pleasing full circle moment for him — the 2019 prequel to Henson’s Dark Crystal.

One to watch: Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

Shelley Thompson (Irene Williams)

While conducting my research for this piece, nothing shocked and delighted me more than to discover that Shelley Thompson, who plays Toby's mother and Sarah's stepmother in Labyrinth, went on to play the legend that is Barb Lahey across 85 episodes of Trailer Park Boys. 

Before those two iconic parts, the Canadian actress trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and, in the years in between, appeared in a variety of BBC productions, including multiple radio dramas and even an episode of EastEnders. 

One to watch: Trailer Park Boys

Christopher Malcolm (Robert Williams)

Rounding up the human characters of Labyrinth is Christopher Malcolm, a classically trained actor who broke onto the scene with his starring performance as Brad in the original stage production of Rocky Horror in 1973. This led to bit parts in everything from The Empire Strikes Back to Superman III before Malcolm eventually landed the role of Robert (Sarah’s dad) in Henson’s 1986 movie. 

Not long after, however, Malcolm moved to the UK, where he earned an Olivier nomination for his 1990 West End revival of Rocky Horror. If you know him from anything else other than that time, it’s likely for playing Edina’s gay ex-husband Justin in 11 episodes of Absolutely Fabulous. He passed away in London in 2014.

One to watch: Absolutely Fabulous

Frank Oz (The Wiseman)

In order to give the film the respect it deserves here, I’ll also look into a few of the most prominent figures responsible for the performances of Labyrinth’s various creatures. The biggest name on that list is Frank Oz (who provides the voice of The Wiseman), a Hollywood legend best known for playing Yoda across various films in the Star Wars universe.

Outside of that and his long-running involvement with The Muppets, Oz’s greatest contributions to cinema have come on the other side of the camera — where he directed such beloved movies as Little Shop of Horrors, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Score. At 81 years old, he is still very much with us — he recently loaned his voice to the cast of Inside Out 2. 

One to watch: The Score

Brian Henson (Hoggle)

The next most recognisable name from the behind-the-scenes cast is Brian Henson, mainly because he’s the son of Jim, but also because he’s since inherited the keys to his father’s kingdom and is now the chairman of The Jim Henson Company. 

Back in the 1980s, however, Brian was working his way up through that particular corner of the industry, appearing in movies like Return to Oz (as Jack Pumpkinhead) and Little Shop of Horrors before moving behind the camera to direct Muppets Christmas Carol — which, when you really think about it, might be one of the greatest directorial debuts in history. 

Now 62, he is currently involved as an executive producer on Robert Eggers’ Labyrinth sequel — which, all going to plan, will be with us in 2028. 

One to watch: The Muppet Christmas Carol

Dave Goelz (Various)

Last but not least, we have Dave Goelz, one of the most prolific puppeteers from Henson’s original troupe and the man responsible for bringing Gonzo to life. In Labyrinth, Goelz pulled the strings for five different characters, including Sir Didymus and The Hat.

In the years since, Goelz has continued to be Gonzo in everything from Christmas Carol to the 2011 movie, all the way up to the televised reboot this year — that’s what you call consistency. 

One to watch: The Muppet Show