Where Is the Cast of "Miss Congeniality" Now? All About the Stars' Lives 25 Years Later Jordana Comiter, Emily KrauserDecember 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM 0 Warner Brothers/Getty From left: Michael Caine as Victor Melling, Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart and Benjamin Bratt as Eric Matthews in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality' Miss Congeniality hit theaters on Dec.
- - Where Is the Cast of "Miss Congeniality" Now? All About the Stars' Lives 25 Years Later
Jordana Comiter, Emily KrauserDecember 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
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Warner Brothers/Getty
From left: Michael Caine as Victor Melling, Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart and Benjamin Bratt as Eric Matthews in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality' -
Miss Congeniality hit theaters on Dec. 14, 2000
The comedy, starring Sandra Bullock, earned $107 million domestically at the box office
The film was so successful that it led to a 2005 sequel, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, with many of the original cast members reprising their roles in the second film
"You wear the crown, be the crown, you are the crown!" It's been 25 years since Miss Congeniality glided into audiences' hearts with beauty, grace and snort-worthy laughs.
Directed by Donald Petrie, the action-comedy film premiered in theaters on Dec. 14, 2000. Sandra Bullock transformed into Gracie Hart, an FBI agent who goes undercover as Miss New Jersey to stop a dangerous threat against the Miss United States beauty pageant. Bullock, a producer on the film, acted alongside a star-studded ensemble cast, including Benjamin Bratt, William Shatner, Candice Bergen and Michael Caine.
Miss Congeniality was a massive hit at the box office, earning $212 million worldwide, and its surprise success led to the 2005 sequel Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. Shot primarily in Austin, Texas, the movie became a cult classic for its hilarious lines (April 25 is the perfect day!) and empowering message of embracing individuality.
Bullock's leading-lady status continued with roles in the 2002 films Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Two Weeks Later before the second installment of Miss Congeniality. However, in April 2022, she told Metro UK that the original film "should have remained a one-off."
In honor of its milestone anniversary, here's what the stars of Miss Congeniality have been up to since we first learned not to mess with Gracie Hart.
01 of 10
Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart
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Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Sandra Bullock attends a screening of 'The Lost City' at the Whitby Hotel in New York City on March 14, 2022.
The Virginia native was already known for her breakout role in the 1994 action-thriller Speed and heartfelt performances in the 1998 films Hope Floats and Practical Magic when she produced and starred in Miss Congeniality.
Playing frumpy FBI agent Gracie Hart, or as she's known undercover, Miss New Jersey, Bullock told movie critic Roger Ebert at the time that she loved the "swan" element, noting that though Gracie got a makeover.
"What I liked about this movie was it's not that she changed her personality," she added.
Bullock was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress — Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her portrayal of Gracie. She would later earn a Golden Globe, as well as an Oscar and SAG Award for 2009's The Blind Side. Her other major films include The Proposal (2009), Bird Box (2018), The Unforgivable (2021), The Lost City (2022) and Bullet Train (2022).
Off-screen, Bullock was married to Jesse James from 2005 to 2010. She began dating Bryan Randall in 2015, and they stayed happily together until he died in August 2023 from a "three-year battle with ALS." She also adopted two children, son Louis and daughter Laila, in 2010 and 2015, respectively.
Though she's taken time away from her career in recent years, Bullock told PEOPLE (the TV Show!) in March 2022 that she was "not retiring, just going to not spend time in front of the camera for a while," as she has "beautiful babies. I'd rather look at them ... every day and have them be mad at me and annoyed and make memories with them for right now."
02 of 10
Benjamin Bratt as Eric Matthews
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Benjamin Bratt as Eric Matthews in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Benjamin Bratt attends a special screening of Netflix's 'Mother of the Bride' in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on May 8, 2024.
Bratt, who was born and raised in San Francisco, already had a long list of credits before portraying FBI agent Eric Matthews in Miss Congeniality, including Law & Order.
He had previously starred with Bullock in 1993's Demolition Man, and the two had a "comfort level" already, according to E! In 2025, Bratt told Good Morning America that he believes the film "really endures" because of Bullock.
"Of course, the writing is hilarious, and the directing is brilliant. But Sandy isn't afraid to make a fool of herself, to be silly," Bratt said. "We all recognize the kind of foibles her character goes through in ourselves, and it's fun to relate to someone like that."
Following Miss Congeniality, Bratt appeared in Catwoman (2004), Freedom Riders (2009), Snitch (2013), Ride Along 2 (2016), Doctor Strange (2016) and Mother of the Bride (2024). In addition to Law & Order, the actor has also racked up a slew of TV credits, with recurring roles on E-Ring, The Cleaner, Private Practice, Star, 24: Live Another Day, Modern Family, Poker Face and Andor.
Bratt's voice-acting roles include Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and its 2013 sequel, Despicable Me 2 (2013) and Coco (2017).
In 2002, he married Talisa Soto, whom he met at a film audition in the early '90s and later costarred with in 2001's Piñero. The pair share two kids: daughter Sophia, born in 2002, and son Mateo, born in 2005.
03 of 10
Heather Burns as Cheryl Frasier
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Heather Burns in as Cheryl Frasier in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Heather Burns attends the opening night of 'Hold on to Me Darling' at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in N.Y.C. on Oct. 16, 2024.
A native of Chicago, Heather Burns appeared in 1998's You've Got Mail and on shows like Law & Order and The Beat before portraying the wholesome, delightfully naive Cheryl Frasier, a.k.a. Miss Rhode Island — but she almost didn't get the part.
After not receiving a callback after her first audition, a change in directors gave her a second chance. Then, in New York, Burns submitted a tape, flew across the country to Los Angeles to read with Bullock and nabbed the role. She dyed her hair blonde to set her character apart from Gracie and was taught baton twirling by a coach from Syracuse University, per E! News.
Burns costarred with Bullock again in Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality 2 before appearing in 2005's Bewitched and 2016's Manchester by the Sea. In 2025, she starred alongside husband-and-wife duo Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick in The Best You Can.
She also appeared on shows like Blindspot, The Good Fight and Julia, as well as onstage in the 2024 Off-Broadway production of Hold Me Darling with Adam Driver.
Though Bullock is seemingly done with the Miss Congeniality universe, Burns told PEOPLE in June 2025 that she would "love" to star in a third film.
"That was one of the best experiences of my life. It was so much fun making both of those films," she said, adding, "I made lifelong friends working with Sandra Bullock. It's just a dream. So yes, a third [movie], I would jump at it. It would be so much fun."
In 2016, Burns welcomed a son with her husband, actor Ajay Naidu.
04 of 10
William Shatner as Stan Fields
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William Shatner as Stan Fields in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; William Shatner attends the 22nd annual Visual Effects Society Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 21, 2024.
Born in Montréal, Shatner has been a professional actor since the 1950s. He was already a household name as Captain James T. Kirk from the 1960s Star Trek series and its subsequent franchise reboots and films before he portrayed pageant emcee Stan Fields in Miss Congeniality.
Shatner is still a fan, regularly celebrating the film's "unofficial holiday," April 25, on X.
"Happy 25th anniversary of #ThePerfectDate," Shatner wrote in April 2025, adding stills from Stan's infamous scene with Cheryl.
After Miss Congeniality, the actor appeared in several films, including 2004's Dodgeball, and reprised his role as Stan in Miss Congeniality 2. He later earned an Emmy Award in 2005 for his guest appearance on The Practice, followed by a Golden Globe in 2005 and another Emmy in 2006 for his role on its spinoff, Boston Legal.
Shatner also did TV guest spots, including on Psych, Rookie Blue and Hot in Cleveland, and voiced characters on shows like My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and Masters of the Universe: Revolution and in video games like Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff and Elite: Dangerous.
As if that wasn't enough, Shatner is the accomplished science fiction author of the TekWar series and wrote a 2008 memoir, Up Till Now: The Autobiography. He's also co-authored the book William Shatner...And You, which will be released in late 2026 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Star Trek.
In February 2025, he was honored with the lifetime achievement award at the 52nd Annual Saturn Awards Showcase.
Shatner's career isn't the only place he reached for the stars — he took an actual trip to space! In October 2021, at age 90, he became the oldest person to ever go to space when he went aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space shuttle.
In his personal life, Shatner married his fourth wife, Elizabeth Martin, in February 2001; they finalized their divorce settlement in March 2020. He has three children from previous relationships.
05 of 10
Michael Caine as Victor Melling
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Michael Caine as Victor Melling in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Michael Caine attends the world premiere of 'The Great Escaper' at BFI Southbank in London on Sept. 20, 2023.
The Oscar-winning actor — born Maurice Micklewhite in London — was a critically acclaimed performer long before Miss Congeniality, in which he portrayed beauty pageant coach Victor Melling.
He told AboutFilm.com in January 2004 that his years of making films for money were behind him and that he only did movies if it was "fun for me," which is why he joined the cast of Miss Congeniality.
Following the film's release, the actor continued to star on the big screen in films such as The Prestige (2006), The Dark Knight (2008), Now You See Me (2013) and its 2016 sequel, Interstellar (2014) and Dunkirk (2017).
In October 2023, Caine announced on BBC Radio 4's Today show that he was retiring from acting. His last film was 2023's The Great Escaper.
When he appeared in Miss Congeniality, Caine was already married to his wife, Shakira Caine; they have one child, daughter Natasha. He also shares an older daughter, Dominique, with ex-wife Patricia Haines.
06 of 10
Candice Bergen as Kathy Morningside
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Candice Bergen as Kathy Morningside in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Candice Bergen attends the Primetime Emmy Awards in L.A. on Sept. 15, 2024.
Bergen was (and still is!) best known for her 10-season run as the titular Murphy Brown, before portraying the villainous former pageant queen and competition director Kathy Morningside in Miss Congeniality. The L.A. native was fit for the role — she was a model and Vogue cover girl before making her film debut in The Group in 1966.
The 2000 comedy had been Bergen's first film in 15 years, and she was Petrie's only choice for Kathy.
"I needed someone who was beautiful and who could play psychotic. That's not an easy combination," the director told The Morning Call in December 2000. "And I needed someone who could handle the comedy and still have the poise and grace that the role required. I knew Candice could pull it off."
Bergen continued appearing in comedic movies, including Sweet Home Alabama (2000), Sex and the City (2008), Bride Wars (2009) and Book Club (2018) and its 2022 and 2023 sequels. She also made waves in the Broadway revivals of 2012's The Best Man and 2014's Love Letters.
On TV, Bergen reunited with her Miss Congeniality costar Shatner on Boston Legal and reprised her role as Murphy Brown on the one-season revival of the sitcom of the same name. She last had guest spots on The Connors in 2021 and on And Just Like That... in 2023, and she's set to appear on season 3 of Apple TV's Shrinking.
Bergen's first husband, French film director and screenwriter Louis Malle, died at age 63 in 1995 from lymphoma. The pair shared one child, daughter Chloe Malle, born in 1985. She later married Marshall Rose in 2000, the same year Miss Congeniality was released. Marshall died in February 2025 at age 88 from complications of Parkinson's disease.
07 of 10
Ernie Hudson as Harry McDonald
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Ernie Hudson as Harry McDonald in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Ernie Hudson attends the Creative Arts Emmys at Peacock Theater in L.A. on Jan. 6, 2024.
In the 1980s, Ernie Hudson rose to fame in the original Ghostbusters film and its sequel. So, the Michigan native was a familiar face when he appeared in Miss Congeniality as Gracie's serious, uptight boss, FBI assistant director Harry McDonald.
Hudson told ScreenSlam at the premiere that Bullock was the one who attracted him to the film.
"I love her, and I've always loved her work. When I first saw her in Speed, I [thought] she's incredibly beautiful and very down to Earth, and after working with her, I realized it was all very, very true," he said, adding, "It was also a very good script and very funny, and I do a very heavy show on TV, Oz, so this was a nice change."
Hudson continued to work prolifically. After Oz wrapped in 2003, he appeared on shows like Desperate Housewives, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Grace and Frankie, Quantum Leap, and The Family Business. On the big screen, he reprised his role as Harry in Miss Congeniality 2 and as Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024).
In 2025, he began working on the Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue. He's set to appear next in the horror anthology film Deepest, Darkest and the horror film Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole, as well as lend his voice to Combat Carl in Toy Story 5, taking over the role from the late Carl Weathers.
Hudson has been married to his wife, Linda Kingsberg, since 1985, and they share two sons, Andrew and Ross. He is also a father to two children from his previous marriage to Jeannie Moore: sons Ernest Jr. and Rocky (also known as Rahi over the years). Hudson appeared alongside his four sons on Celebrity Family Feud in 2016.
08 of 10
Melissa De Sousa as Karen Krantz
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Melissa De Sousa as Karen Krantz in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Melissa De Sousa attends the opening night of 'The Wiz' at Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., on Feb. 14, 2024.
Born and raised in New York City, Melissa De Sousa was trained in ballet and started her career as a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company. Before landing the part of Karen Krantz — a.k.a. Miss New York — in Miss Congeniality, her biggest roles included starring alongside Damon Wayans on Damon and portraying Shelby in 1999's The Best Man.
Following Miss Congeniality, De Sousa appeared on One on One, Second Time Around, Read Between the Lines, On Becoming a God in Central Florida and Black Lightning. She also reprised her role as Shelby in the 2013 sequel The Best Man Holiday and on the 2022 Peacock series The Best Man: The Final Chapters. In 2025, she starred opposite Tisha Campbell and Amiyah Scott in the ALLBLK dramedy Operation: Aunties.
Years after Miss Congeniality, De Sousa continues to think fondly of her time in the comedy gem. In fact, she agreed with many of her castmates that "April 25th is the perfect date" in a sweet 25th-anniversary post in 2025.
"What an unforgettable experience we had shooting this movie," she wrote on Instagram. "Such fond memories, starting with Sandra Bullock, who is the kindest human being. I made lifelong friends with these beautiful women!❤️."
09 of 10
Steve Monroe as Frank Tobin/Frank Morningside
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Steve Monroe as Frank in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Steve Monroe attends a cast Q&A and screening of 'Can't Hardly Wait' at Samsung Studio in L.A. on Nov. 15, 2015.
After studying at Duke University for three years, Steve Monroe returned to his hometown of L.A. and graduated from Occidental College. He began acting in earnest not long after and popped up in plenty of projects in the 1990s, including on the shows Sister, Sister, Home Improvement and 7th Heaven, as well as in films such as The Nutty Professor (1996), Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) and Can't Hardly Wait (1998).
However, he's still best known for his turn as Kathy Morningside's assistant (but really her son!), Frank, in Miss Congeniality.
Monroe later had recurring roles on The Following and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and guest spots on shows like Veronica Mars, Grey's Anatomy, New Girl and Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage. He's also appeared in buzzy films like Jersey Boys (2014), Promising Young Woman (2020) and It Ends With Us (2024).
Not only does Monroe have more than 100 credits under his belt, but the actor is also a licensed psychotherapist in California and Texas.
10 of 10
Deidre Quinn as Mary Jo Wright
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Deidre Quinn as Mary Jo Wright in 2000's 'Miss Congeniality'; Deidre Quinn at the fourth annual 'Night with the Friends of El Faro' event on June 17, 2006.
Raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, Deidre Quinn was a model and commercial actor before landing guest roles on shows like Apt. 2F, Diagnosis Murder and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Her biggest role to date is still Mary Jo Wright, or Miss Texas, in Miss Congeniality. She went on to have small parts on shows such as CSI: NY and Heroes, and her last acting role was in the 2008 TV movie Aces 'N' Eights.
Quinn has switched gears and is focused on designing and renovating through her company, Yellow Cardinal Design.
She was also among the cast members who celebrated April 25 in 2025.
"This experience was truly life-changing," she captioned her Instagram post about the film's 25th anniversary. "Sandy created an environment that was not only fun, creative & unifying but she was a trailblazer in empowering women, which is why I believe this movie has stood the test of time. I feel lucky to have been a part of something so iconic & blessed that I created lifelong friendships..."
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: December 14, 2025 at 03:45PM on Source: MANUEL MAG
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