Directed by Les Mayfield, Encino Man is a popular 1992 buddy comedy starring Brendan Fraser, Pauly Shore, and Sean Astin. The story concerns two high school misfits who discover a frozen caveman on their property and begin to teach him about the modern world. The classic fish-out-of-water premise doubles as a coming-of-age story when the prehistoric human teaches the 20th-century teens how to enjoy themselves and find pleasure in life.
As rumors continue to swirl about the possibility of Encino Man 2 being produced for Disney+ (via Screen Rant) now is as good a time as any to remind fans and newbies of the memorable characters featured in the original movie and the outstanding actors who portray them onscreen. After all, Encino Man is loaded with a who's who of popular '80s and '90s movie stars.
Brendan Fraser as Linkovich "Link" Chomovsky
Brendan Fraser portrays Linkovich "Link" Chomovsky in Encino Man. Link is a caveman from the ice age who arrives in Eninco, California following a time-shifting earthquake in 1992. When two teenage outcasts find him frozen in a giant block of ice, they thaw Link out, befriend him, take him to school, and begin teaching him all about contemporary society. Fraser plays the character with a stoic, slapstick rigidity that loosens up over time as Link becomes more comfortable with the '90s.
Following a rousing renaissance of sorts, Fraser earned the most recent Academy Award for Best Actor in a Lead Performance for his devastating performance in The Whale. Before experiencing a brief career lull, Fraser famously starred in The Mummy franchise, proving he can carry a big-budget action franchise on his back. With no signs of his career resurgence slowing down anytime soon, Fraser can be seen next in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, in October 2023.
Sean Astin as Dave Morgan
Sean Astin plays Dave Morgan in Encino Man. Dave is an award teen who pines for popularity. Along with his friend Stanley, Dave finds Link frozen in his backyard. After thawing him out and introducing Link to his classmates as an Estonian exchange student, Link's athleticism helps Dave become more popular by association. Hilarity ensues when Dave tries to keep Link's true nature concealed from his family.
With 175 credits to his name thus far, Astin is a universally recognizable actor who has appeared in some of the most popular movies ever made. Whether playing Mikey in the classic '80s adventure film, The Goonies, the lead role in the inspiring football biopic, Rudy, or Sam in Peter Jackson's groundbreaking Lord of the Rings trilogy, Astin always seems to know who to choose the right projects and never gives less than 100%.
Pauly Shore as Stanley "Stoney" Brown
Pauly Shore portrays Stanley "Stoney" Brown in the movie. Stoney is a high school burnout whose outlandish behavior begins to influence Link in negative ways. This causes a rift between Dave and Stoney, which continues to persist until Link forces them to reconcile. In a performance marked by Shore's personal affectations and unique brand of humor, there's no wonder why the actor is lobbying to star in a sequel.
A popular MTV mainstay throughout the late '80s and early '90s, Encino Man helped launch Shore's movie career. He immediately went on to star in such absurd comedies as Son-in-Law, In The Army Now, Jury Duty, and Bio-Dome. Shore has continued to work steadily since the heat has worn off, last appearing as himself in the 2021 comedy, How It Ends. In addition to lobbying for Encino Man 2, Shore recently expressed interest in starring in a Richard Simmons biopic (via People).
Megan Ward as Robyn Sweeney
Megan Ward plays Robyn Sweeney in the '90s buddy-comedy. Robyn is Dave's high school crush and former childhood best friend who has since rejected him for the popular crowd at school. With the help of Link, Dave tries to win Robyn's heart. However, Robyn has a popular boyfriend named Matt who often bullies Dave and makes fun of his affection for Robyn. Over time, Megan begins to develop feelings for Dave when Link and Stoney help her realize what a bad person Matt is.
Encino Man marked the fourth feature film of Ward's young career at the time. By the mid-'90s, Ward began gravitating to TV, where she played recurring roles in Party of Five and Dark Skies. By the mid-2000s, Ward landed the most substantial role of her career when she was cast in the long-running soap opera General Hospital, in which she played both Connie Falconeri and Kate Howard in over 360 episodes.
Robin Tunney as Ella
Robin Tunney plays Ella in the film. Ella is Robyn's crude and crass best friend. In many ways, she is the mirror image of Stoney. However, Ella develops a crush on Link when he begins to become popular at school thanks to his natural charisma and athletic prowess. Although Tunney isn't necessarily known for her comedic chops, she adds undeniable humor to the film.
With over 50 credits since her career commenced in 1991, Tunney has appeared in some of the most popular movies of the '90s. While Encini Man represents her feature film debut, Tunney gave unforgettable turns in Empire Records and The Craft. After transitioning to the small screen in the mid-2000s, Tunney went on to make lasting impressions in Prison Break and The Mentalist. In 2023, Tunney guest-starred in the Apple TV+ series, Dear Edward.
Ke Huy Quan as Kim
Ke Huy Quan plays Kim in Encino Man. Kim is the president of the computer club at the high school that Dave, Stoney, and Link attend in Encino. When Link is voted into the club, Kim informs him of the honor. Meanwhile, Kim shows up later as the music emcee during the high school prom. As always, Quan radiates a positive charm that is impossible to dislike.
Similar to his co-star Brendan Fraser, Quan won an Oscar at the 2023 Academy Awards. Quan earned the Award for Best Supporting Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role for his emotionally fraught turn as Waymond in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Of course, anyone who grew up in the '80s will always remember Quan for his iconic work as Data in The Goonies and Short-Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Richard Masur as Larry Morgan
Richard Masur plays Larry Morgan. Larry is the father of Dave and Tina. When Link arrives in his household, Dave convinces Larry that the caveman is part of a foreign exchange program. However, Larry has no recollection of agreeing to such a program. Meanwhile, Larry constantly berates Stoney for his ridiculous lingo and for eating all the food in his house. An unsung hero in the film, Masur provides some of the biggest laughs.
Masur is a venerated character with the ability to play in any genre. He notably starred in John Carpenter's The Thing, gave hilarious performances in such underrated '80s teen comedies as Risky Business and License to Drive, and a tender turn as Vada's father in My Girl. Masur continues to work in 2023, having recently appeared in the miniseries Kaleidoscope and the TV spinoff of The Equalizer.
Rick Ducommun as Mr. Brush
Rick Ducommun depicts Mr. Brush in the movie. Mr. Brush is the combative and authoritative principal at the high school that Dave, Stoney, and Link attend. Link's arrival at school causes chaos among the students, with Mr. Brush doing his best to maintain order. The harder he tries, the more ineffective he is, which only adds hilarity to the fish-out-of-water comedy. As always, Ducommun brings humor and intensity to his role.
Indeed, Ducommun made a living out of playing comedic bit parts in everything from The Burbs and Spaceballs to Groundhog Day and Scary Movie. Unfortunately, the terrific character actor passed away in 2015 after a battle with diabetes. He was just 62 years old. Not for nothing, but Ducommun and Shore developed such a good rapport that they went on to co-star in Class Act and Pauly Shore is Dead together after collaborating in Encino Man.
Michael DeLuise as Matt Wilson
Michael DeLuise plays Matt Wilson. Matt is a popular high school jock and Robyn's boyfriend. As the de facto antagonist of the movie, Dave attempts to put an end to Matt's insolent bullying by winning Robyn's heart and taking her away from Matt. Alas, Matt won't go away quietly and works to expose Link's true nature after he finds out that he's a time-traveling caveman from the ice age.
Despite his screen absence since 2013, DeLuise notably appeared as Alan in Wayne's World the same year Encino Man was released. Afterward, he went on to star as Tony Piccolo in SeaQuest 2032 and T.J. in Gilmore Girls. Proving his versatility, DeLuise arguably made his biggest mark on TV by starring in the popular crime dramas Brooklyn South and NYPD Blue. DeLuise was last seen in a 2013 episode of the ABC family drama, Bunheads.
Patrick Van Horn as Phil
Patrick Van Horn plays Phil in Encino Man. Along with Will (Dalton James), Phil is one of Matt's lackeys who often bullies and pokes fun at Dave and Stoney. Instead of getting his own hands dirty, Matt often puts Phil in charge of the physical torment they put their classmates through. However, when Link arrives and flexes his muscles, the social dynamic changes in a hurry.
Van Horn made his feature film debut in Encino Man after appearing in one-off episodes of Midnight Caller and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He would go on to be one of Vince Vaughn's frequent collaborators in such movies as Swingers and Four Christmases. Oddly enough, Van Horn hasn't been seen since 2008 after appearing in the latter holiday comedy. But if there was ever a chance for a return, bringing Van Horn back for Encino Man 2 would be the way to go.
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