Some of the most recognizable stars of the 1980s can be spotted in The Goonies cast, from the iconic child actors playing the titular kids to the acclaimed character actors playing the adults. In the movie, a band of young adventurers goes in search of a hidden treasure on the eve of their homes’ foreclosure in the hope of saving their “Goon Docks” neighborhood. Directed by Richard Donner from a story by Steven Spielberg, The Goonies struck a chord with audiences as a wish-fulfillment adventure comedy about a group of down-on-their-luck suburban kids going on the treasure hunt of their dreams.
A box office success when it was first released in 1985, The Goonies still holds up today and has attracted an even larger audience over the decades as a beloved cult classic. It's among the landmark movies that have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry, and it's a favorite for parents to show their kids. The Goonies' cast includes some of the most iconic child actors of the 1980s, like Corey Feldman and Ke Huy Quan, and other cast who went on to become huge stars later in their careers, like Sean Astin and Josh Brolin.
Sean Astin As Michael “Mikey” Walsh
Mikey Walsh, the plucky leader of the Goonies who mounts the expedition to find the hidden treasure and save the neighborhood, is played by Sean Astin. The actor is best known for playing Frodo Baggins’ trusty sidekick Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings and the titular underdog Daniel Ruettiger in the sports biopic Rudy. He also played Drew Barrymore’s bodybuilding brother Doug Whitmore in 50 First Dates. Astin is recognizable to TV audiences for his memorable turns as Lynn McGill in 24 and Bob Newby in Stranger Things.
Josh Brolin As Brandon “Brand” Walsh
Josh Brolin appears in The Goonies' cast as Brand Walsh, Mikey’s athletic older brother who is supposed to be keeping an eye on him. Brolin went on to become a renowned leading man as an adult. He has played headlining roles in acclaimed movies from auteur filmmakers, like Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men and Gurney Halleck in Dune, as well as high-profile blockbuster roles, like Cable in Deadpool 2, Thanos in the MCU, and the young Agent K in Men in Black 3. Brolin was nominated for an Academy Award for his ing turn opposite Sean Penn in the political biopic Milk.
Jeff Cohen As Lawrence “Chunk” Cohen
Lawrence “Chunk” Cohen, the clumsiest and goofiest member of the Goonies, is played by Jeff Cohen. Chunk is most iconic for his “truffle shuffle” dance. Throughout the 1980s, Cohen guest-starred on such sitcoms as Webster, The Facts of Life, and Family Ties. He also starred as a kid inventor alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Disney's made-for-TV movie Ask Max. In 1985, he appeared as a celebrity contestant on the game show Body Language. Cohen eventually retired from acting to become a lawyer. He’s a founding partner of the law firm Cohen & Gardner.
Corey Feldman As Clarke “Mouth” Devereaux
Corey Feldman appears in the movie's cast as Clarke “Mouth” Devereaux, the least likable of the Goonies kids — despite being the wittiest, nicknamed after his acid tongue. Feldman was one of the most prolific child actors of the 1980s. He played high-profile starring roles in hit movies that proved to be timeless gems in the decades that followed, from Pete Fountaine in Gremlins to Teddy Duchamp in Stand by Me to Edgar Frog in The Lost Boys. After starring alongside Corey Haim in the latter, Feldman and Haim became famous as “The Two Coreys," reuniting in License to Drive, Dream a Little Dream, and a number of other films.
Ke Huy Quan As Richard “Data” Wang
Ke Huy Quan plays Richard “Data” Wang, the Goonies’ James Bond-loving gadgeteer. Quan rose to prominence as a child actor in the 1980s thanks to this movie and his role as Short Round in the Indiana Jones franchise, memorably costarring in Temple of Doom. In the 1990s, Quan played Kim in Encino Man and Jasper Kwong in the last two seasons of Head of the Class. He took a lengthy hiatus from acting to work behind the camera as an assistant director and stunt coordinator. Quan returned to acting to play Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, which earned him an Academy Award for Best ing Actor.
Kerri Green As Andrea “Andy” Carmichael
Andy Carmichael, a popular cheerleader and love interest of both Brand and Troy who gets swept up in the treasure hunt, is played by Kerri Green. The actress also played Maggie in the romantic dramedy Lucas and Jennifer Chester, the daughter of John Candy’s character, in the Carl Reiner comedy Summer Rental. She went on to co-write and direct the indie drama movie Bellyfruit, which was the first feature film produced by The Asylum, a studio that later became notorious for its “mockbuster” productions.
Martha Plimpton As Stephanie “Stef” Steinbrenner
Martha Plimpton appears in The Goonies' cast as Stef Steinbrenner, Andy’s best friend. Plimpton made her movie debut in Alan J. Pakula’s political thriller Rollover and went on to become a bigger star after The Goonies raised her profile. In the acclaimed Ron Howard movie Parenthood, she played Julie Buckman-Higgins, the daughter of Dianne Wiest’s character and girlfriend of Keanu Reeves’ character. She also voiced the Northuldra chief, Yelena, in Frozen II and received an Emmy nomination for her lead role as Virginia Slims Chance on the popular TV show Raising Hope.
Anne Ramsey As Mama Fratelli
The Italian-born matriarch of the Fratelli crime family is played by Anne Ramsey. The actress received a Saturn Award for Best ing Actress for her turn as Mama Fratelli in The Goonies. She was later nominated for the Academy Award for Best ing Actress for playing the eponymous overbearing mother of Danny DeVito’s character in Throw Momma from the Train. She also earned another Saturn Award for that role, making her one of just two actors – along with Tilda Swinton – to win the Best ing Actress category twice. Ramsey guest-starred on such classic TV shows as Little House on the Prairie, Laverne & Shirley, Hill Street Blues, and Night Court.
The Goonies' ing Cast & Characters
Robert Davi as Jake Fratelli: Mama Fratelli’s counterfeiting son Jake, who escapes from jail at the beginning of The Goonies, is played by Robert Davi. The actor is also known for playing Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard and the machete-wielding James Bond villain Franz Sanchez in Licence to Kill.
Joe Pantoliano as Francis Fratelli: Joe Pantoliano plays Mama Fratelli’s preferred son, Francis. Pantoliano is a renowned character actor who has played such roles as Cypher in The Matrix, Captain Conrad Howard in the Bad Boys movies, and Ralph Cifaretto in The Sopranos, which earned him an Emmy.
John Matuszak as Lotney “Sloth” Fratelli: Sloth, the neglected child of Mama Fratelli who befriends Chunk, is played by John Matuszak. The actor started out as a defensive end in the NFL and went on to play O.W. Shaddock in North Dallas Forty and Tonda in Caveman.
Mary Ellen Trainor as Irene Walsh: Mary Ellen Trainor appears in The Goonies' cast as Irene Walsh, Mikey and Brand’s worrisome mother. Trainor is also known for playing newscaster Gail Wallens in Die Hard and police psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Woods in the Lethal Weapon franchise.
Keith Walker as Irving Walsh: Mikey and Brand’s museum curator father, Irving Walsh, is played by Keith Walker, who was primarily a screenwriter. The Goonies was his last acting role in a movie after an uncredited radio voice cameo in Earthquake. He went on to co-write the script for Free Willy.
Michael Paul Chan as Mr. Wang: Data’s dad, the gadget-making Mr. Wang, is played by Michael Paul Chan. The actor is best known for playing Lieutenant Michael Tao on The Closer and its spinoff, Major Crimes.
Curt Hanson as Elgin Perkins: The millionaire proprietor of Astoria Country Club, the diabolical tycoon behind the “Goon Docks” foreclosures, Elgin Perkins, is played by Curt Hanson. The actor also guest-starred in the season 3 premiere of the parody show Documentary Now! and played William Newton in the horror film Harvest of Fear and its sequel The Path of Evil.
Steve Antin as Troy Perkins: Elgin’s son, Troy Perkins, who is also Brand’s love rival in his courtship of Andy, is played by Steve Antin. The actor played the bad boy Rick in The Last American Virgin and Bob er, one of the attackers, in The Accused.
Lupe Ontiveros as Rosalita: Lupe Ontiveros appears in the cast of The Goonies as Rosalita, the Walsh family’s Spanish-speaking housekeeper. Ontiveros earned an Emmy nomination for her turn as Juanita “Mama” Solis on Desperate Housewives.
