The Titanic cast includes a slew of Oscar-winners along with many other accomplished characters actors. The dramatic acting complements director James Cameron's technical brilliance to make Titanic one of the most successful movies of all time. The period romantic drama fictionalizes the sinking of the titular ship in 1912 and the events preceding the disaster. The 11-time Oscar winner also goes on to explore themes like class differences and capitalistic greed apart from the central romance between its lead characters, Rose and Jack. The iconic protagonists made both Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio household names, paving the way for them to appear in many more acclaimed blockbusters.
As for the rest of the SAG Award-nominated ensemble, the 1997 movie boasts equally talented acting veterans who shine in their parts even with limited screen time. Titanic proved to be a career-high for all of its cast members given the movie's massive box-office success. Titanic was the highest-grossing film of all time until 2010, and the cast and characters continue to dominate popular culture thanks to the numerous theatrical re-releases that Cameron has pushed for. Here is a guide to the Titanic cast, which characters they play, and what else they're known for, before and since.
Kate Winslet As Rose DeWitt Bukater
Rose is a 17-year-old from Philadelphia who is being forced into marrying a 30-year-old aristocrat so that her mother can maintain their high-class status. Ever since Rose's father died, her family has been ridden with debt. But for the dreamy, adventure-seeking heroine, this marriage isn't the solution. Her appreciation for art and adventure-seeking spirit eventually lead to her meeting her lover, Jack. Partially based on the real-life artist Beatrice Wood, Rose is played by Kate Winslet, who earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her Titanic performance. Winslet's other iconic roles include Mare Sheehan in the series Mare of Easttown and Clementine Kruczynski in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Leonardo DiCaprio As Jack Dawson
Also leading the Titanic cast is Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack. He is a poor orphan from Wisconsin, but his lively nature encourages him to travel all over the world. Despite his financial difficulties, he is a gifted artist, as is evident from his sketch of Rose aboard the Titanic. When he and Rose fall in love, their social differences pose a challenge, yet in a truly Shakespearean manner, they continue falling for each other. DiCaprio's stardom received a major boost with Titanic, which he followed up with acclaimed performances in Inception, The Aviator, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Revenant, for which he won an Oscar.
Billy Zane As Caledon Hockley
Caledon "Cal" Hockley is the 30-year-old socialite and an heir of a Pittsburgh steel empire who is intent on marrying Rose despite her disinterest. His antagonistic tendencies come out from his extremely possessive nature over Rose and how he looks down upon anyone who's not as rich as him. Originally, Matthew McConaughey was to join the Titanic cast as Cal, but the role eventually went to Billy Zane. The American actor is otherwise famous for playing the titular superhero in The Phantom, the villain Hughie in Dead Calm, Biff's goon, Match, in the Back to the Future franchise, and John Wheeler in Twin Peaks.
Frances Fisher As Ruth DeWitt Bukater
Ruth is an uptight widow whose main goal in the journey is to arrange her daughter Rose's marriage to Cal. Like many other upper-class passengers on the Titanic, Ruth is unabashedly elitist and condescending. Naturally, she spares no occasion to look down on Jack. The character is played by Frances Fisher. This Titanic cast member broke out in the 1980s when she starred as record executive Suzette Saxon on the soap opera Guiding Light. Fisher is also known for playing rebellious sex worker Strawberry Alice in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven and as Jessica Chastain's character's lover in Jolene. She also played the white supremacist Jane Crawford in the HBO series Watchmen.
Kathy Bates As Margaret "Molly" Brown
One of the most likable figures among Titanic's cast of characters is Margaret "Molly" Brown. Even though she is of a higher social status, she is looked down upon by her peers as "new money" because she only recently acquired her wealth. Yet she tries her best to treat everyone with kindness, including Jack, to whom she offers evening clothes when he's invited to a first-class dinner. One the movie's real-life passengers on the Titanic, Molly is played in the movie by Kathy Bates, who is best known for her Oscar-winning performance as the homicidal caregiver Annie Wilkes in Misery and the titular protagonist in the psychological thriller Dolores Claiborne.
Victor Garber As Thomas Andrews
The ship's builder, Thomas Andrews, is depicted as a man who is modest about his ambitious creation. Despite the Titanic's grandeur, he doesn't rule out the possibility of it sinking. But his words of caution fail to affect the decision of the other shipping company executives. Andrews's kind-hearted nature is also evident from his conversations with Rose, with whom he empathizes. The historical personality is played to perfection by Victor Garber, who is an accomplished theater actor with six Tony nominations to his name. He's also popular for playing the superhero Firestorm in Legends of Tomorrow and CIA Agent Jack Bristow in the action thriller series Alias.
Gloria Stuart As Rose Dawson Calvert
The oldest member of the Titanic cast, Gloria Stuart was 87 during filming. Playing an aged version of Rose, she serves as the narrator of Titanic as she recounts the romance and the disaster that changed her life forever. The older Rose also adds more context to the blue jewel that she eventually throws into the ocean. Stuart was an acting veteran with prominent roles in 1930s-era pre-Code films. She also played Flora Cranley in the 1933 Universal Pictures adaptation of The Invisible Man and Queen Anne in the 1939 musical comedy The Three Musketeers. Titanic resurrected her career, even earning her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
Titanic Supporting Cast & Characters
Bill Paxton as Brock Lovett: The treasure hunter who examines the debris of the Titanic and listens to Rose's recollection of the sinking is played by Bill Paxton, who was famous for his roles in Apollo 13, Aliens, True Lies, Edge of Tomorrow and Twister.
Danny Nucci as Fabrizio: Jack's Italian best friend, Fabrizio, is played by Danny Nucci, who has had supporting roles in blockbuster films like Eraser, Crimson Tide, and The Rock.
David Warner as Spicer Lovejoy: Cal's British valet and bodyguard, who is constantly suspicious about Rose and Jack, is portrayed by David Warner. The actor had a diverse filmography including notable roles in Tron, Scream 2, The Omen, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Mary Poppins Returns.
Bernard Hill as Captain Edward John Smith: Bernard Hill joined the Titanic cast to play the real-life naval officer Edward John Smith, who was unfortunate enough to command the Titanic as his final voyage. Hill is mostly known for playing Théoden, King of Rohan, in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies.
Jonathan Hyde as J Bruce Ismay: The shipping agency White Star Line's ignorant managing director is one of the main miscreants behind Titanic's sinking, as he's the one who convinces Smith to steer the ship faster. He is portrayed by Jonathan Hyde, who played the butler Cadbury in Richie Rich and Dr. Allen Chamberlain in The Mummy.
Suzy Amis as Lizzy Calvert: Rose's granddaughter, who avidly listens to her story, is played by environmentalist and former actress Suzy Amis. Apart from Titanic, Amis appeared in brief roles in Twister and The Usual Suspects.