The cast and characters of The Hangover (2009) made it a financial and box-office success. With all-star names as the main and side characters, The Hangover was a who's who of top talent. In the film, Doug and his groomsmen (Phil, Stu, and Alan) go to Las Vegas for a weekend bachelor party. What was supposed to be a safe weekend away turned into a literal hangover when the group was drugged. With Doug missing and no one remembering what they did the night before, they had to retrace their steps to find their friend. The film's success led to two sequels, famous faces, and more laughs.
Between hilarious one-liners and shocking twists in the trilogy, The Hangover franchise was widely praised, accruing a Golden Globe among other awards. And while The Hangover had some of the best quotes and had an original storyline, it was the cast that set The Hangover franchise apart from other bachelor-type movies.
Zach Galifianakis As Alan Garner
Alan Garner is Doug's soon-to-be brother-in-law in the first movie. Alan had a big heart and longed for friendship, but he was also unhinged and lived life on the wild side. He didn't always see the negative effects of some of his decisions, which is what occurred after he drugged his friends in Las Vegas. Even when in danger, Alan didn't realize the severity of the situation and sometimes made it worse with the nonsensical things he said and did. However, this also made Alan the funniest character in The Hangover franchise.
Played by actor/comedian Zach Galifianakis, Alan became a fan-favorite because of Galifianakis' portrayal. For his role, Galifianakis won Best Comedic Performance at the MTV Movie + TV Awards. Before The Hangover, Galifianakis had been seen in various sitcoms like Reno 911! and Tru Calling, but he became most known for his comedic talk show and movie Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, which led him to win two Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program and Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program.
Ed Helms As Stu Price
Ed Helms played Dr. Stu Price. Stu was proud to be a dentist and referred to himself as a doctor when he was out of the office. This, however, made his friends pick on him because they didn't view dentists as actual doctors. This gag followed Stu throughout the first movie. The Hangover impacted Ed Helms' career because Stu became a sensation for his reactions to his dominating girlfriend and for the outlandishly out-of-character things he did when he was drunk. Stu went on to marry Lauren in the second movie but like the first film, that didn't go smoothly.
Before The Hangover, Helms was making a name for himself on The Office, but it was The Hangover trilogy that launched him into stardom. He was then seen alongside Jennifer Aniston in We Are the Millers, Rutherford Falls, and Vacation.
Justin Bartha As Doug Billings
Justin Bartha didn't have too many lines in The Hangover because he was missing for most of the movie or kidnaped like in The Hangover III. The Hangover's funniest scenes were after Doug disappeared and Phil, Alan, and Stu spent the entire movie trying to find their friend. As the character that was set to get married, finding Doug and bringing him home to his soon-to-be wife in time for their wedding was the biggest mission after they found Doug stranded on the hotel's roof. As it turned out, he was never kidnaped at all — he simply locked himself on top of the roof and couldn't leave.
In 2009, Bartha was nominated for Best Cast Ensemble at the Awards Circuit Community Awards, but sadly didn't win. He's most known for his role in the National Treasure series alongside Nicolas Cage. He was also a part of the TV series The New Normal.
Heather Graham As Jade
The Hangover was one of Heather Graham's best movies. Although her role as Jade in the film is brief, she did a fantastic job of being the perky Las Vegas dancer, who won over Stu's heart. Even though Stu was in a serious relationship, he drunkenly fell in love with Jade at the strip club and married her at a Las Vegas chapel. The two didn't last, but she did make an appearance in The Hangover III and was newly married.
Like Bradley Cooper, Heather Graham was one of the more well-known faces in The Hangover franchise after having a successful career in Hollywood for years. First well-known for her time as Annie in Twin Peaks, she later became known for her time on Boogey Nights and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
Sasha Barrese As Tracy
Sasha Barrese had a short role as Tracy in The Hangover series as Doug's future wife and the sister of Alan. Tracy was soft-spoken and asked for Doug to take care of her brother and come back in one piece whenever they hung out. While that rarely happened, she was happy to finally see Doug and his groomsmen when they showed up for the wedding in the first film. Barrese would go on to appear in the sequels as Doug's wife, who would always wonder what happened at Doug's stag on The Hangover.
Barrese hasn't acted since the final movie in the trilogy, The Hangover III, and has since moved on to professional poker playing (via Nicki Swift). However, she had a successful career after being in the TV series Run of the House, American Pie, and LAX.
Ken Jeong As Mr. Chow
Mr. Leslie Chow went on to be a big part of the franchise's comedic relief. He's the antagonist and ultimate button pusher. He described himself as an "international criminal," who was always after money and drugs. In The Hangover, the group accidentally locked him in a trunk after taking the money he won at the casino. Mr. Chow promised he'd release Doug as long as he got his money back, but as they found out, Mr. Chow kidnaped the wrong Doug. He continued his selfish missions at the expense of the group throughout the trilogy.
In actuality, Ken Jeong has an advanced degree as a medical doctor and left practicing medicine after his dream career in comedy picked up (via NPR). Jeong continued to play his role as Mr. Chow throughout the trilogy, but he also appeared in Crazy Rich Asians and the TV series Community.
Bradley Cooper As Phil Wenneck
Phil was a teacher who wanted the bachelor party more than Doug did. Looking to blow off some steam with his friends, he was eager to drink and party, but was not anticipating the night that Alan unintentionally created. With Doug gone, it was up to Phil to call Tracy to let her know they were going to be late for the wedding. Phil continued to be the level-headed thinker in the trilogy throughout the group's mischief.
Playing Phil went on to be one of Bradley Cooper's best characters. Cooper is an Academy Awards-nominated actor who went on to star in movies like A Star is Born and American Sniper. His role as Phil was one of his more light-hearted roles as he's more inclined to take dramatic roles, like his time in American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook. Cooper has even done voice work as Rocket in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Paul Giamatti As Kingsley
At first, Kingsley was the antagonist of The Hangover II. He knew Phil, Stu, and Alan knew where Mr. Chow was. Mr. Chow owed Kingsley money and knew the bank code Kingsley needed to access it. While the gang didn't know where Chow was at first, they eventually found him and made the gathering happen. But in a surprising change of events, Kingsley was an undercover agent working with police to capture Mr. Chow.
Paul Giamatti is known for his movie Sideways, 12 Years a Slave, and Cinderella Man, to name a few. While his role as Kingsley wasn't award-winning, he did win a Primetime Emmy for John Adams and was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Cinderella Man.
Mason Lee As Teddy
In The Hangover II, Stu and the gang flew to Thailand for Stu's wedding to Lauren. While Alan was hoping the flight and potential bachelor party were only going to be the "wolf pack," he was annoyed when Lauren's younger brother Teddy showed up. Soon to be Stu's brother-in-law, Teddy was invited and later lost in Bangkok because of their wild night out.
Playing the ultra-smart and quiet Teddy was actor Mason Lee. Lee may be most recognized for his time in Lucy and Limbo, but The Hangover III was an American comedy that got him on the map.
Jamie Chung As Lauren
Although The Hangover was a great movie that never needed a sequel, The Hangover II didn't disappoint. Jamie Chung was a part of the fun as Stu's fiancé and Teddy's sister Lauren. Although Jamie Chung wasn't a huge part of the series and didn't win an award as Lauren, she has been in successful big-name shows and movies like Big Hero 6, Dexter, and The Gifted.
Supporting Cast & Characters Of The Hangover Movies
John Goodman As Marshall: Goodman played Alan's drug dealer's boss, Marshall, in The Hangover III. He is most known as Dan Connor in Rosanne and The Big Lebowski. Goodman's voice can also be recognized in Pixar's Monster's Inc. as Sully.
Melissa McCarthy As Cassie: McCarthy played Alan's love interest and later wife, Cassie. She has starred in Bridesmaids, The Heat, and Mike & Molly, for which she won a Primetime Emmy.
Rachael Harris As Melissa: Harris played Melissa, Stu's abusive girlfriend and one of the more hated characters in the highest-ranked movie in the trilogy, The Hangover. She has also been a part of big titles like Suits, Lucifer, and Reno 911!
Sondra Currie As Linda Garner: Currie played Tracy and Alan's supportive mother, Tracy, in The Hangover movies. She has also starred in Tyler Perry's Love Thy Neighbor.
Jeffrey Tambor As Sid: Tambor's played Doug's future father-in-law, Sid. He is most known for his role as George Bluth Sr. in Arrested Development.
Mike Tyson As Himself: In The Hangover and The Hangover II, Tyson made an iconic cameo appearances after he comes looking for his tiger. He is mainly known for being a six time world heavyweight boxing champion and appeared in Rocky and Ip Man 3.
Mike Epps As Fake Doug: Epps played Fake Doug in The Hangover, the guy who have Alan the wrong drugs. He went on to star as Uncle EJ in You People and briefly appeared in Girls Trip.
Nirut Sirichanya As Fohn: Nirut Sirichanya played Lauren's stern and disapproving dad, Fohn, in The Hangover movies. He has also made appearances in the Ong Bak franchise.