Following the success of Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and its two immediate sequels, the franchise was revived by Colin Trevorrow in 2015 with Jurassic World, which featured a whole new cast of characters. Jurassic World takes place 22 years after the events of the original movie and is about the downfall of a second dinosaur park on the same fictional island of Isla Nublar. Just like Spielberg's first installment, Trevorrow's Jurassic World is a fascinating examination of humanity’s toxic interference in the natural order, using dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures to prove that humans don’t understand the world even half as much as they think.
Jurassic World was a huge hit, grossing over $1.6 billion worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). This completely revived the Jurassic Park franchise, leading to two more sequels, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World: Dominion. Although neither subsequent project captured the popularity and acclaim of Jurassic World, the trilogy became a blockbuster phenomenon that ultimately saw the return of many cast members from the 1993 original. The sequels also introduced several new characters that were brought to life by a cast of talented actors and actresses. Here's a guide to all the characters in Jurassic World, who plays them in the cast, and what else these actors are known for.
Chris Pratt As Owen Grady
Owen Grady is the protagonist of the Jurassic World trilogy. He’s a highly skilled Navy veteran and ethologist hired by the park to handle and train the Velociraptors. Owen finds himself in command when the dinosaurs begin to take over the park. He makes an effort to protect the staff and the guests while also trying to find a solution that doesn’t harm the creatures. His compassion and understanding of the dinosaurs make him a hugely compelling protagonist, and Chris Pratt, who plays Owen in the cast of Jurassic World, has a sharp sense of humor that works very well for Grady's constant funny jokes.
Chris Pratt is best known for playing intergalactic bounty hunter Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, a role which he has reprised throughout the MCU. The actor has also appeared in several blockbuster action movies, including The Tomorrow War and The Magnificent Seven, making a name for himself as one of his generation's most charismatic action stars. He's also famous for his voice work in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The LEGO Movie.
Bryce Dallas Howard As Claire Dearing
Claire Dearing is the operations manager of the newly-revived Jurassic World. More importantly, she’s the woman responsible for the genetic manipulation of the Indominus Rex. Despite concerns from Owen that the creature isn’t safe enough to include in the park, she continues to work on the attraction that ultimately causes the downfall of the park and endangers thousands of lives. During her attempts to bring down the Indominus Rex alongside Owen, the pair develop romantic feelings for each other and eventually get together.
Before she joined the cast of Jurassic World as Claire, Bryce Dallas Howard was best known for playing Peter Parker’s brief love interest Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man 3. She continued to gather memorable roles in projects such as Black Mirror, Terminator Salvation, The Twilight Saga, and the critically acclaimed movie The Help. Howard is also a director who has helmed episodes of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
Vincent D’Onofrio As Vic Hoskins
As Jurassic World’s primary antagonist, Vic Hoskins is a major player in this first installment of the franchise. He’s the head of security operations for InGen, a company that wants to use the park’s raptors as military weapons. This causes him to clash frequently with Owen, who believes that the raptors should be treated with the same respect and compassion as every other animal. Vincent D’Onofrio gives a brilliantly distasteful performance as Hoskins, instantly getting the audience to side against him.
Outside of being part of the cast of Jurassic World, D'Onofrio has had a prosperous career over the years, starring in such movies as Full Metal Jacket and Men in Black. The actor's talent has also crossed over to the small screen, where he continued to impress audiences as Detective Goren in Law & Order and the villainous Kingpin in Netflix's Daredevil, a role he reprises in the MCU shows Hawkeye and Daredevil: Born Again.
Ty Simpkins As Gray Mitchell
The intimate family story at the heart of Jurassic World elevates the movie, transforming what could’ve easily been a simple action blockbuster into something much more grounded and human. Gray Mitchell is the nephew of Claire Dearing, though he quickly gets separated from his aunt when the Indominus Rex escapes. This subplot raises the stakes of Jurassic World, and Ty Simpkins does a great job of developing this emotional thread in the role.
The actor’s previous movies before joining the cast of Jurassic World included Iron Man 3, where he played a young boy named Harvey who bonds with the title character. Before that, he was cast as the troubled son of Josh and Renai Lambert in James Wan's Insidious series. Since Jurassic World, Simpkins has appeared in The Nice Guys and the Oscar-winning drama The Whale alongside Brendan Fraser and Sadie Sink.
Nick Robinson As Zach Mitchell
Zach Mitchell, played by Nick Robinson, is Gray’s older brother, and it’s often his job to protect his sibling when they get separated from the group. Though Claire tries her best to reunite with her nephews, the boys spend plenty of time alone and afraid throughout the movie. Robinson captures the big brother dynamic, forging a close relationship with his on-screen brother and making the audience fear for them when they’re forced to run from the deadly creatures that have been let loose in the park.
Outside of the cast of Jurassic World, Robinson is best known for Love, Simon, where he plays a closeted high-schooler on a troubling journey of self-acceptance. He reprised his role in the spinoff series Love, Victor, which deals with many of the same themes. The actor has also starred in plenty of young adult dramas, including The 5th Wave and The Kings of Summer.
Omar Sy As Barry Sembène
Barry Sembène is the assistant who takes care of the velociraptors while Owen is taking care of the park, and his character is crucial to understanding exactly why the raptors are so important to the story. He proves that they’re loyal and fair creatures that shouldn’t be exploited by Hoskins and his military aspirations.
Omar Sy, who plays Barry in the Jurassic World cast, is a French actor best known for his work in Netflix's hit series Lupin, where he plays a master thief named Assane Diop. Before that, Sy was praised for his work in The Intouchables, which led him to victory at the Cesar Awards.
BD Wong As Dr. Henry Wu
As the only returning character from the original Jurassic Park, BD Wong's Henry Wu is important in setting up the future of the Jurassic World franchise. He’s the geneticist who leads the team of scientists responsible for genetically recreating the dinosaurs, but his intentions become much more sinister once the park begins to suffer — for the second time under his watch. Henry Wu is Jurassic World's surprise villain, and Wong does a great job of making the character’s complex motivations clear.
Outside of being one of the most prevalent cast members of the Jurassic Park franchise, BD Wong is best known for voicing Li Shang in Disney’s animated musical Mulan and its immediate sequel. The actor has also gathered plenty of supporting roles in acclaimed projects such as Mr. Robot, Bird Box, and Gotham, making him an incredibly recognizable talent.
Jurassic World’s Supporting Cast & Characters
Irrfan Khan as Simon Masrani - Masrani is the CEO of the Masrani Corporation and the legal owner of Jurassic World. He’s responsible for much of the moral ambiguity at the park, focusing only on his financial interests. Irrfan Khan is most famous for playing Pi Patel in the highly-acclaimed Life of Pi.
Jake Johnson as Lowery Cruthers - Lowery is one of several employees at Jurassic World, and he’s played briefly by Jake Johnson. The actor is best known for playing Nick Miller in Fox’s long-running sitcom New Girl.
Lauren Lapkus as Vivian - Lapkus appears in a small supporting role in Jurassic World as a member of the site's tech team who works alongside Lowery. The comic actress's most famous projects include the Adam Sandler movie Blended and the shows Orange is the New Black and The Big Bang Theory.
Katie McGrath as Zara - Katie McGrath's small role in Jurassic World is the character Zara, Claire's assistant and the babysitter of Zach and Gray who ultimately meets her demise at the hands of the Mosasaurus. The actress has starred in hugely popular shows such as Merlin and Supergirl.
Judy Greer as Karen Mitchell - Karen Mitchell is the sister of Claire Dearing and the mother of both Zach and Gray Mitchell. Her role in the movie is small, but the character helps raise the stakes of the brothers' journey and their safety. Greer is best known for her work in the movies 13 Going on 30 and the 2018 Halloween and the TV shows Arrested Development and Reboot.
Andy Buckley as Scott Mitchell - The father of Zach and Gray Mitchell, Scott doesn't have a huge role in Jurassic World, but like his wife, he serves to humanize the boys and make the audience care about this family. He's played by Andy Buckley, who's most recognizable for playing David Wallace in the ensemble cast of The Office.
Jimmy Fallon as himself - Fallon provides a brief cameo as himself during a scene when the Mitchell brothers test out the Gyrospheres at the park. The presenter is best known for his extensive comedy career and his work hosting The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Jimmy Buffett as himself - Jimmy Buffett provides a hilarious cameo in Jurassic World as himself at a Isla Nublar location of his restaurant chain Margaritaville. He can be seen running away with his drinks when the pterosaurs are set loose. The singer/songwriter’s most famous works include the classic songs “Margaritaville” and “Come Monday."