Here's a quick cast and character guide for blockbuster sequel Men In Black II. The original Men In Black from 1997 was loosely based on a comic by the same name and featured the surprisingly potent comic chemistry of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The movie borrowed Ghostbusters' formula of mixing comedy with some horror and found Smith and Jones as a pair of government agents tasked with taking down alien threats that are hidden from the public.
The movie was a huge success, but it took a surprisingly long time for Men In Black II to roll around. The sequel landed in 2002 to mixed reviews but it was another hit. Men In Black 3 took even longer to produce and had a famously strange production, which includes filming beginning when only a third of the script had been written. Nevertheless, the threequel was the most successful to date. Smith and Jones decided against further sequels, with Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson taking over the series for Men In Black: International. That entry proved to be a box-office dud, however, leaving the future of the franchise in doubt.
The sequels have largely proven to be a mixed bag, but the series still has its fans. Here's a cast and character breakdown for Men In Black II.
Will Smith - Agent J
AKA James Darrell Edwards III, Agent J (Will Smith, Gemini Man) is a former cop who was recruited for the agency in the original film. Men In Black II finds J still quick with the gags but unhappy with the quality of his partners after K's retirement. He finds himself as something of a mentor to K when they have to restore his memories.
Tommy Lee Jones - Agent K
Tommy Lee Jones (Ad Astra) is the gruff, no-nonsense Agent K who retired at the end of the first film. Since an event from K's past is key to Men In Black II's plot, he must restore his memory to save Earth.
Rosario Dawson - Laura Vasquez
Rosario Dawson (Zombieland: Double Tap) is Laura, a waitress who witnesses a murder by villain Serleena. Laura becomes J's love interest, though it's later revealed she's actually the Light of Zartha, the daughter of the late Zarthan Queen that Serleena is seeking.
Lara Flynn Boyle - Serleena
Lara Flynn Boyle (Twin Peaks) plays Serleena in Men In Black II, a shapeshifting, plantlike alien that takes the form of a model to move around Earth. She later takes over the MiB headquarters and is searching for the Light of Zartha.
Johnny Knoxville - Scrad/Charlie
Scrad/Charlie is the dimwitted, two-headed henchman of Serleena, played by Jackass' Johnny Knoxville.
Rip Torn - Zed
The late Rip Torn played Chief Zed in Men In Black II, the head of MiB and one of the agency's founders.