Since Mike Myers’ “Austin Powers” franchise, which took us on a fun voyage of comic spy action, a long time has passed. We were treated to a star-studded cast of previous and present celebrities across the three flicks, including acting veterans, R&B icons, and former child stars.
Let’s cryogenically freeze ourselves, travel through time, and see how the casts of the three comedies appeared then and how they are doing now. And once you’ve defrosted, try your best to keep your voice volume under control!
Beyoncé Knowles — Foxxy Cleopatra
One superstar who most surely doesn’t require introduction is Beyoncé Knowles.
Out of an incredible 62 nominations, she has won 22 Grammy Awards, and in 2016, she surpassed Madonna’s record for most MTV Video Music Awards. She was one of the Top 50 Richest Self-Made Women in America in 2017 thanks to her $350 million net worth. She has already sold 118 million records globally by the year 2010; this number is expected to rise for many years to come.
Beyoncé was already well on her way to superstardom before she played leading lady Foxxy Cleopatra in “Austin Powers in Goldmember,” but the most of her fame came after that. She first became well-known as the lead vocalist of Destiny’s Child, and after appearing as the star of “Goldmember,” she released “Dangerously in Love,” the first of a string of widely acclaimed and commercially successful solo albums. The Queen B can be followed on Instagram at @beyonce or wherever else that covers celebrity news.
Elizabeth Hurley — Vanessa Kensington
Elizabeth Hurley, an English actress, is most known for playing Vanessa Kensington in the first two “Austin Powers” movies, but she has a long list of other notable roles in movies including “Rowing with the Wind,” “The Long Winter,” “Passenger 57,” “Mad Dogs and Englishmen,” and others.
Hurley is a well-known model and personality off the screen. Her 13-year relationship with Hugh Grant, whom she famously escorted to the premiere of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” in the instantly-iconic black Versace dress held together by gold safety pins, brought her significant media exposure in the 1990s. Soon after, she was chosen to represent cosmetics giant Estée Lauder as its face, a role she has held for the majority of her modelling career.
Hurley currently has her own beachwear business called Elizabeth Hurley Beach and co-starred as Queen Helena in the E! series “The Royals.” You may follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Fabiana Udenio — Alotta Fagina
There are numerous allusions to and gags about the James Bond series in every “Austin Powers” film. The use of provocative wordplay in the names given to female characters is one of the more overt examples. Alotta Fagina, a femme fatale working for Dr. Evil, appears in “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,” just like Pussy Galore and Holly Goodhead did in “James Bond” film. At a casino, she flirts with Austin and seduces him with a naked hot tub romp, a liaison Austin later regrets.
Fabiana Udenio, who was born in Argentina but was reared in Italy, won the title of Miss Teen Italy and began acting immediately after. She portrayed Giulietta on “One Life to Live” and an Italian exchange student in “Summer School.” Following her prominent role in “Austin Powers,” she began developing a résumé of brief TV appearances, including a few episodes of “Babylon 5,” “Suddenly Susan,” “CSI: Miami,” and “Mistresses.” According to TV Insider, Udenio will co-star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in a forthcoming Netflix action series after landing the recurring role of Elena Di Nola on “Jane the Virgin.”
Fred Savage — Number Three
In the 2002 film “Austin Powers in Goldmember,” the mole is actually a man with a huge mole on his face, which Austin Powers can’t help but point out continually. A mole is an operative who infiltrates enemy territory. He gains entry into Dr. Evil’s inner circle and is given the position of Number Three (assistant to Number Two), where the villains also make fun of him for having a mole.
Fred Savage was going through a change when he played the brief but iconic butt-of-the-joke Number Three in “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” By the early 2000s, Savage, who was most known for his child playing roles in “The Princess Bride,” “Little Monsters,” and “The Wonder Years,” had started acting less and directing more. From cable kids’ shows like “That’s So Raven” and “Wizards of Waverly Place” to “Party Down,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Modern Family,” “The Conners,” and “The Wonder Years,” the reboot/remake of the series that made him famous in the late 1980s, he has since directed episodes of more than 70 TV shows, primarily situation comedies. (According to EW, Savage was a programme executive producer as well, but was let go following allegations of inappropriate behaviour.)
Heather Graham — Felicity Shagwell
Heather Graham began landing significant film lead roles eleven years before she played Felicity Shagwell in “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.” She made a splash in the critically acclaimed “Drugstore Cowboy,” one of the few movies with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, the year after starring in 1988’s “License to Drive.” Graham acted as Annie Blackburn in “Twin Peaks” and in “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me,” as well as in the supporting roles of “Shout,” “Diggstown,” “Six Degrees of Separation,” and “Swingers.” Before Austin Powers, she really broke out as the porn star and rollergirl Brandy in “Boogie Nights.”
Graham went on to appear in “Committed,” “Say It Isn’t So,” “Mary,” “Gray Matters,” and the first two instalments of “The Hangover” series after playing Felicity Shagwell in those films. In 2004, she made a notable appearance on the hit TV medical comedy “Scrubs.” She has lately been in recurring roles on the television shows “Californication” on Showtime and “Flaked” on Netflix. Follow the “actor, filmmaker, and big nerd” on Twitter at @imheathergraham to stay up to date.
Michael Caine — Nigel Powers
The British big screen is without a doubt dominated by Sir Michael Caine. Caine acted in legendary movies like “Zulu,” “The Ipcress File,” “Alfie,” which earned him an Academy Award nomination, “The Italian Job,” and “Battle of Britain” before he was cast as Austin Powers’ father Nigel in “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” Get Carter, The Last Valley, Sleuth, The Man Who Would Be King, A Bridge Too Far, Educating Rita, and Woody Allen’s “Hannah and Her Sisters,” for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, are just a few of the well-regarded films from the 1970s and 1980s that appear in his career.
Caine continued the productive hardworking streak that has made him one of the highest-grossing stars at the box office after demonstrating to the world where Austin got his rhythm.
He played Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy and also appeared in “The Prestige,” “Inception,” and “Interstellar,” and he also had supporting parts in “Children of Men” and Pixar’s “Cars 2.” He has also established himself as Christopher Nolan’s lucky charm. He even made a secret appearance in 2017’s “Dunkirk,” as Nolan put it, “because it’s Michael. He must appear in all of my movies, after all.”
Michael York — Basil Exposition
English actor Michael York was widely recognised on the big and small screens, as well as the stage, long before “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” hit theatres.
Since the middle of the 1960s, York has appeared in too many high-caliber movies to name here, including “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Jesus of Nazareth,” “Logan’s Run,” and many others. He is also a skilled Broadway performer, having appeared in the original productions of Tennessee William’s “Out Cry,” “Bent,” “The Crucible,” and “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me.” And let’s not even begin to discuss his television credits.
York first noticed under-eye circles in 2009. Three years later, the actor received a diagnosis of amyloidosis, a rare and challenging-to-diagnose condition brought on by the abnormal production of insoluble proteins that stick together in various parts of the body and eventually cause vital organs to shut down. Fortunately, he has been receiving therapy, which has helped to lessen many of the symptoms. York has also contributed to additional medical study and development by raising awareness of the disease.
Mike Myers — Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, Fat Bastard, Goldmember
Mike Myers is well-known for his six-year stint on “Saturday Night Live,” where he created a number of famous roles, notably metalhead Wayne Campbell on the recurring sketch “Wayne’s World,” which naturally led to two feature-length films. In keeping with his usual style, Myers wrote, produced, and performed a variety of roles in all three “Austin Powers” movies, including Powers, Dr. Evil, and the ravenous Fat Bastard.
Myers continued to perform as the voice of the titular character in the “Shrek” film series after the “Austin Powers” trilogy wrapped up, appearing in “Shrek 2,” “Shrek the Third,” and “Shrek Forever After.” Myers was nominated for a Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor as well as two Razzie Awards for Worst Actor and Worst Screen Couple for his work as the title character in the 2003 film “The Cat in the Hat.” Sadly, there were more Razzies to come. Worst Actor, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Picture Razzie Awards were won in 2008 by “The Love Guru,” and Myers was even nominated for Worst Actor of the Decade. Oh, be proper!
Myers’ Hollywood Walk of Fame star was unveiled in 2002, and a year later he was inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame. Along with Martin Short, Jim Carrey, Catherine O’Hara, and Olivier Guimond, the comedian was also honoured by Canada by having his likeness appear on a limited-edition series of stamps. The most recent recognition of Myers’ reputation as a local comedy icon came in 2017 when he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Mimi Rogers — Mrs. Kensington
Mimi Rogers is an actress, producer, and professional poker player. “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” is only a footnote on her resume.
Although Rogers acted in notable movies including “Gung Ho,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and “Desperate Hours,” her performance in the religious thriller “The Rapture” from 1991 is undoubtedly the career high point. Rogers went on to appear in “Reflections on a Crime,” “The Mirror Has Two Faces,” “Lost in Space,” “Ginger Snaps,” “The Door in the Floor,” and “For a Good Time,” following the first “Austin Powers” film. Popular television programmes including “The X-Files,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Wilfred,” and “Mad Men” have been the focus of her most recent work.
Mindy Sterling — Frau Farbissina
The syndicated children’s show “Dusty’s Treehouse” is where Mindy Lee Sterling got her start, but her most well-known performance was as Frau Farbissina, the stern, obnoxious Germanic associate of Dr. Evil. In fact, unless you watch TV with your kids, you probably won’t recognise Sterling from anyplace else.
Sterling is a well-known character on Disney, Nickelodeon, and other children’s networks. She has appeared on numerous shows including “Sister, Sister,” “The Wild Thornberrys,” “Even Stevens,” “Invader ZIM,” “That’s So Raven,” “Justice League Unlimited,” “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” “iCarly,” “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated,” “The Legend of Korra,” “Kung Fu She is undoubtedly a good choice for family-friendly roles on kids’ television because of her warm smile, expressive personality, and comedic background.
Paul Dillon — Paddy O’Brien
Only the first “Austin Powers” film features a brief cameo by Patrick “Paddy” O’Brien in a few crucial situations. He is a living cliché of Irish stereotypes who works as one of Dr. Evil’s henchmen and is infamous for placing mementos on his deceased victims because, in his words, “They’re always seeking me lucky charms.” He’s like Lucky the Leprechaun from the Lucky Charms commercials, according to Frau Farbissina, yet he’s still deadly enough to sneak into a casino bathroom and almost strangle Austin Powers.
One of Paul Dillon’s most memorable performances in his career as a high-end theatrical performer who also dabbles in modest and supporting roles in motion pictures and television shows is as the defeated Paddy O’Brien. Dillon has appeared in episodes of “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “Law & Order,” “The Shield,” and “Chicago Fire,” in addition to playing Angelo for three seasons of the late 1990s NBC drama “The Pretender.”
Rob Lowe — Young Number Two
Number 2 is Dr. Evil’s enduring chief lieutenant, or more accurately, his second-in-command. New Line Cinema, Dia Dipasupil/Getty Robert Wagner plays the part in the 1997-set first “Austin Powers” film. The 1967 version of the character has to be played by a younger actor because the sequel, “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” is set in the past.
Rob Lowe reconnected with Mike Myers, who cast him as the younger version of Robert Wagner’s role in “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” due to his uncanny physical similarity to the actor and ability to impersonate him. Lowe had a booming career as a television fixture in the twenty-first century after parts in youth-oriented “Brat Pack” movies in the 1980s. Lowe was a big star before “Austin Powers” and he was a big star after. He played the relentlessly upbeat health nut and city manager Chris Traeger for the first four seasons of the Emmy-winning “The West Wing,” the lead in the brief-lived “Dr. Vegas,” before joining the cast of “Brothers and Sisters” and “Parks and Recreation.” After a few more television programmes, including “The Grinder,” “Code Black,” and the still-airing “9-1-1: Lone Star,” Lowe entered the podcasting space with a programme dubbed “Literally!” after his “Parks and Recreation” character’s catchphrase.
Robert Wagner — Number Two
Robert Wagner is well-known for his main roles on “It Takes a Thief,” “Switch,” and “Hart to Hart,” as well as for his recurring parts on “Two and a Half Men” and “NCIS,” in addition to his role as Number Two in the “Austin Powers” series. Among countless others, he has notably appeared in “A Kiss Before Dying,” “The Pink Panther,” “Harper,” and “The Towering Inferno.”
On November 29, 1981, while sailing off the shore of Catalina Island in California with both Wagner and actor Christopher Walken, Wagner’s late wife, Natalie Wood, perished. After a fresh inquiry was launched in 2013, the Los Angeles coroner’s office changed the actress’ death certificate to include “drowning and unidentified causes” as the cause of death. Wood’s death had previously been deemed an accident. We may never know what those “undetermined reasons” are, but it’s important to remember that Wagner publicly backed reopening the inquiry.
You can read the renowned actor’s 2008 autobiography, “Pieces of My Heart: A Life,” to learn more about him.
Seth Green — Scott Evil
Since appearing in all three “Austin Powers” films as Scott, the son of Dr. Evil, Seth Green’s professional fortunes have only been better.
Green is undoubtedly a multi-talented individual in the entertainment industry. He is the show’s creator, executive producer, writer, director, and primary voice actor. He also wrote and directed many of the specials, including everyone’s favourite, “Robot Chicken: Star Wars.” Green’s acting credits include “Airborne,” “The Italian Job,” “Party Monster,” “Can’t Hardly Wait,” and “Without a Paddle,” in addition to the “Austin Powers” series. He also contributed his vocals to “Family Guy” as Chris Griffin. He is also the pilot Jeff “Joker” Moreau, who is well-known to “Mass Effect” gamers. For his “Robot Chicken” specials, he has been nominated for and won numerous Primetime Emmy Awards and Annie Awards. You can follow the multifaceted entertainer on Twitter at @SethGreen.
Verne Troyer — Mini Me
Verne Troyer, better known as Mini-Me, was the little Dr. Evil clone in the movies “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” and “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” Verne Troyer was only 2 feet 8 inches (or 0.81 metres) tall due to the rare genetic condition cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH).
Troyer actually had a lot of other roles, both before and after his most well-known roles in the second and third “Austin Powers” movies. In the films “Pinocchio’s Revenge,” “Men in Black,” “Mighty Joe Young,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and “The Love Guru,” he portrayed Coach Punch Cherkov, the Alien Son in “Men in Black,” and Pinocchio. In the television film “Trailer Park Boys: Drunk, High & Unemployed,” he later portrayed himself.
He publicly acknowledged his struggle with alcoholism in a Facebook post in April 2017 and thanked his supporters. According to TMZ, Troyer spent more than two weeks in the hospital and had previously sought treatment for alcoholism, including after nearly passing away from alcohol poisoning in 2002. Age 49, he passed away in 2018.
Will Ferrell — Mustafa
Will Ferrell, a former “SNL” cast member with Myers, went on to star in a number of movies that are always quotable, such as “Old School,” “Elf,” “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “Step Brothers,” and many others after making his big-screen debut in “Austin Powers.”
Ferrell amassed a highlight reel on “SNL” throughout his seven-year run that would make any cast member, past or present, envious. He played a variety of characters, including George W. Bush, Cubs announcer Harry Caray, Robert Goulet, a singer, “Inside the Actors’ Studio” host James Lipton, and “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek.
Although he was never able to make a meaningful contact in the hitter’s box while playing professional baseball for eleven Major League organisations, Ferrell did manage to retire one batter. The whole affair was obviously a joke for HBO and his website Funny or Die; the money was donated to Stand Up to Cancer and Cancer for College.
