Where Are They Now: “The Goonies” Edition

In the 1980s, there were several movies which helped define a generation, including The Breakfast Club, E.T. and Rocky. One of the most beloved, however, remains the enchanting adventure tale The Goonies, written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner. Following the exploits of a group of misfits seeking a pirate treasure in order to save their home from foreclosure, the film was rife with delightful one-liners, breath-taking action sequences and a host of young talent, making it a near-instant cult classic. To this day, viewers , both new and old, are drawn to it for its youthful feel and imaginative appeal, thereby ensuring that The Goonies will live on for years to come.

Nevertheless, the cast of this fan favorite film have long since moved on to other projects. So, what have your favorite band of treasure hunters been up to recently? Let’s hop aboard a pirate ship and find out!

Sean Astin (Mikey)

The son of Patty Duke, Sean Astin has had quite a prosperous career since starring as Mikey in The Goonies. Some of his post-Goonies film credits include: Toy Soldiers, Where The Day Takes You, Encino Man, Rudy, Safe Passage, Courage Under Fire, Boy Meets Girl, Ice Breaker, The Sky is Falling and the award-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which he played Sam. He also starred in the shows Jeremiah, 24, The Strain and Con Man. In addition, he did voice-acting in Special Agent Oso, Sofia the First, Bunnicula and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Fans can expect to see him in the upcoming films The Rocking Horseman, The Lears, For All Eyes Always, Bad Kids of Crestview Academy, The Do-Over, Range 15, Swingstate, Unleashed and Dead Ant.

Josh Brolin (Brand)

Since playing big brother Brand in The Goonies, Josh Brolin’s acting career has taken off, landing himself a number of notable roles. For starters, he starred in the shows Private Eye, The Young Riders, Winnetka Road and Mister Sterling. From there, he ventured into film, scoring parts in Bed of Roses, Nightwatch, Mimic, The Mod Squad, Best Laid Plans, Hollow Man, Melinda and Melinda, Into the Blue, No Country for Old Men, Planet Terror, American Gangster, W., Milk, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Jonah Hex, True Grit, Men in Black 3, Labor Day, Guardians of the Galaxy, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Everest and Hail, Caesar. Fans can expect to see him in the upcoming films No Exit, Suburbicon, The Legacy of a White Tail Deerhunter and Avengers: Infinity War—Part 1.

Jeff Cohen (Chunk)

While Jeff Cohen’s acting career was short-lived, it was nonetheless memorable. After starring in The Goonies, he scored roles in the shows Amazing Stories, Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, Family Ties and She’s the Sheriff. He also landed parts in the made-for-television movies Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School and Perfect Harmony. He now works as a successful lawyer.

Corey Feldman (Mouth)

Corey Feldman’s acting career began early, with him playing extras in movies when he was just seven years old. In the 1980s, he played a multitude of eccentric characters, including Mouth in The Goonies and the troubled and unruly Teddy in Stand by Me. However, it was The Lost Boys which really propelled his career, getting him roles in bigger name movies. His film credits include: License to Drive, Dream a Little Dream, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Blown Away, Maverick, The Lost Boys: The Tribe, The Lost Boys: The Thirst, Six Degrees of Hell, Exposure and The M Word. In addition, he has also claimed roles in a number of television shows as either a guest star or a recurring character, such as Married with Children, Burke’s Law, Tales from the Crypt and Dweebs. Most recently, he played Johnny Splatter in the television series Splatter, the character Thorn in Psyche and Slash for two seasons in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He can soon be seen in the upcoming movie JOB’s Daughter, in which he plays the character Agent Barnes.

Kerri Green (Andy)

Kerri Green’s career was sporadic after The Goonies. In the years immediately after it was released, she starred in the films Summer Rental and Lucas, and guest-starred on the shows In the Heat of the Night, Mad About You, Café Americain and Murder She Wrote. While her appearances in front of the camera became few and far between, Green did launch her own production company, Independent Women Artists, with which she directed the film Bellyfruit in 1999. In addition to writing screenplays and working behind the scenes on other projects, she did return to acting in 2012, playing the character Beth Wilkenson in the film Complacent.

Martha Plimpton (Stef)

Martha Plimpton has been involved in a number of projects since starring as Stef in The Goonies. She scored roles in the films Shy People, Running on Empty, Another Woman, Silence Like Glass, Parenthood, Stanley and Iris, Samantha, Inside Money Zetterland, Josh and S.A.M., Last Summer in the Hamptons, Beautiful Girls and Eye of God. She also guest-starred on the television shows ER, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Hack, Karen Sisco, 7th Heaven, Surface, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Grey’s Anatomy, Medium, How to Make It in America, The Good Wife, Younger and The Real O’Neals. From 2010 to 2014, she played leading character Virginia Chance in Raising Hope. Fans can expect to see her in the upcoming film Hello Again.

Jonathon Ke Quan (Data)

Before The Goonies, Jonathon Ke Quan’s best-known role was as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Like some of his other Goonies cast-mates, Jonathon Ke Quan’s went on to score parts in several television shows and movies, including the series Together We Stand and Head of the Class, and the films Passenger: Sugisarishi hibi, Breathing Fire and Encino Man in 2002. After that, however, Quan began to look into pursuing other career options. He now works as a stunt choreographer on various films.

John Matuszak (Sloth)

In the years after The Goonies, John Matuszak guest-starred on the shows Stir Crazy, Tall Tales and Legends, Hunter, Fathers and Sons, The A-Team, Amen, Miami Vice, Aaron’s Way, T and T, Perfect Strangers and Superboy. He also scored roles in the movies One Man Force, Ghost Writer, The Princess and the Dwarf and Down the Drain. Sadly, Matuszak died on June 17, 1989 from an accidental overdose.

Robert Davi (Jake Fratelli)

Since The Goonies, Robert Davi has had an impressive career in both acting and music. Some of his film credits include: Raw Deal, Wild Thing, Die Hard, License to Kill, Maniac Cop 2, Amazon, Predator 2, The Taking of Beverly Hills, Under Surveillance, Legal Tender, Center of the Web, Illicit Behavior, Night Trap, Quick, The Dangerous, No Contest, Showgirls, The Bad Pack, Hitters, The Hot Chick, Into the Mix, American Carol, Ballistica, One in the Gun, Magic Man, Game of Death, Iceman, A Long Way Off, The Expendables 3, Lost Time, Awaken, Club Life and The Bronx Bull. He also scored roles in the shows Wiseguy, The Pretender, Profiler, Stargate: Atlantis, Criminal Minds and CSI. Fans can expect to see him in the upcoming films Your Move, Poor Paul, Feast of Fear, Spreading Darkness, Prism and Under the Dark. He is also an accomplished jazz vocalist.

Joe Pantoliano (Francis Fratelli)

Last but not least, we have Joe Pantoliano, who played Francis Fratelli in The Goonies. Pantoliano’s career is one of the most prolific ones yet. Some of his film credits include: La Bamba, The Squeeze, Empire of the Sun, The In Crowd, Midnight Run, Downtown, The Last of the Finest, Short Time, Zandalee, Used People, Three of Hearts, The Fugitive, Calendar Girl, Bad Boys, Congo, The Immortals, Bound, Tinseltown, Hoods, The Matrix, Taxman, Memento, A Better Way to Die, A Call for Help, Daredevil, Bad Boys II, Secondbest, Canvas, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Loosies, The Identical and The Perfect Match. He also scored roles in the shows The Fanelli Boys, Beethoven, NYPD Blue, EZ Streets, The Lionhearts, Godzilla The Series, The Handler, The Sopranos, Waterfront, Dr. Vegas and Sense 8. Fans can expect to see him in the upcoming films Spring Break ’83, American Brawler and Random Tropical Paradise.