You Won't Recognize The Cast Of Miracle Today

The following article mentions suicide.

History was made in 1980 during the Winter Olympics when the United States hockey team went toe-to-toe with the Soviet Union, who were four-time champions at that point. The game that was deemed the "Miracle on Ice" saw the U.S. finally defeat a team they had lost to several times before. The story made for an inspirational documentary, TV specials, and a 2004 Disney feature film. 

Not unlike the beloved Disney hockey movie "The Mighty Ducks," "Miracle" was a major success — and the outstanding cast was certainly partly to thank. To fully capture the magic of the legendary Olympic team, producers sought out actual hockey players to take part in the film. This strategy paid off in a big way, and the flick nabbed an ESPY Award for best sports movie. 

While some of the movie's stars continued to build their movie and TV careers after "Miracle," others found success in other lanes. Here's what the stars of "Miracle" have been up to since the movie first skated into theaters. 

In "Miracle," Kurt Russell portrayed head coach Herb Brooks. Known for his extreme yet methodical coaching style, Brooks led the 1980 U.S. hockey team to victory against the Soviet Union. Russell, of course, was an A-list star long before "Miracle." Coming from a family of performers, he has been in the acting industry since he was 11. His long list of credits includes "Escape from New York," "Backdraft," and "Tombstone." 

Following "Miracle," Russell continued to keep working in Hollywood, appearing in a wide array of movies from "Sky High" to Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." While expressing his gratitude for his lengthy career in a 2016 interview with GQ, Russell reflected on his own legacy. "Yeah, a hundred years from now there will be some moviegoers that will look back and say, 'Well, look at that guy ... I mean that was a hundred years ago, but he knew what f***ing time it was. He knew what he was doing,'" he said. 

In 2017, Russell and his longterm partner, Goldie Hawn, both earned stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the joint ceremony, Quentin Tarantino and Reese Witherspoon gave speeches about the Tinseltown power couple. A few years later, Russell acted alongside Hawn in "The Christmas Chronicles," and then he went on to appear in "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" in 2023. 

Patricia Clarkson stunningly transformed from a struggling Yale graduate to a big-screen superstar. After finding success in "Jumanji" and "The Green Mile," Clarkson appeared in "Miracle" portraying Herb Brooks' wife, Patti Brooks. Like Kurt Russell, Clarkson continued to find massive success after the 2004 sports drama. From critically acclaimed films like "Shutter Island" and "The Maze Runner" to comedies like "Easy A" and "Friends with Benefits," Clarkson's filmography is full of a wide range of projects. 

The Emmy-winning actor is no stranger to the spotlight, and her personal life has been subject to some attention over the years. As she's noted in a number of interviews, neither marriage nor motherhood ever really called to her. "I live a very unconventional life," she told The Guardian in 2019. "I've had love and heartbreak and all the things except a marriage license."

Chatting with iHeart Radio's "Table for Two" in 2023, she said that she's plenty happy with being an aunt to her sisters' children. "I love it probably more than acting, which is odd," she said. While she did think about having kids once in her 30s, she ultimately decided against it, and she hasn't looked back. "My mother said, 'Patty, I just don't want you to wake up at 50 and be unhappy.' I woke up at 50 in stilettos and a thong," she quipped. "I mean, I had a great, sexy life." 

Kenneth Welsh's career spanned decades. After the Canadian actor got his start in the '60s, he went on to make a splash in the cult classic series "Twin Peaks" before he played team doctor George Nagobads in "Miracle." From there, Welsh appeared in "The Day After Tomorrow," "Four Brothers," "The Covenant," "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," and "Adoration." 

In a 2020 chat with Lindsey Bowden, Welsh, who was 78 years old at the time, shared that his nearest and dearest always played a crucial part in his lengthy career. "I was inspired originally by my father who was a very funny guy. ... My cat inspires me, my lovely girlfriend Lynne inspires me with her art and love, my son Devon inspires me with his talent and his ability to cope," he said. "It's the things around me now that I get excited by, and the friends I have, and the people around me."

In 2022, Welsh died from cancer. He was 80 years old. ACTRA, the Canadian union that represents performers, honored his memory on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing, "Ken was one of Canada's all-time great performers, with hundreds of memorable roles spanning decades. He will be greatly missed." Before his passing, Welsh worked on a slew of projects including "The Kids in the Hall," "Deadly Draw," and "Campton Manor."

Since producers wanted "Miracle" to reflect the legendary 1980 United States Olympic hockey team as closely as possible, they searched for actual hockey players who could also act, like Joseph Cure. Before portraying Mike Ramsey in "Miracle," Cure was an accomplished hockey player. In high school, Cure was part of the 2002 Academy of Holy Angels hockey team that won the Class AA state hockey tournament in Minnesota. With a state championship under his belt, Cure then played junior hockey and attended Baylor University in Texas before landing his role in the sports drama.

After "Miracle," Cure didn't return to the big screen. Instead, he decided to continue his education. After attending Baylor University, Cure attended Montana State University in Bozeman, pursuing a degree in neuroscience. 

In 2015, Cure died in a car accident. According to the Star Tribune, Cure and another MSU student, Hannah Wolf, were driving on Highway 287 in Montana where the weather conditions were dangerous. Cure's vehicle was reported to have slid on the highway and rolled numerous times. While Wolf sustained injuries that didn't prove to be fatal, Cure was pronounced dead. He was only 31 years old. A few weeks later, his father made headlines when he rushed to help people involved in a car accident outside his medical office. "There is no doubt in my mind that Dr. Cure was thinking of his son while running to aid the victims of this roll over," a spokesperson said at the time (via Fox 5).

Nathan West was one of the few hockey players in "Miracle" who had prior acting experience. From getting his start as an extra in "The Mighty Ducks" sequel, West took on roles in "Bring It On," "7th Heaven," and "Not Another Teen Movie." After portraying Rob McClanahan in "Miracle," continued to find some work, making appearances in "Forever Strong," "Bones," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Alleged."

In addition to becoming a dedicated husband to actor Chyler Leigh and a father of three, West pursued another creative path. After West spent years dabbling in music, he decided to go all in on a career. In 2014, West's band, East of Eli garnered some public attention when the American Songwriter promoted their song "Nothing is Ordinary." Despite not being signed to a label, the genre-bending band continued to release music in 2016 and 2017, with features from his wife on songs like "Child's Play" and "Nowhere." 

On a 2017 episode of the "Zach Sang Show," West stated that when it came to getting his music career up and running, he got in his own way. However, thanks to the encouragement from his wife, West eventually decided to take music seriously after years of doubting himself. "She's always seen this in me and I've been the one that took way too long, you know," he admitted. "Like, I was just too concerned about me. ... It took me forever to get over myself, to be honest."

With credits that go as far back as 1961, Sean McCann's filmography is filled with appearances in notable projects like "Night Heat," "Tommy Boy," and "Chicago." As if he wasn't busy enough with his on-screen work, McCann also had a short-lived stint as a politician and nabbed a gig as a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays. His love for acting never wavered, as he'd continued to garner roles after portraying Walter Bush in "Miracle," ranging from television shows like "Naturally, Sadie," to dramatic films like "The Big Fat Stone." 

McCann also stayed busy behind the scenes, too. In 2017, he advocated for Actra Fraternal Benefit Society (AFBS)— an organization that provides health care plans to Canadian actors and screenwriters — in a YouTube video. As a long-term member of the organization who had received assistance following a health scare, McCann began to volunteer for the company, connecting with those in need. "If I hear somebody in their 20s or somebody in their 30s going through difficulties ... I think back to the time that I was there, and I can personally offer a certain perspective on what they're going through," he said. 

In 2019, McCann passed away due to heart complications at 83. In addition to celebrating his lengthy career, the Toronto Sun praised McCann's welcoming personality. As his daughter shared in a statement, "He loved what he did, but he also loved people."

Before "Miracle," Eddie Cahill was known as a heartthrob in Hollywood. After getting his start acting alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in "Sex and the City," Cahill got his big break in "Friends," playing Rachel Green's intern-turned-boyfriend, Tag Jones. Though he was only around for seven episodes, Tag and Rachel would go on to become a memorable "Friends" couple. After scoring a few more TV spots, he made his way to the silver screen when he was selected to play Jim Craig in "Miracle."

Shortly after "Miracle," Cahill booked his role as Detective Don Flack in "CSI: NY," acting alongside Carmine Giovinazzo and Gary Sinise. The show, which was a major success, helped catapult Cahill's career even further. Understandably, this shift was a lot to grapple with. "To be honest, I try not to think about the success of the 'CSI' (franchise) that much because it makes me paranoid and crazy," he told the Times Record News in 2004 (via CSI Files). 

After regularly appearing in the series for all of its nine seasons, Cahill landed roles on TV series such as "Under the Dome" in 2014 and "Conviction" in 2016. Outside of appearing in the short film "Sextpert Advice" and "Omni Looper," Cahill's career has seemingly slowed down, focusing more on his personal life away from social media.

After launching his acting career in 1993, Noah Emmerich went on to portray Craig Patrick in "Miracle," the reserved assistant coach who counteracted Herb Brooks' intense coaching methods. Emmerich used his time after "Miracle" to his benefit, snagging roles year after year in projects like "White Collar," "The Walking Dead," and "Super 8." His biggest role would come in 2013 when joined the cast of "The Americans." 

Through portraying Stan Beeman in all of its six seasons, Emmerich became a household name. His performance received positive praise as he earned several nominations from the Screen Actors Guild and the Critics Choice Awards. As the show came to an end in 2018, GQ interviewed Emmerich expressing his appreciation for his five-year stint. "I've never gone back to a job. I've only done jobs that ended. I've only done guest spots on television or films. And the films, I've never made a sequel. I've never returned," he said. "So creating this family, creating this group of people that we came to rely on and would come back to working together year after year was the biggest most dramatic change for me. It was really beautiful and wonderful." Despite his apparent want to slow down after "The Americans," Emmerich never took his foot off the gas. From 2019 onward, he continued to act, starring in projects like "Suspicion" and "Dark Winds."

When Patrick O'Brien Demsey landed the role of team captain Mike Eruzione in "Miracle," he was a college kid studying graphic design. He didn't have acting experience before joining the hockey flick's roster, but he did grow up playing hockey. After making his silver screen debut, he decided to go all in on his acting career. Unfortunately for him, his time in Hollywood didn't quite go as he hoped.

Though he had a small appearance in "Thor" and worked as a stunt double in shows like "House" and "CSI: NY," Demsey struggled to really launch his acting career after "Miracle." He eventually began to work in construction and then as a sculptor. 

In 2018, he made a successful return to acting in "Ice: The Movie," but that would be his last notable role. Since then, Demsey has been enjoying his life away from the big screen. On a 2021 episode of the "Empty Betters" podcast, he opened up about the realities of being a struggling actor. "I'll tell you, the 10 years after 'Miracle,' I was as broke as anyone I've ever met," he recalled. "I mean, living in a crappy apartment in L.A. with cockroaches and you name it. I couldn't buy a job, you know, and it was really a strange situation because, on one hand, you are a massive inspiration ... and I literally didn't even have like 35 cents at points."

In 2004, Michael Mantenuto portrayed Jack O'Callahan in "Miracle." As an active hockey player throughout high school and college, his athletic background earned him a spot in the sports drama. After getting into a physical altercation with one of the actors during the auditioning process, director Gavin O'Connor knew they found who they needed for the role. After the film's release, Mantenuto decided to pursue an acting career. In doing so, he appeared in projects like "Dirtbags" and "Surfer, Dude." 

In 2010, Mantenuto put his acting career behind him and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He went on to become a communications sergeant and even founded a youth hockey program. In 2017, the former actor died by suicide when he was 35 years old. He was survived by his wife and two children. He was found dead in Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was stationed at the time.

Speaking to People following his death, a friend of Mantenuto's reflected on the work he did with youth hockey and his overall character. "[He] was awesome and charismatic, people were naturally drawn to him," she said. "People's needs always came before his own, he was so giving."

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Kenneth Mitchell had some acting experience before "Miracle." After scoring parts in "Leap Years" and "Odyssey 5," Mitchell nabbed the role of hockey player Ralph Cox. Mitchell maintained a busy career in the years following "Miracle." In addition to making guest appearances in shows like "Flashpoint," "Hawaii Five-0," and "Criminal Minds," he'd also find regular work in shows like "Jericho," "The Astronaut Wives Club," and "Star Trek: Discovery."

In a 2019 interview with People, Mitchell announced that he'd been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2018, a nervous system disease that negatively affects muscle control. He initially thought he was suffering from multiple sclerosis, but when he received his ALS diagnosis, he was completely stunned. "The moment that they told us it was [ALS], it was like I was in my own movie." 

After finding out he had ALS, Mitchell lived life to the fullest. "Thankfully, I feel like I lived a life and a mantra that, pre-diagnosis, I was proud of," he told SyFy Wire in 2020. "But, it's certainly hard and created a shift in my focus. I'm more focused on my family than ever before. My kids are my everything." In addition to spending more time with his wife and children, Mitchell continued to act, appearing in projects like "Captain Marvel," "Nancy Drew," and "The Old Man." On February 25, 2024, Mitchell's family took to Instagram to announce that he passed away just a day prior due to health complications. He was 49.