‘Father of the Bride’ is celebrating its 29th anniversary on Dec. 20, 1991. Reminisce about this timeless classic by taking a look at the stars then and now.
It’s officially been 29 years since Father of the Bride was released, earning a place near and dear to our hearts. Annie’s wedding scene is such a beautiful and touching scene that never gets old. The 1991 romantic comedy, penned by Nancy Meyers, is one of the most enjoyable remakes. The film was based on the 1950 film of the same name that starred Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor.
The film about a father dealing with the emotional and financial woes of his daughter’s impending wedding became an instant hit and spawned a 1995 sequel. The cast recently came together for a follow-up to the sequel entitled Father of the Bride Part 3 (ish)! The continuation was set 25 years after Father of the Bride Part II and featured Florence Pugh and Ben Platt joining as the grown-up Banks babies from the end of the sequel. Before fans don something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, find out what the cast is up to today!
Steve Martin
Steve Martin, 75, is renowned for his comedic prowess, and in 1991 he put his talents to good use in Father of the Bride. As George Banks, Martin was so sweet and endearing while also being uproariously funny. He reprised his role in the 1995 sequel and has continued to have a flourishing career. But as a fully established and beloved comic, that’s really no surprise!
Steve has since been in beloved millennial movies like Cheaper By The Dozen, The Pink Panther, and both of their respective sequels. Of course, Steve often makes appearances on Saturday Night Live, which he’s hosted 15 times! He will next star in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building with Selena Gomez and Martin Short.
Diane Keaton
Like Steve, Diane Keaton, 74, was a wholly established talent in Hollywood by the time she played Nina Banks in Father of the Bride. In fact, Diane won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 1977 for her titular role in Annie Hall. After Father of the Bride, the Oscar winner enjoyed a varied, often comedic list of films.
She’s appeared in such movies as Something’s Gotta Give, The Family Stone, and in 2016 starred in the series The Young Pope. Diane has also been nominated for three more Oscars since her 1977 win. Apart from acting, fans love seeing Diane’s eclectic sense of fashion on display.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Kimberly Williams-Paisley, 49, was just 20 years old when Father of the Bride came out! Playing Annie Banks was the young actress’s first major role, and she pulled it off with ease. Naturally, she reprised her role in the 1995 sequel, but went on to curate a full filmography, balancing both film and TV.
The actress starred in such projects as We Are Marshall, the TV series Nashville, and had a leading role on the series According To Jim. Now, it seems Kimberly is in the holiday spirit. Her recent projects include The Christmas Chronicles 2 alongside Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, as well as Christmas At The Madison: Part 1 and Part 2. Kimberly is married to country crooner, Brad Paisley, who fell for the actress after seeing her in Father of the Bride back in 1991. The couple have two sons together.
Kieran Culkin
Kieran Culkin, 38, isn’t just the younger brother of Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin. Over the years, he’s established himself as a dynamic actor and it all started when he played Matty Banks in Father of the Bride. All of these years later, Kieran has earned some truly hilarious and dramatic roles, showing off the full range of his talents.
After spending his childhood in front of the camera, the actor became more selective of his projects, having a major resurgence in 2010 when he appeared as Wallace Wells in Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. He went on to appear in the anthology series Fargo in 2015, before earning his greatest role to date. Currently, Kieran stars in HBO’s Succession, which recently took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama. For his work as Roman Roy, Kieran earned his second consecutive Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Something tells us it won’t be his last.
George Newbern
George Newbern, 55, has had quite the lucrative career both in front of and behind the camera. After playing Bryan MacKenzie in Father of the Bride and its sequel, George appeared in a number of TV series, most notably providing voiceover work for the animated Justice League. New fans likely recognize him from a certain dramatic TV show that saw Kerry Washington in some fabulous outfits. Ahem, Scandal!
Between 2012 and 2018, George played Charlie on Scandal. He also reprised the role in the spin-off Scandal: Gladiator Wanted. These days, George is still providing the voice of Superman and making appearances in series like Dirty John.
Martin Short
Finally, there’s Martin Short, 70! Much like Steve, Martin was well-established in comedy before taking on the role of Franck Eggelhoffer in Father of the Bride. In fact, Martin was a memorable cast member of Saturday Night Live in 1984 and 1985. The actor and comedian has appeared in so many projects, it’s honestly hard to keep track of them!
He’s been in such films as Mars Attacks!, and provided voiceover work in Disney’s Treasure Planet. He memorably played Jack Frost in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, and teamed up with Maya Rudolph for the show Maya & Marty. In 2019, Martin had a guest appearance in the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston. Next, he’ll be reuniting with Steve once again for the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.