Find Out Where the 'School of Rock' Cast Is Today

Jack Black in 'School of Rock.'

School of Rock is one of those movies that you can’t help but watch if you happen to catch it on TV some Saturday afternoon, but it almost didn’t happen. When producer Scott Rudin approached director Richard Linklater about helming the project, Linklater passed. “I kind of turn down most of these things,” Linklater explained to Esquire in 2013. “But Scott Rudin said, ‘No, I’m not accepting your pass.’”

Linklater ultimately agreed to take on the movie, which was written by The White Lotus creator Mike White. White built the idea for the film after living next door to Jack Black, who played substitute teacher Dewey Finn. “I had the idea of him leading a band of little kids somehow it just seemed like a funny visual,” White recalled in an oral history published by Paramount in 2018. “Then I got the idea that it would be fun to have him be more of a W.C. Fields a little bit, like a guy who isn't really somebody you'd want around kids, but that's part of the fun of it.”

The gambit paid off, with the film earning more than $131 million at the box office and spawning a TV show and a stage musical with music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

“The best part about it for me was how it inspired kids to pick up instruments and follow that passion,” the late Kevin Clark (who played Freddy) told Complex in 2017. His costar Rivkah Reyes (Katie) agreed, telling Paramount that the movie changed their life. “I'll say this 1,000 times until the day I die, ‘I would not be the artist that I am today if it wasn't for getting to be in that movie,’” Reyes explained. “I was at a concert this weekend and a young, female bassist, probably in her early 20s, came up to me, recognized me from the film and was like, ‘Oh, my God, you're the person who inspired me to pick this up.’”

Keep scrolling to see what the School of Rock cast is up to now:

'School of Rock' Cast: Where Are They Now?

Jack Black (Dewey Finn)

Jack Black was already a star when School of Rock hit theaters, but the movie raised his profile with younger audiences. He’s since starred in Nacho Libre, The Holiday, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Goosebumps. He’s also a prolific voice actor, voicing Po in the Kung Fu Panda movies and Bowser in 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In 2011, he reunited with Richard Linklater for the film Bernie. Black has also continued recording with his band Tenacious D, which released its most recent album, Post-Apocalypto, in 2018.

Related: Does Black Make Green? See Jack Black’s Net Worth—From 'School of Rock' to 'Jumanji'

Joan Cusack (Principal Mullins)

After appearing as the secretly rock-obsessed principal, Joan Cusack went on to star in Confessions of a Shopaholic, The End of the Tour, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Popstar: Never Stop Stopping. On TV, she’s landed roles in Shameless, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Homecoming.

Mike White (Ned Schneebly)

While Mike White has occasionally acted since School of Rock, his primary focus has been on writing and directing. He created the short-lived but beloved HBO series Enlightened starring Laura Dern, and more recently created the Emmy-winning The White Lotus. He is currently at work on Season 3 of the latter series, which will be set in Thailand.

Related: Everything We Know About Season 3 of 'The White Lotus' So Far

Sarah Silverman (Patty Di Marco)

After playing Ned’s girlfriend in School of Rock, Sarah Silverman starred in Funny People, The Muppets, Space Jam: A New Legacy and Marry Me. In late 2023, she’s set to appear in Maestro, Bradley Cooper’s biopic of Leonard Bernstein. Her 2010 memoir, The Bedwetter, was adapted into an Off-Broadway musical in 2022.

Miranda Cosgrove (Summer)

Miranda Cosgrove made her acting debut as Summer, the precocious class factotum who became the band’s manager. She became a bona fide star after School of Rock, starring on Drake & Josh and iCarly. In 2010, she released a solo album titled Sparks Fly, and since 2019, she has hosted the series Mission Unstoppable.

Joey Gaydos Jr. (Zack)

Joey Gaydos Jr., who played the band’s lead guitarist, never acted again after School of Rock, but he continued making music. He released two EPs in 2020 and shares regular videos of himself playing guitar via Instagram.

Kevin Clark (Freddy)

Like his costar Joey Gaydos Jr., Kevin Clark pursued music rather than acting after School of Rock, gigging in his hometown of Chicago with bands including Dreadwolf and Jess Bess and the Intentions. Clark died in 2021 at age 32 after he was struck by a driver while riding his bike. "Devastating news. Kevin is gone. Way too soon," Black wrote on Instagram. "Beautiful soul. So many great memories. Heartbroken. Sending love to his family and the whole School of Rock community."

Rivkah Reyes (Katie)

Rivkah Reyes continued acting after playing bassist Katie, starring in Netflix’s Easy and the Lifetime movie A Picture Perfect Holiday. In 2021, Reyes, who is also a comedian, hosted a podcast called “Where Are We Now?” where they interviewed fellow former child stars.

Robert Tsai (Lawrence)

After playing the band’s keyboardist, Lawrence (aka Mr. Cool), Robert Tsai didn’t act again, but he kept playing piano through high school and college. He graduated from Dartmouth University.

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Caitlin Hale (Marta)

Following her turn as vocalist Marta (aka Blondie), Caitlin Hale appeared in a handful of commercials before pursuing a degree in journalism from Arizona State University. She later became an OB-GYN sonographer. As of 2021, she was in a relationship with her School of Rock costar Angelo Massagli.

Maryam Hassan (Tomika)

Maryam Hassan played Tomika, a roadie who became a vocalist after Dewey learned she could sing. In real life, Hassan kept singing under the name Mayhrenate. Her most recent single, “Feel a Way,” debuted in 2022.

Brian Falduto (Billy)

After stealing the show as band stylist Billy, Brian Falduto studied theater performance and arts administration at Wagner College. He later became a life coach and has dabbled in country music, releasing an album called Gay Country in 2023.

Aleisha Allen (Alicia)

One of the few band members who kept acting after School of Rock, Aleisha Allen went on to star in Are We There Yet? and the sequel Are We Done Yet? She later became a speech pathologist.

Angelo Massagli (Frankie)

Outside of School of Rock, Angelo Massagli may be most recognizable to fans for his role as Bobby Bacclieri Jr. in The Sopranos. He later quit acting and graduated from University of Miami Law School in 2019. As of 2021, he was dating his School of Rock costar Caitlin Hale.

Next, 'Friday Night Lights' Cast: Where Are They Now?