'Carrie’ turns 47: Sissy Spacek, John Travolta, Nancy Allen then and now
One of Hollywood's scariest horror movies continues to spook viewers today.
"Carrie" follows the story of Carrie White, a shy high school student with an overly religious mother who is bullied by her peers. After discovering she has the gift of telekinesis, Carrie realizes she isn't just a normal teenage girl, and begins to shake off some of her shyness.
The movie takes a turn when a horrible prank at a school dance pushes Carrie to her breaking point, making everyone second guess ever bullying their peers.
Here is what the cast has been up to since the film's November 1976 release.
Starring as the titular character in "Carrie" catapulted Sissy Spacek into international stardom and earned her the first of six Academy Award nominations. She went on to win one Academy Award, as well as earn four BAFTA nominations, three Emmy nominations, seven Golden Globe nominations, with three wins, and five SAG Award nominations, with one win.
Following the success of "Carrie," Spacek starred in "Coal Miner's Daughter," "Raggedy Man," "Missing," "The River," "Crimes of the Heart," "The Long Walk Home" and "JFK." She continued acting throughout '90s and 2000s, starring in "The Good Old Boys," "Last Call," "In the Bedroom," "Tuck Everlasting," "Nine Lives" and "An American Hunting."
She later appeared in "Four Christmases," "Big Love," "The Help," "Bloodline," "The Old Man & the Gun," "Homecoming" and "Sam & Kate."
Spacek has been married to Jack Fisk since 1974, and they have two daughters.
Amy Irving played one of Carrie's tormentors, Sue Snell, in "Carrie." After the success of the film, Irving starred in the miniseries "Once an Eagle," and the films "The Fury," "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Yentl," which earned her an Academy Award nomination.
She continued to act, appearing in both film and television, before starring in "Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna" and "Crossing Delancey," both of which earned her Golden Globe nominations. Later, she appeared in "Carried Away," "I'm Not Rappaport," "The Confession," "The Rage: Carrie 2," "Traffic" and "Tuck Everlasting."
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She then appeared in "Alias," "Zero Hour" and "Unsane," before appearing in "Confetti" and "A Mouthful of Air."
Irving was married to Steven Spielberg from 1985 to 1989, and they had a son named Max. She then married Bruno Barreto from 1996 to 2005, and they have a son named Gabriel.
John Travolta was already a TV star, having been on "Welcome Back, Kotter," before starring as Billy Nolan in "Carrie." He would go on to receive two Academy Award nominations, one BAFTA nomination, three Emmy nominations, seven Golden Globe nominations, with one win, and three SAG Award nominations.
Following "Carrie," he starred in "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble," "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever," all three of which elevated his star power. He then starred in "Urban Cowboy," "Staying Alive," "Look Who's Talking," and its sequels, "Pulp Fiction" and "Get Shorty." He continued starring in successful films, including "Face/Off," "Primary Colors," "The Punisher," "Wild Hogs," "Hairspray" and "Bolt."
Later, he starred in "Old Dogs" with Robin Williams, played Robert Shapiro in "American Crime Story," and starred in "Gotti," "Die Hart," "Paradise City" and "Mob Land."
Travolta was married to Kelly Preston from 1991 until her death in 2020. They have three children, Jett, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 16, Ella and Benjamin.
William Katt played Tommy Ross in "Carrie," later going on to appear in "First Love," "Big Wednesday" and "The Rainmaker." He then starred in "Perry Mason Returns," and its eight sequels, along with "The Greatest American Hero," "White Ghost," "Wedding Band," "Top of the Hill" and "Naked Obsession."
He continued acting, appearing as a guest in a series of shows, later appearing in "The Paperboy," "Tollbooth" and "Daddy's Girl," before a second round of guest starring roles. Later, he appeared in "Treading Water," "Descendant," "River's End," "The Man From Earth," "Big Game" and "Earthling."
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Most recently, he appeared in "The Other Side of the Wind," "The Christmas High Note," "Overrun" and "Pursuit."
Katt was married to Deborah Kahane from 1979 to 1992, and they have two sons, Clayton and Emerson. He then married Danielle Hirsch in 1993, and they have a daughter, Dakota. She is also stepmom to his son Andrew.
The main antagonist in "Carrie," Chris Hargensen, was played by Nancy Allen. She went on to star in "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "Home Movies," "Dressed to Kill" and "Blow Out."
Later, she starred in "The Buddy System," "The Philadelphia Experiment," "Not for Publication," "RoboCop," and its sequel, "Poltergeist III," "The Patriots" and "Secret of the Andes." She also appeared in "The Pass," "Out of Sight" and "Kiss Toledo Goodbye." Most recently she appeared in "My Apocolypse."
She received a Golden Globe nomination in 1981 for her role in "Dressed to Kill."
Allen was married to "Carrie" director Brian De Palma from 1979 to 1984, later marrying Craig Shoemaker from 1992 to 1993. She then married Randy Bailey from 1998 to 2007.
Betty Buckley's first on-screen role was that of Miss Collins, the sympathetic gym teacher who tries to help Carrie. Immediately following the film, she began starring in "Eight Is Enough," staying on the show for 102 episodes from 1977 to 1981.
She then starred in "Tender Mercies," "Wild Thing," "Another Woman," "Rain Without Thunder," "Wyatt Earp" and "Simply Irresistible." Later, she had an 18-episode arc in "Oz," and starred in "The Scare Hole," "The Happening," "5 Time Champion," "Supergirl," "Split" and "Preacher." Since 2006, Buckley has had a recurring role on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," appearing in 10 episodes.
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The actress originated the role of Grizabella in "Cats" and won a Tony Award for it. She continues to have a career on the stage, and has also released 18 solo studio albums.
Buckley was married to Peter Flood from 1972 to 1979.
P.J. Soles played Norma in "Carrie," one of the students who bullied Carrie. After the success of the film, she starred in "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble," "Halloween," "Private Benjamin" and "Listen to the City."
Later, she went on to star in "Sweet Dreams," "Out There," "Little Bigfoot," "Kept," "Murder on the Yellow Brick Road," "Ray of Sunshine" and "Dead Calling." She continued to act, appearing in "Eternal," "The Butterfly Room," "Halloween" and "Candy Corn."
Most recently, she appeared in "Killer Therapy" and "Hanukkah."
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Soles was married to J. Steven Soles from 1973 to 1975 and then to Dennis Quaid from 1978 to 1983. She then married Skip Holm from 1983 to 1998, and they have two children, Sky and Ashley.
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Piper Laurie was already an Emmy and Academy Award nominated actress before taking on the role of Margaret White in "Carrie," which earned her a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination. Throughout her career, she received three Academy Award nominations, one BAFTA nomination, nine Emmy nominations, with one win, and three Golden Globe nominations, with one win.
She later starred in "Ruby," "Return to Oz," "The Thorn Birds," "Children of a Lesser God," "The Bunker," "St. Elsewhere," "Promise," "Appointment with Death," "Twin Peaks" and "The Grass Harp." Laurie then starred in "A Christmas Memory," "The Faculty," "Possessed," "Hounddog," "Hesher" and "Another Harvest Moon."
Most recently, she starred in "Bad Blood," "Snapshots" and "White Boy Rick."
Laurie was married to Joe Morgenstern from 1962 to 1982, and together they adopted a daugher, Anne Grace.