A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.
Ellie Arroway
Jodie Foster
Palmer Joss
Matthew McConaughey
Michael Kitz
James Woods
S. R. Hadden
John Hurt
David Drumlin
Tom Skerritt
Kent
William Fichtner
Ted Arroway
David Morse
Rachel Constantine
Angela Bassett
Fisher
Geoffrey Blake
Willie
Max Martini
Richard Rank
Rob Lowe
Joseph
Jake Busey
Mission Director
Tucker Smallwood
Young Ellie
Jena Malone
Vernon
Sami Chester
Davio
Timothy McNeil
Cantina Woman
Laura Elena Surillo
Minister
Henry Strozier
Larry King
Larry King
Ian Broderick
Thomas Garner
KOB-TV Reporter
Conroy Chino
Jeremy Roth
Dan Gifford
Senator Valencia
Vance Valencia
Donna Kelley
Donna Kelley
Leon Harris
Leon Harris
Claire Shipman
Claire Shipman
Middle Eastern Anchor
Behrooz Afrakhan
Japanese Anchor
Saemi Nakamura
Latina Anchor
Maria Celeste Arraras
Tabitha Soren
Tabitha Soren
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera
British Anchor
Ian Whitcomb
Jay Leno
Jay Leno
Natalie Allen
Natalie Allen
Robert D. Novak
Robert D. Novak
Geraldine A. Ferraro
Geraldine A. Ferraro
Ann Druyan
Ann Druyan
Kathleen Kennedy
Kathleen Kennedy
Decryption Hacker
Michael Albala
Decryption Expert
Ned Netterville
Major Domo
Leo Lee
Chairman of Joint Chiefs
William Jordan
Joint Chief
David St. James
Jill Dougherty
Jill Dougherty
Drumlin Aide
Haynes Brooke
John Holliman
John Holliman
Bobbie Battista
Bobbie Battista
Dee Dee Myers
Dee Dee Myers
Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Gumbel
Linden Soles
Linden Soles
Major Russell
Steven Ford
Major Russell's Son
Alexander Zemeckis
Major Russell's Daughter
Janie Peterson
French Committee Member
Philippe Bergeron
Dr. Patel
Jennifer Balgobin
British Committee Member
Anthony Hamilton
NASA Public Relations
Rebecca T. Beucler
NASA Technician
Marc Macaulay
Voice of NASA (voice)
Pamela Wilsey
Mechanical
Jeffery Thomas Johnson
Electrical
Yuji Okumoto
Dynamics
Gerry Griffin
Communications
Brian Alston
Pad Leader
Rob Elk
Security
Mark Thomason
Controller #8
José Rey
New VLA Technician
Todd Patrick Breaugh
Russian Cosmonaut
Alex Veadov
Scientist
Alice Kushida
Project Official
Robin Gammell
Mission Doctor
Richardson Morse
Japanese Ensign
Seiji Okamura
Bernard Shaw
Bernard Shaw
Japanese Tech #1
Mak Takano
Japanese Tech #2
Hiroshi Tom Tanaka
Life Support
Catherine Dao
Dynamics #2
Kristoffer Ryan Winters
Woman Senator
Valorie Armstrong
Reporter #5
Jim Hild
Reporter #6
William L. Thomas
School Boy
Diego Montoya
White House Official (uncredited)
Jonathan Adler
NASA Controller #2 (uncredited)
Robert Aguilar Jr.
Four-Star General (uncredited)
Mark Bailey
Senate Observer (uncredited)
Matt Bennett
Robert Hand (uncredited)
Tony Boldi
Scientist (uncredited)
Christopher Boyer
White House Official (uncredited)
Christine Brady
Press Reporter (uncredited)
Ray Buffer
Protester (uncredited)
Mark Byrne
Supporter (uncredited)
Candice T. Cain
Hadden Suit (uncredited)
Michael Chaban
President's Secretary (uncredited)
Aixa Clemente
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bill Clinton
Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Derrick Damions
Philanthropy Bureaucrat (uncredited)
Elaina Erika Davis
Factory Worker (uncredited)
Joey Dente
IMC Police Officer (uncredited)
Michael Egan
Monk (uncredited)
Jeff Elmore
Pedestrian (uncredited)
Pamela Fischer
Controller (uncredited)
Carl Gilliard
TV Interviewer (uncredited)
William B. Kaplan
Astronaut (uncredited)
Boris Lee Krutonog
Pod Systems Control (uncredited)
Ming Lo
Puerto Rican Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Sunshine Logroño
Press Secretary (uncredited)
Denise Loveday
Kitz's Aide (uncredited)
Neal Matarazzo
Reporter (uncredited)
Bill Miller
Family Exchange (uncredited)
Molly Mueller
Ellie's Attorney (uncredited)
Paul L. Nolan
Oval Office Secretary (uncredited)
Marisa Petroro
Police Officer (uncredited)
Errica Poindexter
Senator (uncredited)
J.A. Preston
Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Frank Principe
Security Guard (uncredited)
Billy Quinn
Senate Hearing (uncredited)
Thomas Reid
Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Leo Rogstad
Photographer (uncredited)
Russell Sanderlin Sr.
Army Officer (uncredited)
Frank Silva
Senate Hearing Attendee (uncredited)
John A. Taylor
News Reporter (uncredited)
Todd Thompson
Reporter (uncredited)
Cenk Uygur
Religious Zealot (uncredited)
Holly Cross Vagley
Protester (uncredited)
Eric Alan Wendell
Believer #1 (uncredited)
Delaney Williams
Extra (uncredited)
Gregory L. Williams