Best in Show is a 2000 American mockumentary film directed by Christopher Guest. Guest is known for this style of filmmaking, which he refers to as “fake documentaries.” He has his preferred players, and many of them recur in the series of films that started with This is Spinal Tap – which he didn’t direct but co-wrote and starred in. Best in Show follows follows six entrants in a fictional dog show called the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show.
The cast of Best in Show includes some well-known and talented actors. Here are the Best in Show cast and updates on what they’ve been doing since the film.
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy played the lovable, bumbling schmuck in the movie Best in Show. His character, Gerry Fleck, was endearing as a seemingly hapless cuckold in his marriage to Catherine O’Hara’s Cookie. Levy is best known for his work on the television series SCTV and the American Pie movie franchise.
Since Best in Show was released in 2000, Levy has continued to act in various movies and television shows. He had a recurring role on the hit show Scrubs and has also appeared in films such as A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration. Most recently, Levy can be seen in the Netflix original series Schitt’s Creek, which he co-created with his son, Dan Levy.
Catherine O’Hara
Catherine O’Hara’s Cookie Fleck seems to have endless patience for her husband’s clumsy nature. After Best in Show, O’Hara went on to star in A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration, both of which were directed by Christopher Guest. She also costarred on Emmy Award-winning Schitt’s Creek, again playing the role of Eugene Levy’s wife.
John Michael Higgins
Scene stealer John Michael Higgins plays Scott Donlan, husband of Michael McKean’s Stefan Vanderhoof. Higgins continues to be one of the most sought-after character actors in Hollywood. He has appeared in multiple films and television shows, including The Hangover, Pitch Perfect, and Arrested Development. His most recent role was in The Curse of Bridge Hollow and he also appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy.
Michael McKean
Michael McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, and musician best known for his role as Leonard “Lenny” Kosnowski on the television series Laverne & Shirley, and as David St. Hubbins – lead singer of the fictitious rock band Spinal Tap. As the long-suffering Stefan Vanderhoof in Best in Show, McKean brilliantly portrayed the stabilizing component of his marriage to John Michael Higgins’ Scott Donlan. Recently, he starred in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story as Sleazy MC alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood.
Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock is an American actor, comedian, and writer best known for his role as Hamilton Swan in Best in Show. Hitchcock has appeared in a number of films since Best in Show, including A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. He has also guest-starred on television shows such as Monk, Psych, and Hot in Cleveland.
Parker Posey
Parker Posey was hilarious as Meg Swan in Best in Show. As the wife of Michael Hitchcock’s Hamilton Swan, she was 1/2 of the most boring, insufferable couple on Earth. Since then, Posey has starred in a number of films including Josie and the Pussycats and Superman Returns. She also had a recurring role on the television show Boston Legal and stars in the highly anticipated Beau Is Afraid, with Joaquin Phoenix.
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress, comedian, and activist. She is best known for her supporting roles in various films and television series, such as Legally Blonde, American Pie, and 2 Broke Girls. In Best in Show, she played the role of Sherri Ann Cabot, wife of aging tycoon Leslie Ward Cabot. Since then, Coolidge went on to star in several films, including A Cinderella Story, Click, and Date Movie. Recently, she starred as Tanya McQuoid in the HBO series The White Lotus, about the lives of narcissistic guests and the employees who serve them at the eponymous resort chain.
Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch has been a busy woman since her days as Christy Cummings in Best in Show. She’s renowned for her role as Sue Sylvester on Glee and appeared in films such as The 40 Year Old Virgin, Role Models, and Wreck-It Ralph. She has also delved into voice acting, lending her voice to The Chicken Squad, The Ghost and Molly McGee, and Oddballs. And she had a memorable role as un-self aware therapist Lenore to Katherine Hahn’s Rachel in the 2013 comedy Afternoon Delight.
Christopher Guest
Christopher Guest played Harlan Pepper as well as co-writing and directing Best in Show. He is well known for other mockumentary-style films, such as This is Spinal Tap, For Your Consideration, and A Mighty Wind. He has also done more traditional acting roles in films like The Princess Bride and TV shows such as Family Tree and Parks and Recreation.
Larry Miller
After portraying Max Berman in Best in Show, Larry Miller appeared in numerous films, such as The Princess Diaries, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot. He has also starred in TV shows like The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire, Monk, and NCIS. Since 2020, there haven’t been any new projects announced for Larry Miller, but fans can still catch him in reruns of some of his old shows.
Ed Begley Jr.
Ed Begley Jr. played the role of Mark Schafer in Best in Show. He is now 73 years old and is still acting. He plays Dr. Grant Linkletter in Young Sheldon and also appeared in Modern Family, Teachers, and Queer as Folk. For films, his most recent one is Amsterdam. Other movies he starred in are Reboot Camp, Plus One, Book Club, and Making Babies. There hasn’t been any confirmed news on upcoming projects, but the actor doesn’t seem to show signs of stopping anytime soon.
Fred Willard
Fred Willard played Buck Laughlin in Best in Show. Since then, he starred in numerous comedy films, such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Expecting Mary. He also lent his voice to Chicken Little, Monster House, and Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur. He appeared in TV shows like Modern Family, Community, and New Girl. His final film role was in Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics, which was released just days before his death.