Ed Wood (film) - Cast

Cast

• Johnny Depp as Ed Wood: Burton approached Depp and "within 10 minutes of hearing about the project, I was committed," the actor remembers. At the time, Depp was depressed about films and filmmaking. By accepting this part, it gave him a "chance to stretch out and have some fun", and working with Martin Landau, "rejuvenated my love for acting". Depp was already familiar with some of Wood's films through John Waters, who had shown him Plan 9 from Outer Space and Glen or Glenda. To get a handle on how to portray Wood, Depp studied the performance of Jack Haley as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, and the acting of Mickey Rooney, Ronald Reagan and Casey Kasem. He watched several Reagan speeches because the actor felt he had a kind of blind optimism that was perfect for Ed Wood. Depp also borrowed some of Kasem's cadence and "that utterly confident, breezy salesman quality in his voice".
• Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi: Rick Baker created the prosthetic makeup designs. Baker did not use extensive make-up applications, only enough to resemble Lugosi and allow Landau to use his face to act and express emotion. For research, Landau watched 25 of Lugosi's films and seven interviews between the years of 1931 and 1956. Landau did not want to deliver an over-the-top performance. "Lugosi was theatrical, but I never wanted the audience to feel I was an actor chewing the scenery...I felt it had to be Lugosi's theatricality, not mine."
• Sarah Jessica Parker as Dolores Fuller: Ed's girlfriend before his relationship with Kathy. Dolores is embarrassed by Ed's transvestism, which leads to their breakup. Dolores later becomes a successful songwriter for Elvis Presley.
• Patricia Arquette as Kathy O'Hara: Ed's girlfriend after his relationship with Dolores. Kathy does not have a problem with Ed's transvestism, and is eventually married to Ed. Their marriage lasts until Ed's death in 1978. She never remarried. Arquette met her real-life counterpart during filming. The actress found her to be "very graceful and very nice".
• Lisa Marie as Vampira: Hostess of the local Vampira Show. She is dismissive of Ed at first, but decides to join the cast of Plan 9 from Outer Space, on the condition that she have no lines.
• Jeffrey Jones as The Amazing Criswell: A local psychic TV entertainer. Criswell helps Ed with usual production duties, finding investors and acting in Ed's films.
• Max Casella and Brent Hinkley portray Paul Marco and Conrad Brooks: Two of Ed's all-around production assistants and frequent actors. Paul is hired to find the Lugosi stand-in for Plan 9 from Outer Space, while Conrad accidentally has a brief dispute with Lugosi during Glen or Glenda.
• Bill Murray as Bunny Breckinridge: Ed's openly-gay friend. Bunny is assigned to find transvestites to appear in Glen or Glenda, as well as portraying the "The Ruler" in Plan 9 from Outer Space. Bunny also has an unsuccessful sex reassignment therapy attempt.
• George "The Animal" Steele as Tor Johnson: A Swedish professional wrestler hired by Wood to be in two of his films, Bride of the Monster and Plan 9.
• Juliet Landau as Loretta King: King replaces Dolores in the movie "Bride of the Monster" after Wood mistakes her for an heiress able to front the money for the production costs.
• Ned Bellamy as Tom Mason: Kathy's chiropractor who is chosen to be Lugosi's stand-in for Plan 9.
• Mike Starr as George Weiss: Foul-mouthed Z movie producer known for his work on exploitation films. Weiss hires Ed to direct Glen or Glenda.

Vincent D'Onofrio appears as Orson Welles in a bit part. His voice was dubbed by Maurice LaMarche. The film also includes cameos from actors who worked with Wood on Plan 9 from Outer Space, Gregory Walcott and Conrad Brooks.