Here’s What The Stars Of Coyote Ugly Are Up To Now
Coyote Ugly may have come out at the start of the new millennium, but it feels like it was just yesterday. Even if the film does have a 23% on Rotten Tomatoes, it's a classic that features tons of stars like Piper Perabo and LeAnn Rimes. There were also some celebrities hidden in little roles you may have forgotten about, like model Tyra Banks and Kaitlin Olson. Read on to see what the cast has been up to for the past couple of decades.
Piper Perabo Was The Film's Lead Character
Coyote Ugly almost starred Jessica Simpson as the lead character Violet, but Piper Perabo changed the producers' minds. We can't imagine anyone else portraying the aspiring songwriter who gets caught up at the saloon on her way to stardom.
Piper's 'new girl on the block' persona was so convincing that she won the MTV movie award for best musical moment. Part of why she nailed the role could be that she was an aspiring actress waitressing in New York at the time she landed the part! It was truly her breakthrough moment, just like Violet.
Piper's Acting Career Never Slowed Down
Ever since debuting in Coyote Ugly, Piper's career has stayed strong. She went on to star in numerous films, including Cheaper by the Dozen, Imagine Me & You, Because I Said So, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Looper.
Piper even made a name for herself in television starring as the lead in Covert Affairs, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. More recently she starred alongside Antonio Banderas in Black Butterfly and was part of an all-star cast in Angel Has Fallen.
Adam Garcia Was The Movie's Heartthrob
Though Coyote Ugly didn't always have the best portrayal of men, there was one knight in shining armor who clearly stood out. The male love interest was Kevin O'Donnell, portrayed by sweet-faced Adam Garcia.
Fun fact: the casting director actually spotted Adam starring in the stage version of Saturday Night Fever (he played John Travolta's role). He spent two years performing the role before being asked to audition for Coyote Ugly. The job helped launch the Australian's film career, as it was only his second major motion picture.
Adam Garcia Blossomed In Film And On Stage
Adam's career in film and stage has continued to grow over the years. Shortly after his Coyote Ugly role, he starred alongside Drew Barrymore in Riding in Cars with Boys and played rockstar Stu in the Disney film Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.
Adam also voiced the title role in Kangaroo Jack and was Alex in Doctor Who. More recently, he starred in the stage version of Singin' in the Rain and The Exorcist. He was even in a tap-dancing show!
Maria Bello Played The Founder Of Coyote Ugly
Coyote Ugly was the title because it was also the name of the bar where most of the story takes place. The owner of said bar was Lil Lovell, a tough-as-nails kind of woman portrayed by Maria Bello.
The actress struck a perfect balance between strong and genuine. To hold a position as the boss of an establishment full of rowdy men, you would need to have thick skin. She was an empowered kind of character who knew how to hold her own and keep everyone in check.
Maria Bello Holds Two Golden Globe Nominations
Shortly after her role in Coyote Ugly, Maria landed a spot on the long-running show NCIS. In the show, she portrays forensic psychologist Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane, another empowered female who isn't afraid to hold her own in the company of men.
You may have also spotted her in Goliath and Prime Suspect, though she's more renowned for her role in A History of Violence. She also starred alongside Emily Blunt in The Jane Austen Book Club and William H. Macy in The Cooler.
Melanie Lynskey Played Violet's Best Friend
Though Melanie Lynskey was still a Hollywood newcomer when she landed a role in Coyote Ugly, she'd proven her acting talent overseas. The New Zealander starred in Heavenly Creatures at the age of 17, a role that earned her an award for Best Actress.
For Coyote Ugly, Melanie would have to adopt a New Jersey accent as she portrayed the role of Gloria, Violet's friend. She had to take on an old English accent two years prior when she starred alongside Drew Barrymore in Ever After.
Melanie Lynskey Has Appeared In Tons Of Hit Films
Since Melanie Lynskey tends to play supporting roles, you may not realize how many films you've spotted her in. After Coyote Ugly, she was in Sweet Home Alabama, Up In The Air, The Informant!, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and several other movies.
She also had the recurring part of Rose in Two and a Half Men and starred in the HBO series Togetherness. Though Melanie may not always be front and center, her track record proves she can portray a wide array of roles, which is what acting is all about!
Tyra Banks Played One Of The Dancers
A key component of the movie Coyote Ugly was the tabletop dancers! They had to all be gorgeous, so who better to hire than one of the world's top-paid models? Enter Tyra Banks, who landed the role of Zoe and was featured on plenty of the movie's promotional ads.
Though Tyra didn't appear very often in the film, her character is still memorable if for no other reason than the fact she's Tyra Banks! Prior to this, the model had already shown she could act by appearing on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Tyra Banks Is A Television Personality
In the years since Coyote Ugly, Tyra has blossomed from being a guest-star to a full-blown television personality. In the early 2000s, she appeared on MADtv and The Price is Right, and she even starred in the Disney film Life-Size.
Her fame took off with the success of America's Next Top Model and The Tyra Banks Show. Her modeling competition show has since gone international and Tyra has appeared in numerous other series. She was also the host of America's Got Talent and is the new host of Dancing with the Stars as of July 2020.
John Goodman Was Violet's Concerned Father
Being that John Goodman starred as a lovable dad for years on Roseanne, it's no wonder he was a shoo-in for the role of Violet's concerned father in Coyote Ugly. Though he supported her enough to move to New York to see his daughter pursue her dreams, he was also overprotective in the movie.
When John's character, officer Bill Sanford, finds out where his daughter works, he isn't too happy about it. Though Violet was an adult capable of making her own choices, many parents could relate to worrying about their children.
John Goodman Acts On-Screen And Does Voiceover Work
John Goodman starred in dozens of films before Coyote Ugly, and he starred in dozens more after. Not only has the actor performed on-screen, but he's also done voiceover work. The same year he played officer Bill Sanford, he was the voice of Pacha in The Emperor's New Groove.
The very next year, he made audiences love monsters when he voiced Sulley in Monsters, Inc. Other noteworthy voiceover roles John has had include Baloo in The Jungle Book 2, Big Daddy La Bouff in The Princess and the Frog, and Hound in the Transformers franchise.
Izabella Miko Had The Dancing Talent To Back Her Role
Unlike some of the other dancers in the movie Coyote Ugly, Izabella Miko was a trained dancer! She even got a scholarship to study ballet in New York, which is how the Polish actress ended up in the States.
Izabella's role as Cammie was one that audiences couldn't help but love. The actress nailed the part of an innocent but spicy bartender with a flair for fashion. She was a bright spot that the film wouldn't have been the same without.
Izabella Miko Continued To Dance In Film
Izabella Miko is still doing two of the things she loves most: acting and dancing. After Coyote Ugly, she starred in the music video for the hit "Mr. Brightside" and replaced Julia Stiles as the lead in Save the Last Dance 2.
Izabella proved that she didn't just get acting roles because of her dancing when she starred alongside Zooey Deschanel in Flakes and portrayed Athena in Clash of the Titans. More recently, the actress appeared in Step Up: All In, Desert Dancer, and Chicago Fire.
Bridget Moynahan's Bartender Role Started Her Acting Career
Bridget Moynahan had made a name for herself as a model when she was picked to play the part of Rachel in Coyote Ugly. Her role was one of the more even-keeled characters in the film, though her job was just as wild as that of the other bartenders.
Bridget did a good enough job that she would go on to develop a successful acting career. Her portrayal of Rachel proved that she was more than just a pretty face and could hold her own in Hollywood.
Bridget Moynahan Starred In A Film Every Year After Coyote Ugly
Coyote Ugly was the start of a long and steady acting career for Bridget Moynahan. The model-turned-actress landed a supporting role in Serendipity in 2001 and The Sum of All Fears in 2002.
From 2004 to 2007 she was in The Recruit, I, Robot, Lord of War, Grey Matters, Prey, and Noise. In 2010, she landed the role of an assistant district attorney in Blue Bloods, the show she is most well-known for and that she has starred in ever since.
LeAnn Rimes Portrayed Herself
One oddball aspect of Coyote Ugly was that Violet spends all of this time working on a song that the audience has already heard before. That's because the character's song "Can't Fight The Moonlight" is a real-life song performed by LeAnn Rimes and written by Diane Warren.
To patch up any confusion, the producers had LeAnn swing in at the movie's finale to perform the hit that Violet is said to have written. The song is also deemed the "theme song" of Coyote Ugly.
LeAnn Rimes Is A Country Music Legend
Though LeAnn Rimes was only thirteen when she hit it big, making her one of the youngest country stars in history, her career is far from being over. Since Coyote Ugly, she's released numerous hit albums and won several awards.
LeAnn even won the Meteor Music Award for Best Selling International Female Single for "Can't Fight the Moonlight!" She's been nominated for Favorite Country Female Artist and Top Female Vocalist at the AMAs and won the Academy of Country Music Humanitarian Award.
Kaitlin Olson Was Part Of The Kevin Auction
At one point in the film, Violet gets love interest Kevin to participate in an auction at Coyote Ugly. He begins to dance around on the counter like the ladies normally do while Violet auctions him off to eager ladies.
One of these enthusiastic audience members is none other than Kaitlin Olson! The actress hilariously eggs Kevin on as she shouts out her bids against other women. Though Kaitlin's role was brief, it did show off the comedic skills that helped land her the part of Dee Reynolds in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
Kaitlin Olson Stars In TV Roles And Has Appeared In Film As Well
Kaitlin Olson proved her comedic talent as part of the improv group The Groundlings before making appearances in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Family Guy, Punk'd, and Coyote Ugly. Her fame came in 2004 when she landed a lead role in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
The series is so successful that it's currently the longest-running live-action comedy series in the US. Kaitlin has continued to expand her horizons by starring as the title role in The Mick and earning an Emmy nomination for Flipped. She's also appeared in films like The Heat, Leap Year, and Finding Dory.
Alex Borstein Was Also A Bidding Woman
Another famous face that was hidden in the Coyote Ugly crowd is Alex Borstein. Like Kaitlin Olson, the comedian played one of the bidders when Violet is auctioning off Kevin. Since Alex is known for her voice on Family Guy, you would think she would have stood out like a sore thumb.
Since the scene is so brief, it can be easy to miss her in the audience. Around the time, Alex was also gaining attention for her hilarious characters on MADtv, particularly Mrs. Swan.
Alex Borstein Has Won Multiple Emmys
Alex Borstein had her acting breakthrough in the late '90s when she became a cast member on MADtv. It was there that she met Seth MacFarlane, who made her a lead role, producer, and writer in his hit series Family Guy, for which she won her first Emmy.
Alex went on to appear in several films, including The Lizzie McGuire Movie with Hilary Duff and Kicking and Screaming with Will Ferrell. More recently, she's garnered two Emmys for her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Susan Yeagley Was Also Bidding For Kevin
To make the Kevin bidding scene extra interesting, producers had to have a handful of women competing against one another. As we've seen, they didn't pick no-name extras. Yet another famous woman in this scene was Susan Yeagley.
This was the first acting job that the Tennessee native landed, but it wouldn't be her last. Though she was only in the film for a brief moment, Susan would go on to appear in some of the most popular series on television.
Susan Is Married To SNL Actor Kevin Nealon
Susan Yeagley continued to pursue acting after her days on the set of Coyote Ugly. Though you may not be able to place where you've seen her, you can go back and spot her on shows like Parks and Recreation, ER, Friends, and Reno 911!
She's also appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Miracles, Everybody Loves Raymond, and The Sarah Silverman Project. Being that Susan has been around so many A-listers, it's no wonder she ended up marrying former Saturday Night Live member Kevin Nealon!
Chris Wylde Was A College Guy In The Audience
If you took the time to pause as the camera pans over the Coyote Ugly audience, you'd be surprised how many familiar faces were there. One of them was Chris Wylde, a Comedy Central star from New Jersey.
Before shooting a scene in Coyote Ugly, Chris starred in Strip Mall and was the first late-night talk host on Comedy Central with his show The Chris Wylde Show. You can tell from this still image that Chris was quite the entertainer, even in small roles.
Chris Wylde Has His Own Web Series
The same year as Coyote Ugly, Chris Wylde appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Space Cowboys. Almost a decade later, he starred in the 2009 horror The Revenant and was later in THE DUFF, a comedy based on a novel of the same name.
More recently, Chris was in a horror-comedy called The Babysitter and its 2020 sequel. He also portrays a comic book store owner in Young Sheldon. To top it off, Chris writes, produces, and stars in the web series Dadholes.
Michael Bay Played A Photographer
Someone you may have done a double-take if you spotted in Coyote Ugly is director Michael Bay! That's right, the famous action movie director had a cameo appearance as a photographer in the movie.
Being that he wasn't a part of the crew for this film, we're not sure why he was performing such a minor role. Our best guess is that he owed someone a favor, or was being used to bring more big names into the film.
Michael Bay Is Still Directing Action Films
Two of Michael Bay's most acclaimed films happened just before and just after Coyote Ugly. The first was the 1998 sci-fi film Armageddon starring major players Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Liv Tyler, Steve Buscemi, and other A-listers.
The second is his 2001 feature Pearl Harbor, which also happened to star Ben Affleck and loads more top celebrities. Michael Bay also directed the Transformers films, The Island, the Bad Boys movies, 6 Underground, and other hits that have placed him among the most commercially successful directors.
Melody Perkins Was The Newcomer
Though Melody Perkin's character in Coyote Ugly didn't have any lines, her presence in the film was important. The role essentially consisted of Melody looking overwhelmed as she starts the job, proving that it's not as easy as it looks.
The moment served to showcase that the job wasn't as fun as the other characters made it look. It also makes Violet look especially skillful when she's able to adapt, something that this Coyote Ugly newcomer was unable to do.
Melody Retired From Acting For A Decade
Around the same time she briefly appeared in Coyote Ugly, Melody became a recognizable face as Astronema in Power Rangers in Space and Karone in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. Originally a ballet dancer and model, the Power Rangers franchise became Melody's longest-running acting job.
She also appeared in Malcolm in the Middle, Charmed, and CSI: Miami before retiring for a decade. When Melody did come back onto the acting scene, it was to reprise her Power Rangers role and to appear in Girl Trip and The Garageland Chronicles.
Johnny Knoxville As "College Guy"
During the time of Coyote Ugly, most people knew multi-talented comedian, stuntman, actor, and filmmaker Johnny Knoxville from MTV. Know for partaking in ridiculous stunts with some of his best friends, Knoxville kind of made a name for himself as being an overall prankster who doesn't say "no."
So, when the Coyote Ugly casting team came knocking on Knoxville's door to play a bratty college co-ed, who was Knoxville to say no! Credited as "College Guy," Knoxville's part in the movie is just a little something extra for the teenagers of the time.
Johnny Knoxville Is Still Acting
After his brief scene in the 2000 film Coyote Ugly, Johnny Knoxville kept his acting bug alive and well. Two years later, he had a guest appearance in the 2002 film Men in Black II, opposite Will Smith, and Tommy Lee Jones. Most recently, Knoxville's played the role of C.J. in the popular sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Aside from being in front of the camera, Knoxville has also taken to producing films, such as the wildly popular 2013 film Bad Grandpa. The movie's success landed Knoxville a long-standing relationship with Paramount Pictures.
Michael Weston As Danny
Holding a theatre and arts degree from Northwestern University, Michael Weston was destined to make a splash in Hollywood. And his first film, the role of Danny in Coyote Ugly, proved just that. While the movie's role was small, it paved the way for the actor to sign on to three more films that same year.
In 2000, Weston appeared in the films Sally, Lucky Numbers, and Cherry Falls. And the young actor wasn't stopping his acting career there.
Michael Weston Has Made A Name For Himself In TV
After his time with the Coyote Ugly cast, Michael Weston moved on to appear in some big-name television series. The actor is now best-known for his role as Pvt. Dancer in Scrubs, Jake, the sadistic kidnapper in the HBO series Six Feet Under, and private detective Lucas Douglas in the critically acclaimed medical drama House.
Most recently, in 2020, Weston played the character of Ross in the Aaron Paul-led drama, Adam, as well as Frank Briggs Jr. in the first season of the Apple TV+ series Home Before Dark.
Del Pentecost Was The Minor Character Lou
Actor Del Pentecost's film credits begin in 2000, with the movies Coyote Ugly and O Brother, Where Art Thou? In the former film, the actor plays the minor character of Lou, someone who you might miss if you don't know to look for him on the screen.
Even so, Pentecost's minor role in the film wasn't the end of the road for the aspiring actor. After the film wrapped up, Pentecost went on to appear in more than one film.
Del Pentecost Spends Most Of His Time Off-Broadway
Actor Del Pentecost is one of those actors that keeps out of the spotlight, taking on small roles here and there. His last film credit on IMDb is from the 2010 television series Gravity, a dark comedy about an outpatient group; he plays the role of Matt in two episodes.
On-screen acting aside, it turns out Pentecost spends most of his time on off-Broadway performances, his most recent being Almost an Evening, one of Ethan Coen's one-act plays.
Ken Hudson Campbell Was A Biker
After playing various roles throughout the 90s, including the man in the Santa Claus suit in Home Alone and oil driller Max Lennert in Armaggedon, Ken Hudson Campbell landed a very small role in the 2000 film Coyote Ugly, a biker.
And while his character is a "blink and you'll miss it" type ordeal, he's still a proud owner of an IMDb credit that says he was part of the film's cast. The minor role didn't deter him from pursuing other actor jobs, though.
Ken Hudson Campbell Got Into Voice Acting
After his time on set with the Coyote Ugly cast, Ken Hudson Campbell did a variety of jobs. In 2002, he voiced the character of Baby Bob in the animated series Baby Bob. Campbell was even the face of Quiznos sub sandwiches commercials for some time, beginning in 2005.
Most recently, though, in 2019, Campbell voiced the character of Boomer in the animated film Wonder Park, a bear that lives in a magical amusement park. In the movie, he stars alongside big names in the industry, including Mila Kunis, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick, and more.
The Iconic Bar Has To Be Redesigned For An Actress
The iconic bar in which a lot of scenes from Coyote Ugly are shot had to be redesigned for one of the led actresses. Before turning her sights on an acting career, Bridget Moynahan was a model. Once she landed the role of bartender Rachel, set designers soon realized she was too tall to dance on top of the bar!
During an interview with The Ringer, Moynahan said, "[W]hen we had the first rehearsal they didn't make the ceiling high enough for me and Tyra [Banks] to be able to stand on the bar. We had to sit that one out."
Izabella Miko Has A Connection To Another Cult Movie
Released in 2000, Coyote Ugly has since gained a cult following. Ironically, one of the movie's main actresses Izabella Miko, who played Cammie, has a connection to another cult film favorite. Interestingly, it just so happened to be another 2000 dance movie, Center Stage.
Before she decided to pursue acting, Miko was a ballet dancer at the National Ballet School in Warsaw, as well as the American School of Ballet. The latter is what served as the inspiration behind the American Ballet Academy in the film Center Stage.
