Awakenings - actors, characters and roles
All actors and their roles in the film "Awakenings"
Awakenings (1990)
Timing:
2:0 (120 min)
7.774/10
2833
2833
0/10
129
129
0/10
0
0
Actors and characters
Ruth Nelson
Character Mrs. Lowe
Alice Drummond
Character Lucy Fishman
Laura Esterman
Character Lolly
Barton Heyman
Character Bert
Mary Alice
Character Nurse Margaret
Mary Catherine Wright
Character Nurse Beth
Jayne Haynes
Character Frances
Yusef Bulos
Character Joseph
Steven Randazzo
Character Luis
Gloria Harper
Character Dottie
Gwyllum Evans
Character Desmond
Steve Vinovich
Character Ray
Tiger Haynes
Character Janitor
Harvey Miller
Character Hospital Director
Tanya Berezin
Character Psychiatrist
Shane Fistell
Character Man in Hall
Waheedah Ahmad
Character Hysterical Woman
Charles Keating
Character Mr. Kean
Christina Huertes
Character Christina
Linda Burns
Character Fishsticks
Judy Jacksina
Character Hospital Receptionist
Gary Tacon
Character George
Rico Elias
Character Orderly #1
Mel Gorham
Character Nurse Sara
Chris Carolan
Character EEG Technician
Debra Kovner-Zaks
Character Cafeteria Nurse
Bret McCormick
Character Head Ward Orderly
Gordon Joseph Weiss
Character Ward #5 Patient
Byron Utley
Character Ward #5 Patient #2
Anthony McGowen
Character Ward #5 Patient #3
Paul Montgomery
Character Ward #5 Patient #4
Leonard Tepper
Character Ward #5 Patient #5
Howard Feller
Character Ward #5 Patient #7
Tomislav Novakovic
Character Bartender
Adam Bryant
Character Librarian
Anthony J. Nici
Character Young Leonard
Oliver Block
Character Leonard's Friend #1
Buck Smith
Character Leonard's Friend #2
Joan E. MacIntosh
Character Teacher
Harry L. Seddon
Character Medical Student
What's left behind the scenes
- The film is based on Oliver Sacks' memoir "Awakenings" (1973).
- The film is based on real events that occurred in 1969–1970 with the neurologist Oliver Sacks, who later wrote a memoir about them. Harold Pinter also wrote a play, “A Kind of Alaska,” based on this book. The epidemic of Economo's lethargic encephalitis, causing catatonia, did indeed occur in 1917–1928; the drug “L-Dopa” is also real.
- Oliver Sacks served as a consultant during the making of the film.
- De Niro and Williams observed Dr. Sacks and real patients in the hospital for a long time before beginning to create their characters.
- During the filming of a scene where security guards try to prevent De Niro's character from leaving the hospital, Robin Williams, awkwardly swinging his elbow, broke Robert De Niro's nose. According to De Niro, his nose was already broken, and the blow, strangely enough, straightened it.
- In one of the film's scenes, Lillian T., a truly sick patient with lethargic encephalitis and the only one of Dr. Sacks' patients still alive at the time, appears.
- Vin Diesel can be seen among the hospital staff; the film was his first appearance on the big screen, but he is not credited in the film.
- Director Penny Marshall considered Bill Murray for the role of Leonard Lowe, but ultimately abandoned the idea, believing that audiences would expect a comedy with Murray, not a drama.
- Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams) prescribes the drug levodopa (L-DOPA) to patients. Robin Williams himself used the same medication to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease shortly before his death in August 2014.
- When Lucy stops while walking to the fountain, it's visible that she is standing on a green square and stripe on the floor. When Malcolm calls out to her, "Lucy, come here," Lucy stands in front of the green stripe on the floor, on the green and light square. Afterwards, the doctor calls to the elderly woman again, and she is standing on the green square and stripe, as before.
- At the beginning of the film, when the nurse states her willingness to help, Malcolm (the doctor) lowers the window of his car to about shoulder height. With changes in shots, it is noticeable that the window position changes – when filmed from inside the car, the window is rolled down completely, and when filmed from the nurse's side – it is lower than it initially was.
- The film is based on Oliver Sacks' memoir, "Awakenings" (1973).
- When Lucy stops walking towards the fountain, it's visible that she's standing on a green square and stripe on the floor. When Malcolm calls out to her, "Lucy, come on" – Lucy is standing in front of the green stripe on the floor, on the green and light square. Afterwards, the doctor calls to the old woman again, and she is standing on the green square and stripe, as before.
- Filming took place from October 16, 1989, to February 16, 1990.
Did you like the film?
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
