Armageddon Cast: Where Are They Now?

Armageddon, the star-studded thriller about a brave group of men who save Earth from the potential destruction of a giant asteroid, premiered on June 30, 1998, grossing more than $550 million worldwide and cementing Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" in our minds forever. Decades later, catch up with the starry cast of the quintessential summer blockbuster.

01 of 10

Bruce Willis as Harry S. Stamper

Armageddon WATN — Moviestore/Shutterstock; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Then: PEOPLE's review called "a swaggering, got-to-love-him Bruce Willis" the best part of the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced and Michael Bay-directed film. The action star played Stamper, a pro deep sea oil driller called upon by NASA to save earth from a Texas-sized asteroid — who makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Now: The Emmy-winning father of five (to three adult daughters with ex Demi Moore and two young girls with wife Emma Hemming) and newly minted grandfather has the Die Hard franchise under his belt and released a slew of movies over his career. In March of 2022, his family announced he was stepping away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, which has affected his cognitive abilities. In 2023, wife Emma shared an update on a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, though the entire family continues to post photos of loving moments featuring the star.

02 of 10

Ben Affleck as A.J. Frost

Then: Just off his Good Will Hunting (1997) buzz, Affleck "demonstrates that he has the right stuff to play an action hero," read PEOPLE's review. As Frost, he flew under Stamper's wing — and was in love with his mentor's daughter.

Now: Justice League's Batman, and an Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning actor and director, he is divorced from Jennifer Garner, with whom he shares three children. Affleck has rekindled his early '00s-era romance with Jennifer Lopez; the two got married in August 2022.

03 of 10

Liv Tyler as Grace Stamper

Then: As Grace Stamper, she watched the men she loved (her boyfriend and her father) head to space — and broke hearts as she watched one choose to never return. Liv Tyler's real-life dad, Steven Tyler, also provided some of the movie's soundtrack with his band, Aerosmith.

Now: On-screen, she played paramedic Michelle Blake in 9-1-1: Lone Star's first season. Off-screen, she's a mom of three with her longtime partner, sports agent David Gardner.

04 of 10

Steve Buscemi as Rockhound

Then: One of Stamper's sidekicks, the esteemed actor provided some comic relief with his one-liners.

Now: What hasn't he done? Buscemi has had continued success in Hollywood, most notably on HBO's Boardwalk Empire, for which he won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe, and on TBS's Miracle Workers. He has one adult son with his late wife, Jo Andres.

05 of 10

Owen Wilson as Oscar

Then: Another member of Stamper's crew, his character met an untimely end in a crash related to the mission.

Now: The movie was actually one of Wilson's first big roles; he's since gone on to cement his places in the comedy world, the realm of director Wes Anderson and the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Disney+'s Loki, and is rumored to be bringing back his Wedding Crashers (2005) character for a sequel. He has three children.

06 of 10

William Fichtner as Col. Willie Sharp

Then: He played tough guy and bomb diffuser, Colonel Sharp.

Now: Another one who's been everywhere, he's found much success on TV series like As the World Turns, Prison Break and Mom. He has two children.

07 of 10

Billy Bob Thornton as Dan Truman

Then: His NASA executive Truman helped direct the mission, watching the drama unfold from the ground.

Now: Thorton has an eclectic collection of hit films to his name, an Emmy nomination for Fargo, an Oscar for writing Sling Blade (1996) and two Golden Globes. Married to Connie Angland, he has four children.

08 of 10

Will Patton as Chick

Then: Not only a member of Stamper's team, he was also his best friend.

Now: He moved right on to Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Remember the Titans (2000) and the Oscar-nominated film Minari (2019) — and scored TV roles on The Agency, Falling Skies and Yellowstone.

09 of 10

Michael Clarke Duncan as Bear

Then: Relatively new on the scene, Duncan played Bear, one of the surviving members of Stamper's crew at the end of the mission.

Now: After racking up endless credits — including in The Green Mile (1999), for which he earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination — Duncan died of complications of a heart attack on Sept. 3, 2012. He was 54 years old.

10 of 10

Aerosmith

'Armageddon' Premiere — Alex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock

Then: The band — here at the film's premiere, with frontman Steven Tyler's daughter, Liv — provided a portion of the film's soundtrack, including Diane Warren's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing," which earned Oscar and Grammy nominations and was the band's biggest hit.

Now: Together for more than 50 years, the band returned to their successful Las Vegas residency in September 2022 after Tyler continued treatment following a relapse.