getty Who could forget the moment that twist hit inThe Sixth Sense? Premiering in theaters on Aug. 6, 1999,Bruce Willisled the star-studded cast as child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe oppositeHaley Joel Osmentas his patient Cole Sear, a boy who could "see dead people." The psychological thriller also introduced the world to the twisty talents of writer-directorM. Night Shyamalan, one of Hollywood's most distinctive filmmakers. In honor of the film's milestone 25th anniversary in 2024, Shyamalan asked PEOPLE, "Is that right? 25? ... When I think about that,it's wild." Since becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 1999 (perBox Office Mojo) and earning six Oscar nominations — including Best Picture and Best Director — the cast went on to have successful careers on both the big and small screen. Mischa Barton, then a child actor, played the sickly Kyra Collins, and later starred in other popular suspense and horror flicks.Toni Collette, who earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance as Cole's mother Lynn, went on to star in films including 2011'sFright Nightand 2018'sHereditary.Donnie Wahlberg, formerboy band member-turned-actor, andOlivia Williamsround out the cast. Still a frequently referenced cultural touchstone 26 years after its release, here's what the cast ofThe Sixth Senseis up to now. Moviestore/Shutterstock; Jeff Spicer/Getty Bruce had already solidified his superstar status when it came time to portray the troubled Malcolm Crowe inThe Sixth Sense. After finding small-screen success oppositeCybill Shepherdon the romantic dramedy seriesMoonlightingin the mid-'80s, he became one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars. The prolific actor starred in hit action and comedy movies, including theDie Hardfranchise,The Last Boy Scout(1991),Death Becomes Her(1992),Pulp Fiction(1994),The Jackal(1997) andArmageddon(1998). FollowingThe Sixth Sense— which remains the highest-grossing film of his career, according toBox Office Mojo— Bruce reunited with Shyamalan on the 2000 sci-fi thrillerUnbreakableand its 2019 sequelGlass. He also had roles inThe Whole Nine Yards(2000),Tears of the Sun(2003),Sin City(2005),Perfect Stranger(2007),Red(2010),Moonrise Kingdom(2012) andThe Expendablesfilm series. In 2022, Bruce's family revealed he had beendiagnosed with aphasiaand would be "stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him." However, his wife,Emma Heming Willis, shared on Instagram in 2023 that Bruce'scondition had progressed, and his specific diagnosis isfrontotemporal dementia(known as FTD). The family regularlyposts updates on Bruce's healthand heartwarming photos on social media. Bruce has beenmarried to Emma since 2009, and the two share daughtersMabelandEvelyn. TheEmmy Award-winning star is also thefather of adult daughtersRumer,ScoutandTallulah, whom heshares with ex-wifeand actressDemi Moore. In 2023, Brucebecame a grandfatherwhen Rumerwelcomed daughter Louetta. Buena Vista Pictures; Unique Nicole/Getty After his breakout role as Forrest Junior in the 1994 classicForrest Gump, Haley Joel took on what became one of the most iconic child actor roles as the ghost-seeing Cole Sear. At 11, he was the second-youngest star to receive an Oscar nominationfor Best Supporting Actor for his performance inThe Sixth Sense. "I heard from [Bruce] a lot after it came out in those subsequent years," he toldEntertainment Weeklyin 2024 on keeping in touch with his former costar."He'd leave voicemails at the house from time to time, just checking in." Following a string of voice-acting roles, Haley Joel starred inSteven Spielberg's acclaimed 2001 sci-fi adventureA.I. Artificial Intelligence. Hestepped away from the limelightwhen he turned 18, moving to New York tostudy experimental theaterat NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. "A film likeThe Sixth Senseburns an image of who you are into people's minds. In the midst of that, it can be difficult to know who you are or who you are becoming," Haley JoeltoldThe New Yorkerin 2014. "College seemed like a manageable next step, a place where I could figure that stuff out." Upon graduating in 2011, Haley Joel returned to the screen. In addition to TV shows, he also appeared in the filmsTusk(2014),Sex Ed(2014),Entourage(2015),Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile(2019) andSomebody I Used to Know(2023). In 2024, Haley Joel joined the cast ofZoë Kravitz'sBlink TwicealongsideChanning TatumandNaomie Ackie. Along with his guest appearance on season 2 of Peacock'sPoker Face, he has a supporting role in the 2025 sequelHappy Gilmore 2. Haley Joel was among the celebritiesaffected by the Los Angeles wildfiresin early 2025. He is the brother ofEmily Osment. Theactor siblings began their careers in Hollywoodat a young age and later worked together on the Netflix seriesThe Kominsky Method. Alamy; Daniele Venturelli/Getty When Collette landed the role of Haley Joel's on-screen mom, Lynn Sear, she already had various film and stage roles on her résumé, including her Golden Globe-nominated breakthrough in the 1994 Australian comedyMuriel's Wedding. Following her Oscar-nominated performance inThe Sixth Sense, Collette starred in revered movies such asAbout a Boy(2002),The Hours(2002) andLittle Miss Sunshine(2006).She also originated a role in the Broadway production ofThe Wild Partyin 2000, which earned her aTony Awardnomination. In 2009, she began her Emmy-winning tenure as the titular character on the Showtime dramaUnited States of Tarabefore returning to Broadway in 2014 inThe Realistic Joneses.Collette then joined the casts of the showsUnbelievable,Pieces of Her,The Staircase,The Powerand as the voice of theMadam Rampodcast series. In 2024, she starred inClint Eastwood'sJuror #2— where shereunited with formerAbout a BoycostarNicholas Hoult— before appearing in the 2025 sci-fi comedyMickey 17. Colletteshares two children, daughterSage Florenceand son Arlo Robert, with estranged husbandDave Galafassi. Buena Vista Pictures; Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Before appearing in the brief but critical role of Crowe's troubled patient Vincent Gray inThe Sixth Sense, Donnie was best known as a member ofNew Kids on the Block. After the boy band went their separate ways in 1994, Donnie followed the trail blazed by his brother,Mark Wahlberg, and pursued a career in acting. Even though Donnie had less than five minutes of screen time inThe Sixth Sense, he gave the part everything he had because it meant so much to him. He reportedly lost 43 lbs. to play the emaciated burglar, making him unrecognizable. "This was a game-changer for me. Every day for years, people would say, 'Dude, I didn't knowthatwas you,' " he toldUSA Todayin 2019. "At that time, I did exactly what I needed to do for the role. I had to look like I was going through hell. I went to a really dark place." FollowingThe Sixth Sense,Donnie appeared on the showsBand of BrothersandBoomtown.In 2010, he began playing Danny Reagan on the CBS crime proceduralBlue Bloodsand will continue to play the character on the sequel seriesBoston Blue. Musically, Donnie and the rest of the NKOTB members reunited in the studio for the 2008 comeback albumThe Block(reissued for its 15th anniversary in 2023) andonstage for reunion toursandmultiple legs of their 2025 Las Vegas residency. In 2014, Donnie and actressJenny McCarthytied the knotin the bride's native Illinois. Theceremony was documentedon the A&E reality showDonnie Loves Jenny. Donnie has two sons,Xavier and Elijah, whom he shares with ex-wife Kimberly Fey. Alamy; Frazer Harrison/Getty Williams landed the role of Malcom Crowe's devoted wife, Anna, inThe Sixth Sense. At the time, most audiences knew her for her work onstage and on-screen, including her breakout performance in the 1996 film adaptationEmmaand a guest spot onFriends. AfterThe Sixth Sense, the British actress appeared in 2009'sAn Educationand 2020'sThe Fatheras well as on shows likeDollhouse,Manhattan,The HalcyonandCounterpart. Williams latertransformed into the futureQueen Camillaon seasons 5 and 6 of Netflix'sThe Crown,and in 2024, she was cast as a founder of the Bene Gesserit on HBO's prequel seriesDune: Prophecy. She is set to appear on season 3 ofRyan Murphy'sMonstertrue-crime anthology seriesas Alma Reville,Alfred Hitchcock's wife. In 2018, Williams was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after beingmisdiagnosed for four years. "If someone had f------ well diagnosed me in the four years I'd been saying I was ill, when they told me I was menopausal or had irritable bowel syndrome or [was] crazy — I used that word advisedly because one doctor referred me for a psychiatric assessment — then one operation possibly could have cleared the whole thing, and I could describe myself as cancer-free, which I cannot now ever be," shetoldThe Timesin 2025. Williams has two daughters, Roxana and Esme, with her husband, actor Rhashan Stone,perThe Guardian. Buena Vista Pictures; Paul Archuleta/Getty Afterappearing on the soap operaAll My Childrenin 1995 and in the 1999 rom-comNotting Hill, Barton was cast as Kyra, a girl ghost whom Cole helps inThe Sixth Sense. Her performance marks one of the film's most frightening scenes, where she's depicted under a bed vomiting (BartontoldVarietyin 2019 that she got a choice between cereal and bananas for the mixture). "I've always been fascinated by gothic and dark things," she said. Barton then found success in 2003, playing the iconic teen and troubled girl next door, Marissa Cooper, onThe O.C.Barton departed the series after her character's tragic death on season 3. FollowingThe O.C., shecompeted onDancing with the Starsin 2016 and joined the cast ofThe Hills: New Beginningsin 2019. Barton also appeared inThe Toybox(2018),Papa(2018) andInvitation to a Murder(2023). Since 2023, she's had a recurring role on the Australian soap opera revivalNeighbours. "I really like this character of Reece Sinclair," Barton told PEOPLE at the time. "At this point, I think it really comes down to if it's a character that I feel I relate to and can play, something that I want to do." She added, "There's nothing worse than being put into something where you show up to work every day and it's a grind for you to play that character." Moviestore/Shutterstock; John Nacion/Getty Shyamalan has a cameo inThe Sixth Senseas Dr. Hill, a physician who treats Cole after a frightening encounter with a ghost. After his directorial debut with 1998'sWide Awake,The Sixth Sensewas Shyamalan's breakthrough film, earning him Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Shyamalan has remained close to the film's star Bruce throughout the years. When Bruce's aphasia diagnosis was revealed in 2022, Shyamalan posted a message of supporton X. "All my love and respect to my big brother Bruce Willis," he shared. "I know his wonderful family is surrounding him with support and strength.He will always be that heroon that poster on my wall as [a] kid." Shyamalan followed upThe Sixth SensewithUnbreakableand the 2002 box office hitSigns. He has since directed over 15 films, includingOld(2021),Knock at the Cabin(2023) andTrap(2024). He has also directed several episodes across four seasons of the Apple TV+ thrillerServant. His daughter, Ishana, hasfollowed in her father's filmmaking footsteps, making her directorial debut with 2024'sThe Watchersand writing and directing episodes of the Emmy-nominatedServant. In addition to Ishana, Shyamalanhas two other daughters— Shivani and Saleka, a musician whostars in her father's filmTrap— with wifeBhavna Vaswani. Read the original article onPeople
