The Ultimate Roll Call: Where Are The 10 Key Cast Members Of Saving Private Ryan Now In 2025?

Twenty-seven years after its monumental release, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan remains the definitive cinematic depiction of the D-Day landings and the sheer brutality of World War II. Its impact is immeasurable, not just for its unflinching realism, but for launching a generation of A-list talent and cementing the legacy of its star, Tom Hanks. The film’s core squad, tasked with finding Private James Francis Ryan, became an ensemble of some of the most recognizable faces in modern cinema.

As of late 2024 and early 2025, the careers of these iconic actors continue to evolve, with new projects, directorial efforts, and, sadly, the recent passing of one of the squad’s most beloved members. This is the definitive, up-to-date roll call on the men who brought the harrowing journey of the U.S. Army Rangers’ mission to life, detailing their latest and upcoming work.

The U.S. Army Rangers: A Complete Cast & Character Roll Call

The success of Saving Private Ryan rests on the shoulders of its incredible ensemble cast, who underwent an intense, realistic military training regimen to bond and bring authenticity to their performances. Here is a look at the main actors, their roles, and a brief biography.

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• Tom Hanks (Captain John H. Miller): The leader of the eight-man squad, a former English teacher whose hands shake under the immense pressure of command. Hanks is one of the most celebrated actors of all time, a two-time Academy Award winner.
• Matt Damon (Private James Francis Ryan): The titular paratrooper from Iowa, the youngest and only surviving son of four brothers, whom the squad is tasked to retrieve. Damon is an Academy Award-winning actor, producer, and screenwriter, known for the Bourne and Ocean’s franchises.
• Tom Sizemore (Technical Sergeant Michael Horvath): Captain Miller’s loyal, tough-as-nails right-hand man and second-in-command. Sizemore was a prolific actor known for his intense roles in films like Black Hawk Down and Heat.
• Edward Burns (Private First Class Richard Reiben): The cynical, outspoken private from the Bronx who frequently questions the mission's value. Burns is also an acclaimed independent filmmaker, writer, and director.
• Barry Pepper (Private Daniel Jackson): A devout Christian and a highly effective, deadly accurate sniper from Virginia. Pepper is a Canadian-American actor who often plays intense, dramatic roles.
• Adam Goldberg (Private Stanley Mellish): A Jewish American private from Philadelphia, known for his intense hand-to-hand combat scene. Goldberg is a versatile actor, director, and musician.
• Vin Diesel (Private Adrian Caparzo): The Italian-American private who is the first to die in the mission after attempting to save a French child. Diesel is now one of the highest-grossing action stars in the world, primarily known for the Fast & Furious franchise.
• Jeremy Davies (Corporal Timothy E. Upham): An inexperienced, timid topographical cartographer and translator attached to the squad, who has never seen combat. Davies is an Emmy Award-winning character actor known for his roles in Lost and Justified.

The Tragic Loss of Technical Sergeant Horvath: Tom Sizemore’s Legacy

One of the most significant and heartbreaking updates for fans of the film is the passing of actor Tom Sizemore, who played the dedicated and reliable Technical Sergeant Mike Horvath. Sizemore died on March 3, 2023, at the age of 61.

His death followed a hospitalization after suffering a brain aneurysm caused by a stroke in February 2023. Sizemore’s performance as Horvath—the rock of Captain Miller’s squad—is widely regarded as one of the best of his career, showcasing his talent for playing intense, loyal, and complex military figures. His legacy is permanently cemented in the memory of cinema fans through his powerful work in this film and others like Black Hawk Down and Heat.

The Main Squad: Latest Projects and Career Trajectories (2024-2025)

The core cast members of Saving Private Ryan have all gone on to establish massive careers, and their work in the mid-2020s shows no sign of slowing down. Their dedication to the craft, arguably honed by the intense pre-production boot camp, continues to pay off in diverse and high-profile projects.

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Tom Hanks (Captain John H. Miller) and Matt Damon (Private James Ryan)

The two biggest stars of the film remain at the peak of their careers. Tom Hanks, the squad’s moral compass, is set to star in the highly anticipated 2024 film Here, directed by Robert Zemeckis, with whom he previously collaborated on classics like Forrest Gump. This film is based on a graphic novel and explores a single location over many years. Hanks is also attached to major projects in development, including the rumored sequel Greyhound 2 and an adaptation of the sci-fi novel Major Matt Mason.

Matt Damon, the focus of the perilous mission, continues his run of critically acclaimed work. In 2024, he starred in the heist comedy The Instigators, directed by Doug Liman, and the Irish drama Small Things Like These. Looking ahead to 2025, there is significant buzz around his potential return to the action genre with *Jason Bourne 6*, and a possible new collaboration with director Christopher Nolan, expected to begin filming in early 2025.

The Supporting Heroes: Edward Burns, Vin Diesel, and Barry Pepper

The actors who played the rest of the Ranger squad have carved out distinct and successful paths:

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• Edward Burns (Private Reiben): Burns has successfully balanced acting with his passion for independent filmmaking. His latest effort is the 2024 film Millers in Marriage, which he wrote, directed, and starred in, continuing his tradition of character-driven, micro-budget dramas. Furthermore, Burns expanded his creative portfolio in 2024 by publishing his debut novel, A Kid From Marlboro Road.
• Vin Diesel (Private Caparzo): Diesel’s career skyrocketed into the stratosphere of global action franchises. While his character met a quick end in the film, Diesel has become synonymous with the Fast & Furious universe. His next major outing is the expected 2025 release of Fast X: Part 2 (also known as The Furious), which he has hinted will serve as the franchise's grand finale. He has also made headlines by confirming that soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will appear in the final installment.
• Barry Pepper (Private Jackson): The intense, Bible-quoting sniper continues to take on strong dramatic roles. In 2024, Pepper starred in the crime thriller Bring Him to Me. His career is marked by memorable performances in films like The Green Mile and True Grit.
• Jeremy Davies (Corporal Upham): Known for his unique, often nervous energy, Davies has found great success in television. He is an Emmy winner for his work on Justified and has had prominent roles in shows like Lost and Sleepy Hollow. He continues to be an active character actor in both film and TV, with recent work including the horror film The Black Phone.

The Brutal Boot Camp: Spielberg's Secret to Topical Authority

To achieve the unparalleled authenticity and raw, emotional bond seen on screen, director Steven Spielberg insisted the main cast undergo a grueling, 10-day military boot camp run by former Marine Captain Dale Dye. This intense training was designed to break them down and forge a genuine camaraderie, a key element of the film's topical authority.

The most fascinating production secret, however, relates directly to the mission's objective: Matt Damon was deliberately excluded from the boot camp. Spielberg's rationale was brilliant: by having the rest of the squad—Hanks, Sizemore, Burns, Pepper, Goldberg, and Diesel—suffer through the mud, cold, and exhaustion while Damon was absent, it would create an authentic, albeit manufactured, sense of resentment and isolation toward the character they were risking their lives to save. This creative choice successfully translated into the on-screen tension, where the squad questions why one man is worth the lives of eight. This extreme preparation is a testament to Spielberg’s commitment to realism in his World War II epic.

From the tragic loss of a key member to the continued blockbuster and independent success of its stars, the cast of Saving Private Ryan remains one of the most iconic ensembles in cinema history. Their legacy is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made during the war and the enduring power of a truly great film.