M. Night Shyamalan’s sci-fi horror thriller “Signs” is one of the finest and most unique alien invasion movies ever made. It also boasts arguably the greatest jump-scare scene in movie history.
Exploring themes of faith, kinship, and extra-terrestrials, it follows a widowed former Episcopal priest who discovers a series of strange crop circles in the cornfields surrounding his farmhouse home. Much to his shock, he discovers that the elaborate patterns are the doing of extra-terrestrial lifeforms — and that the world is full of hidden messages.
It stars Mel Gibson as Graham Hess, the former priest, with Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin starring alongside him as his nearest and dearest. A talented supporting cast also feature.
“Signs” holds a relatively decent 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but that seems very low, given what a great film it is. At the worldwide box office, it grossed just over $408 million from a production budget of just less than $71 million (per The Numbers).
Released in the United States on August 2, 2002, “Signs” will turn 24 this year. After all that time, wouldn’t it be cool to see how the core cast are looking now compared to back then? Let’s do that immediately…
Mel Gibson (Graham Hess)
GettyActor and Academy Award-winning director Mel Gibson played Graham Hess in “Signs.” Graham is a farmer and former Episcopal priest whose wife passed away six months before the events of the movie. He lives with his brother and two children. His life changes when strange crop circles begin appearing in the cornfields around his home.
Age when “Signs” released: 46.
Selected movie credits before “Signs”: Mad Max (1979), Lethal Weapon (1987), Braveheart (1995).
GettyAge now: 70.
Selected movie credits after “Signs”: The Expendables 3 (2014), Daddy’s Home 2 (2017), Fatman (2020).
Filmography info per IMDb.
Joaquin Phoenix (Merrill Hess)
GettyAcademy Award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix played Merrill Hess in “Signs.” Merrill is Graham’s younger brother and uncle to his children. He’s a is a failed former minor league baseball player with a “swing-for-the-fences” reputation. He provides physical strength, which his brother often lacks, during the alien invasion.
Age when “Signs” released: 27.
Selected movie credits before “Signs”: SpaceCamp (1986), Gladiator (2000), Quills (2000).
GettyAge now: 51.
Selected movie credits after “Signs”: Walk the Line (2005), The Master (2012), Joker (2019).
Filmography info per IMDb.
Rory Culkin (Morgan Hess)
GettyThe youngest Culkin brother, Rory Culkin, played Morgan Hess in “Signs.” Morgan is Graham’s asthma sufferer son. He’s also Merrill’s nephew and Bo’s older brother. His vulnerability adds to the movie’s tension.
Age when “Signs” released: 13.
Selected movie credits before “Signs”: The Good Son (1993), Richie Rich (1994), You Can Count on Me (2000).
GettyAge now: 36.
Selected movie credits after “Signs”: Scream 4 (2011), Columbus (2017), Lords of Chaos (2018).
Filmography info per IMDb.
Abigail Breslin (Bo Hess)
GettyAcademy Award-nominated actress Abigail Breslin played Bo Hess in “Signs.” Bo is Graham’s daughter, Merrill’s niece, and Morgan’s younger sister. She’s an eccentric child who obsessively leaves half-full glasses of water around the house due to a bizarre fear of contamination. Her obsession becomes a key factor in the movie’s outcome.
Age when “Signs” released: 6.
Selected movie credits before “Signs”: N/A.
Above is a 2026 social media post by Abigail Breslin with a recent picture of her.
Age now: 29.
Selected movie credits after “Signs”: Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Zombieland (2009), Final Girl (2015).
Filmography info per IMDb.
Cherry Jones (Caroline Paski)
GettyStage and screen actress Cherry Jones played Caroline Paski in “Signs.” Caroline is a police officer and a friend of the Hess family. She assists Graham following his initial reports about the crop circles and checks in on the family as the growing global panic ensues.
Age when “Signs” released: 45.
Selected movie credits before “Signs”: The Horse Whisperer (1998), Erin Brockovich (2000), The Perfect Storm (2000).
GettyAge now: 69.
Selected movie credits after “Signs”: Ocean’s Twelve (2004), A Rainy Day in New York (2019), The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021).
Filmography info per IMDb.
M. Night Shyamalan (Ray Reddy)
GettyThe movie’s Academy Award-nominated director, producer, and writer, M. Night Shyamalan, played Ray Reddy in “Signs.” Ray is the local veterinarian who feels deep remorse after accidentally causing the death of Graham’s wife, Colleen. He only has a small role, but it’s a pivotal one, as he provides Graham with crucial information and closure.
Age when “Signs” released: 33.
Selected movie credits before “Signs”: Praying with Anger (1992), The Sixth Sense (1999), Unbreakable (2000).
Above is a 2026 social media post by M. Night Shyamalan with a recent picture of him (on the left).
Age now: 55.
Selected movie credits after “Signs”: The Village (2004), Knock at the Cabin (2023), Trap (2024).
Filmography info per IMDb.
Patricia Kalember (Colleen Hess)
GettyTelevision and movie actress Patricia Kalember played Colleen Hess in “Signs.” Colleen is Graham’s late wife who died when Ray Reddy accidentally hit her with his car. She appears in flashbacks and provides a key dying message that heavily influences the movie’s finale.
Age when “Signs” released: 45.
Selected movie credits before “Signs”: Fletch Lives (1989), Jacob’s Ladder (1990), A Far Off Place (1993).
Above is a 2026 social media post by Patricia Kalember with five recent pictures of her (she’s on the left in the first image).
Age now: 69.
Selected movie credits after “Signs”: The Company Men (2010), Limitless (2011), Run All Night (2015).
Filmography info per IMDb.
It’s wonderful to see the core cast of “Signs” are all doing well and still doing their thing in Hollywood. They all gave fantastic performances in a movie that’s tragically underrated. That it wasn’t considered for a single Academy Award remains among the most shocking Oscar snubs.
