The Coyote Ugly Cast Is All Still Crazy Gorgeous Now
Remember back in 2000, when the movie Coyote Ugly was first released? At the time, the majority of the cast members were not exactly famous. A few notable exceptions played characters in the film, but several of them were far from household names decades ago. In fact, Variety noted that the film wasn't predicted to do well, but it became surprisingly successful. Its budget was set at about $45 million, and it ended up pulling in $60 million domestically, making it a success in terms of cost.
Though many didn't see the appeal of Coyote Ugly at first, millions came to love the film. Reruns of the movie can often be found on television. And those of us hoping for a sequel, take heart! Tyra Banks has hinted at a possible follow-up to the original movie. However, a lot has changed since Coyote Ugly was released, including its cast members. Let's catch up with the stars of the movie who are all still gorgeous all these years later.
Coyote Ugly star Piper Perabo is an outspoken activist in her spare time
Piper Perabo played Violet Sanford in the movie and was the star of Coyote Ugly. Perabo played the role well, showing off the fictional journey of an innocent small-town girl who becomes a rowdy bartender and, eventually, successful songwriter. Perabo largely just performed in her school's musical productions prior to Coyote Ugly, according to TV Guide. Since then, she has gone on to act in films and TV shows like Cheaper by the Dozen, The Prestige, Covert Affairs, and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, and has even acted in the Broadway production of Reasons to Be Pretty (via Playbill).
In addition to Perabo's acting career, she also speaks up for causes she believes in. In her interview with Politico, she said, in regards to hearing Donald Trump's infamous Access Hollywood tape, "I felt like I must be so naïve, I must be living in a country that I don't understand." She explained that she also felt "alone and confused," which helped spur her into action. Notably, she interrupted the Senate's hearing regarding Brett Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court in protest. Perabo seems to be doing well for herself both professionally and in her activism.
Coyote Ugly's Adam Garcia is a tap dancing star
Piper Perabo's character, Violet, developed a relationship with Adam Garcia's Kevin O'Donnell, the Australian immigrant who encouraged Violet to pursue her ultimate dream of writing songs. Garcia himself is actually from Australia and dances in addition to acts, according to Entertainment Tonight. After filming Coyote Ugly, he went on to act in other movies like Riding in Cars With Boys, as well as Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Garcia's talent doesn't stop at the silver screen, though. ET reported that he acts in the theater which garnered him Laurence Olivier Award nominations in 1999 and 2013, for his work in Saturday Night Fever and Kiss Me, Kate. Off screen, Garcia, who notably starred in the West End production of Wicked, married his wife in 2015, and they have two children.
Interestingly enough, despite his apparent success with both movies and theater, acting isn't necessarily his only passion. Garcia shared a video on Instagram teaching others to tap dance during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Clearly, Garcia is a man of many talents!
John Goodman got a new look years after Coyote Ugly debuted
John Goodman played the role of Violet's overprotective father who did not want her to make the move to New York City. Goodman is one of the more well-known actors that made up the cast of Coyote Ugly, having starred in the popular TV series Roseanne prior to his role in the movie. He's enjoyed a rather extensive list of film credits in the years since Coyote Ugly. He played roles in The Hangover Part III, The Monuments Men, and Kong: Skull Island, and he stars in the TV series The Conners.
On a more personal note, Goodman lost a significant amount of weight in 2016. While he didn't reveal exactly how many pounds he shed, he did talk with Today about the weight loss in March of 2016. He even added in a little humor, saying, "Just wait another six months and I'll be back to normal." Goodman's appearance is perhaps one of the only major changes we can see from 2000 to today, since he's still going strong with his successful acting career. Kudos to Goodman on his health journey!
Coyote Ugly's Maria Bello is an author and activist
No one messed with the tough bar owner, Lil, played by actress Maria Bello. Her character infamously fired Violet when she broke a rule of the bar: no boyfriends allowed. In the end, though, the characters made up, and Bello's character issued an apology. Bello has an impressive list of film and TV appearances to her name, including her role as Special Agent Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane on the CBS series NCIS. Her bio on the CBS website noted that, in addition to her acting career, she wrote a book that was published in 2015. The book, Whatever... Love Is Love, is based on her writing for The New York Times from 2013, and discusses her experience with announcing that she is gay, as well as explores themes of family and sexuality.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, which include roles in TV shows Prime Suspect, Touch, and Goliath, Bello spends time working on behalf of social justice and women's rights, according to her CBS bio. It's fitting that she loves travel because her activism work has taken her on travels across the United States over the years. It seems that Bello and co-star Piper Perabo both share a passion for helping others!
Tyra Banks has focused on hosting gigs since Coyote Ugly
In Coyote Ugly, Tyra Banks plays a rather minor role as a bartender who leaves to pursue a college degree in law. But in real life, Banks continued to focus on her modeling and her TV career. According to her Biography profile, Banks appeared on the cover of GQ in 1996, making her the first African American female to do so. She won several awards as her super modeling career took off during this time period. As if these accomplishments weren't enough, Banks also pursued acting, starring in several films and ultimately became the host of the hit TV show America's Next Top Model, though there's been some controversy surrounding her actions on the show, according to CNN. She'd go on to host America's Got Talent, as well.
Banks later became the host of Dancing With the Stars, and she's had her share of embarrassing moments there as well. She discussed one of these moments with Us Weekly, referring to her many outfit changes on the show and one in particular that didn't go so smoothly. Banks said, "Then we forgot to put my fancy shoes on for the second [half of the show]. I had to run [and] put the fancy shoes on. It was a hot mess. And then I walk out and it's just, you have no idea. ... it's crazy!"
Despite this, Banks is still gorgeous and is rocking her roles in the public eye.
Bridget Moynahan wrote a book inspired by her shoes
Bridget Moynahan's Coyote Ugly character, Rachel, wasn't at all warm and fuzzy. She had an even tougher exterior than Bello's character, but underneath that shell she had some redeeming qualities. Moynahan's professional acting credits include her role in HBO's Sex and the City series from 1999 to 2000. These days, Moynahan, who also starred in movies like John Wick and I, Robot, plays Erin Reagan on the TV series Blue Bloods. Her personal life seems to be rather closely guarded, but, on her fourth wedding anniversary, she decided to share a gorgeous photo from her very private wedding, as reported by Country Living.
It turns out that Moynahan is an author as well, like her former co-star Maria Bello. According to People, Moynahan partnered with Amanda Benchley to create the book entitled Our Shoes, Our Selves: 40 Women, 40 Stories, 40 Pairs of Shoes. "Like a lot of women, I have too many pairs of shoes. But when I was cleaning my closet, I was torn about getting rid of them because so many connected to special memories: the custom Chuck Taylors I wore for my wedding, boots I took on a safari with my mom, Louboutin platforms from my [Sex and the City] days," she said in an interview with People.
LeAnn Rimes makes messes, just like us
In the film, Piper Perabo's character dreams of writing songs for famous singers to perform. That dream comes true at the end of the movie when real-life country music star LeAnn Rimes appears at the bar to celebrate Violet's success. Rimes made a name for herself at the young age of 13 with her first hit single, "Blue," according to Britannica. So, what really happened to LeAnn Rimes? With hit songs under her belt at such an early age, it seems that she has been expanding her talents as of late. Her website contains raw and real blog posts about, among other things, her experience with the creative process.
In April 2020, Rimes, who'd previously made headlines for a cheating scandal after shooting the Lifetime movie Northern Lights, shared with USA Today what her experience during the pandemic has been. Her routine is detailed out in the article and includes rather mundane things like making a mess in the kitchen while she's cooking. Rimes said, "Every time I cook, which has been breakfast, lunch and dinner right now, I make a mess, so our kitchen is always a mess. But I like to think I'm creative." It's nice to know we aren't the only ones endlessly cooking (and cleaning) during the pandemic.
Coyote Ugly star Izabella Miko makes candles now
In Coyote Ugly, Izabella Miko took on the role of bartender Cammie who doubled as the bar's "fashion coordinator." Miko's character in the film is Russian, but in reality Miko is actually Polish, according to her biography on her website. She spent her early years in Warsaw and later was accepted into the School of American Ballet, where she unfortunately sustained some serious injuries that led to her leaving the school. However, she found success as an actress, appearing in HBO's Deadwood, according to Wonderwall. Miko also made an appearance on Blue Bloods, a series in which her former Coyote Ugly cast member Bridget Moynahan is a regular.
Miko is pursuing other interests in addition to acting, according to her website. EkoMiko Candles is one of those interests, which is a company focused on eco-friendly candles. Miko also sells art that she's made herself, saying of it, "My hope is that my work will lift up your frequency and light — metaphorically and literally..." Is there anything this multi-talented star can't do?
Coyote Ugly's Melanie Lynskey plays nice
Melanie Lynskey played the quintessential best friend in the movie, supporting Piper Perabo's character as she pursued her dreams. According to Time, Lynskey is originally from New Zealand, and it was a bit of a shock for her to move from New Zealand to the United States around 1997. Lynskey was used to the niceties observed in New Zealand's society and experienced some culture shock during her move to Los Angeles, where those niceties weren't quite so commonplace. "People are rude everywhere, I guess," she told Time. Despite this fact, Lynskey seems to be doing quite well here in the United States.
In addition to Coyote Ugly, Lynsky later acted in the movie I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, which is, in part, about "the disintegration of common decency." Her role in the movie is a nursing assistant and overall the movie is described by Time as "part crime drama, part black comedy." It seems that Lynskey's acting is rather versatile, since this more role is much darker than her role as the best friend in Coyote Ugly.
Notably, Lynsky's also made a name for herself by starring as Rose in Two and a Half Men, Michelle in Togetherness, and Molly in Castle Rock.