The I Know What You Did Last Summer cast features Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ryan Phillippe. This info article contains spoilers and character details for the 1997 slasher movie. Take a look at Vague Visages’ Know the Cast section for more streaming guides.

I Know What You Did Last Summer follows a group of North Carolina teenagers who accidentally strike a man with their vehicle, and then dump his body in the Atlantic Ocean. One year later, the Southport natives receive threats from an unidentified person and attempt to unlock the mystery of their victim, David Egan. Based on Lois Duncan’s 1973 novel, the late 90s thriller was directed by Jim Gillespie (Eye See You) and written by Kevin Williamson (Scream). Here’s every main performer and character in I Know What You Did Last Summer, the inspiration for the 2021 Amazon series of the same name.

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Father of the Bride’

I Know What You Did Last Summer Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James

Character Profile: The most practical member of the main protagonists. She breaks up with her boyfriend Ray after the opening tragedy, and later functions as the unofficial leader of the group. Julie survives a climactic attack and becomes the main protagonist in the 1998 sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

Hewitt’s Resume: Sarah Reeves in Party of Five (1995-1999), Amanda Beckett in Can’t Hardly Wait (1998), Melinda Gordon in Ghost Whisperer (2005-10), Riley Parks in The Client List (2012-13), Maddie Kendall in 9-1-1 (2018-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘God’s Favorite Idiot’

I Know What You Did Last Summer Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers

Character Profile: A North Carolina beauty queen. She hopes to become an actress in New York City and dates the unpredictable Barry Cox. Helen works in her family’s store and gets killed there one year after winning the Fourth of July Croaker Beauty Pageant.

Gellar’s Resume: Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996-2003), Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions (1999), Daphne in Scooby-Doo (2004), Bridget Kelly / Siobhan Martin in Ringer (2011-12), Teela in Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Surviving Summer’

I Know What You Did Last Summer Cast: Ryan Phillippe as Barry Cox

Character Profile: Helen’s fiery boyfriend. He makes irrational decisions and believes that a classmate named Max witnessed the manslaughter cover-up from the previous summer. Barry gets killed by the main villain at the Fourth of July Croaker Beauty Pageant.

Phillipe’s Resume: Sebastian Valmont in Cruel Intentions (1999), Officer Hanson in Crash (2004), Piper in MacGruber (2010), Bob Lee Swagger in Shooter (2016-18), Cody Hoyt in Big Sky (2020-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘First Kill’

I Know What You Did Last Summer Cast: Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson

Character Profile: Julie’s fisherman boyfriend. He investigates the David Egan mystery and ultimately survives. Ray reunites with Julie in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. The actor Prinze Jr. is the son of the late stand-up comedian Freddie Prinze (Chico and the Man), who passed away in 1977 at age 22.

Prinze’s Resume: Zack Siler in She’s All That (1999), Fred in Scooby-Doo (2002), Cole Ortiz in 24 (2010), Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels (2014-18), Travis in Punky Brewster (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Intimacy’

I Know What You Did Last Summer Cast: Bridgette Wilson as Elsa Shivers

Character Profile: Helen’s sister. She works at the family store in North Carolina. Elsa is killed by the main villain shortly before her sibling’s demise.

Wilson’s Resume: Lisa Fenimore in Santa Barbara (1992-93), Whitney/Meredith in Last Action Hero (1993), Veronica Vaughn in Billy Madison (1995), Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat (1995), Melissa Marr in House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Ms. Marvel’

I Know What You Did Last Summer Cast: Anne Heche as Melissa Egan

Character Profile: David Egan’s sister. She’s a 1988 graduate of Southport High who believes that her brother committed suicide. Melissa helps the protagonists learn the true identity of the primary villain.

Heche’s Resume: Maggie in Donnie Brasco (1997), Robin Monroe in Six Days Seven Nights (1998), Marin Frist in Men in Trees (2006-08), Jessica Haxon in Hung (2009-11), Katherine Brennan in Chicago P.D. (2018-19)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Hustle’

I Know What You Did Last Summer Cast: Johnny Galecki as Max Neurick

Character Profile: An acquaintance of the main protagonists. He pursues a romance with Julie and clashes with Ray. Max gets killed by the villain at the Southport docks.

Galecki’s Resume: Rusty in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), David Healy in Roseanne (1992-2018), Peter Brown in Vanilla Sky (2001), Leonard Hofstadter in The Big Bang Theory (2006-19), Henry in A Dog’s Journey (2019)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Interceptor’

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The I Know What You Did Last Summer cast also includes Muse Watson (Prison Break, NCIS), Stuart Greer (The Gift, American Ultra), J. Don Ferguson (Maximum Overdrive, Remember the Titans), Deborah Hobarr (The Notebook, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood), Mary McMillan (True Colors, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles) and Rasool J’han (Cold Mountain, The Bay).

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.