You remember that orange-haired vampire and the spider, right? Back in 2009, Universal Pictures tried to make the Cirque du Freak cast the next big thing in the young adult fantasy craze. They had the books. They had the budget. They even had a bearded Salma Hayek.
But then the movie—officially titled Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant—sort of just... existed. It didn't launch a ten-movie franchise. It didn't become the next Twilight. Yet, looking back at the Cirque du Freak cast now, it's actually insane how many massive stars were packed into this weird, slightly gross circus world.
Some of these actors became household names. Others basically vanished from the Hollywood map.
The Weirdest Lead Choice: John C. Reilly as Larten Crepsley
Honestly, when you think of a centuries-old, brooding vampire, you probably don't think of the guy from Step Brothers. But John C. Reilly was the heart of this movie. He played Larten Crepsley, the orange-haired mentor who turns the main kid into a half-vampire.
Critics at the time were confused. Why was a comedic heavyweight playing a grim, scar-faced bloodsucker? Looking back, Reilly was arguably the best part of the whole thing. He brought a weird, weary dignity to the role that most YA movies lacked. While the movie flopped, Reilly's career obviously didn't. He went on to do Wreck-It Ralph and The Sisters Brothers, proving he can do literally anything, even if it involves wearing a velvet suit and taming a deadly spider.
The Kid Who Almost Was: Chris Massoglia
The actual lead was Chris Massoglia, playing Darren Shan. At the time, he was being positioned as the next heartthrob. He had the hair, the "normal kid" vibe, and a massive book series behind him.
It didn't quite stick.
After Cirque du Freak, Massoglia didn't follow the Robert Pattinson or Josh Hutcherson trajectory. He did a 3D horror flick called The Hole and appeared in The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, but he eventually stepped away from the massive blockbuster machine. He’s still acting occasionally—he was in The Farmer and the Belle a few years back—but he's definitely leaned more into his faith and family life in Minneapolis rather than the Hollywood grind.
Josh Hutcherson: Before the Hunger Games
Wait, Peeta was in this? Yeah, he was.
Josh Hutcherson played Steve Leonard (aka Steve Leopard), Darren’s best friend turned mortal enemy. This was the role that proved Hutcherson could play "angry and resentful" really well. He was the one who actually wanted to be a vampire, and when Crepsley rejected him because he had "bad blood," Steve went full villain.
Just two years after this movie failed to get a sequel, Hutcherson landed The Hunger Games. It’s funny to think that if Cirque du Freak had actually been a hit, he might have been too busy with vampire sequels to ever play Peeta Mellark.
The Supporting Cast is a "Who's Who" of 2020s Stars
If you rewatch the movie today, the "background" characters are the most shocking part.
- Salma Hayek: She played Madame Truska, the bearded lady. Yes, Salma Hayek with a full beard. It was a bold choice. She’s since said she loved the transformation, even if the movie didn't light up the box office.
- Willem Dafoe: He shows up as Gavner Purl, a vampire dignitary with a mustache that deserves its own IMDb credit. Dafoe is in the movie for maybe ten minutes total, mostly just to set up sequels that never happened.
- Ken Watanabe: The legendary actor played Mr. Tall, the owner of the Cirque. He brought way more gravitas to the role than the script probably deserved.
- Patrick Fugit: The kid from Almost Famous played Evra Von, the snake boy. He spent hours in a makeup chair for a role that was mostly physical.
Why the Cirque du Freak Cast Couldn't Save the Film
The problem wasn't the actors. It was the script trying to cram three books into 109 minutes.
Fans of the Darren Shan books were pretty ticked off. The books are dark. Like, really dark. People die, kids get mutilated, and the stakes feel heavy. The movie turned it into a sort of "vampire lite" action-comedy. By trying to appeal to everyone, it ended up appealing to almost no one.
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The Cirque du Freak cast did their best with what they had. Michael Cerveris was creepy as the villainous Mr. Tiny, and Ray Stevenson brought real menace to Murlaugh. But when the tone shifts from "serious horror" to "slapstick circus humor" every five minutes, even an Oscar-winning cast can't find their footing.
Where Are They Now?
For those looking to catch up with the crew:
- John C. Reilly is a literal legend. Catch him in Winning Time or his various indie projects.
- Josh Hutcherson just had a massive comeback with the Five Nights at Freddy's movie.
- Jessica Carlson (Rebecca, the monkey-tail girl) won a Young Artist Award for the film but mostly stepped away from acting to focus on her education and other interests.
- Ray Stevenson sadly passed away in 2023, leaving behind a huge legacy in projects like Rome, Ahsoka, and RRR.
If you're a fan of the books, the movie is a bit of a "what if" scenario. It’s a time capsule of that weird era between Harry Potter and The Hunger Games where every studio was desperate to find a "chosen one."
How to Revisit the Story Correctly
If you actually want to dive deep into the world the Cirque du Freak cast tried to bring to life, your best bet is to go back to the source material. The 12-book Saga of Darren Shan is way more rewarding than the single film. There’s also a manga adaptation that captures the "freakish" vibe much better than the 2009 CGI ever did.
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For those who still have a soft spot for the movie, it's usually available on streaming platforms like Starz or for rent on Amazon. It’s worth a watch just to see Willem Dafoe and John C. Reilly trade barbs while dressed like 19th-century circus performers.
Your Next Steps for a Deep Dive:
- Read the Books: Start with A Living Nightmare. It’s significantly darker and better paced than the film.
- Check the Manga: If you want the visual flair the movie missed, the manga by Takahiro Arai is fantastic.
- Follow the "Vampaneze" Lore: Look into the Saga of Larten Crepsley prequel series if you want to know how John C. Reilly’s character actually became a vampire.