Honestly, if you grew up in the late 2000s, there’s a high chance you have a blurry, fever-dream memory of a movie where kids ran the world and adults acted like toddlers. That movie was Opposite Day. Released in 2009, it wasn't a blockbuster that broke the box office, but the Opposite Day 2009 cast featured a weirdly specific crossroads of child stars who were either just about to explode or were already household names on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon circuit. It’s one of those cult family comedies that feels like a time capsule of 2009 fashion, humor, and "tween" energy.
The premise was simple. A scientist (played by Pauly Shore, because of course) invents a machine that accidentally flips the behaviors of adults and children. It’s a classic body-swap-adjacent trope. But what makes it interesting over a decade later isn't necessarily the plot—it's looking back at the faces in that cast. You've got Rico Rodriguez right before Modern Family changed his life. You've got Billy Unger before he became a Disney XD staple. It’s a literal "who’s who" of the working child actors of that era.
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The Lead Duo: Billy Unger and Ariel Winter
At the center of the chaos were Samuel and Carla. Samuel was played by Billy Unger, who was basically the go-to kid for "adventurous lead" back then. He had this earnest energy that worked perfectly for a kid trying to fix a global crisis. Most people know him now as William Brent, the lead in Lab Rats, but in 2009, he was just a kid with messy hair and a lot of lines to memorize.
Then you have Ariel Winter as Carla. This is the part that usually surprises people. We all know Ariel as Alex Dunphy, the brilliant but dry sister on Modern Family. However, Opposite Day actually predates the premiere of Modern Family by a few months. Seeing her play a more traditional "kid-movie" protagonist is a trip. She was only about eleven years old when this filmed.
It’s wild to think about.
Ariel Winter and Rico Rodriguez were filming this low-budget indie family flick together before they became two of the highest-paid teenagers on television. That kind of overlap doesn't happen often. If you watch the movie now, you can see the early sparks of the comedic timing they’d eventually use to win multiple SAG Awards.
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The Weirdest Casting Choice: Pauly Shore as Robert Benson
We have to talk about Pauly Shore. In the late 80s and early 90s, he was everywhere. By 2009, he was in a different stage of his career, leaning into more eccentric, smaller roles. In the Opposite Day 2009 cast, he plays the "villain" or the catalyst—Robert Benson.
His performance is exactly what you’d expect. High energy. A bit strange. He’s the scientist whose machine causes the "opposite" effect. Seeing him interact with a bunch of ten-year-olds is bizarre, yet it somehow fits the chaotic, low-stakes energy of a direct-to-video era family comedy. He’s not the only veteran actor in the mix, though. French Stewart, famous for 3rd Rock from the Sun, shows up as well. Stewart has this rubber-faced physical comedy style that makes him perfect for playing an adult who suddenly has the brain of a child.
Rico Rodriguez and the Supporting Kids
Rico Rodriguez plays a character named Ian. Again, this was just before he became "Manny Delgado." In Opposite Day, he’s part of the ensemble of kids navigating the world where they have to hold jobs and pay bills while their parents play in sandboxes.
The cast also included:
- Atticus Shaffer: You know him as Brick Heck from The Middle. He plays a detective in this movie. Yes, a tiny, child detective. His deadpan delivery was already top-tier even at that age.
- Bradley Steven Perry: He played Chaz Anthony. Just a year later, he would become a Disney superstar as Gabe Duncan on Good Luck Charlie.
- Dylan Cash: Playing the character of Chucky.
- Juliette Angelo: She played Sarah and later went on to have a solid career in shows like Shameless and NCIS.
What’s fascinating about this lineup is the density of talent. Usually, these types of movies have one or two kids who keep acting and ten others who go back to normal life. But the Opposite Day 2009 cast was stacked with kids who were serious about the industry. They weren't just "extras"; they were the future of 2010s sitcoms.
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Why the Movie Feels Different Now
Watching this in 2026 is a lesson in nostalgia. The technology looks ancient. The kids are using Razr-style flip phones or early smartphones that look like bricks. The fashion involves a lot of layered t-shirts and shaggy hair.
But there’s a charm to it.
The movie was directed by R. Michael Givens, who mostly worked in cinematography. You can tell. For a small movie, it’s shot better than it probably needed to be. The script, written by Steven Paul, leans heavily into the "gross-out" humor that was popular in the 2000s—think burp jokes and adults acting like babies. It’s not Shakespeare. It’s not trying to be. It was meant to keep a seven-year-old occupied for 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon.
The "Modern Family" Connection
I keep coming back to this because it’s the most statistically improbable part of the whole thing. The fact that the Opposite Day 2009 cast put Ariel Winter and Rico Rodriguez in the same room before the world knew them as siblings is a "small world" Hollywood moment.
If you look at the production timeline, Opposite Day was filmed in late 2008 and released in 2009. Modern Family premiered in September 2009. It’s very likely they finished this movie and went straight to the pilot of the show that would define their careers for the next decade.
Beyond the Kids: The Adult "Toddlers"
The real heavy lifting in a movie like this comes from the adults. They have to play the "opposite."
Colleen Crabtree and Jeff Chase play the parents. Jeff Chase is a massive guy—he’s a former football player who usually plays the "muscle" or a scary henchman in movies like Star Trek or Mission: Impossible III. Seeing a 6’5” muscular man act like a crying toddler is the peak of the movie’s visual comedy. It’s ridiculous. It’s stupid. But it works for the demographic.
Where Can You Find It?
If you’re looking for the Opposite Day 2009 cast in action today, the movie pops up on various streaming services like Amazon Prime or Tubi every now and then. It’s often packaged in those "10-Movie Family Fun" digital bundles.
It’s worth a watch if you want to see:
- Baby Atticus Shaffer being a detective.
- Ariel Winter before she was a household name.
- Pauly Shore being... Pauly Shore.
- A snapshot of what "family entertainment" looked like right before the streaming era took over everything.
Assessing the Legacy
Does Opposite Day hold up? Honestly, not really. It’s a bit cringe-inducing in parts. The pacing is weird. The "opposite" logic isn't always consistent. Sometimes the adults act like babies, sometimes they just act like "opposite" versions of themselves.
But as a piece of Hollywood trivia, it’s gold.
It represents a specific moment in the industry where indie producers could gather a bunch of talented child actors for a high-concept comedy. These kids were essentially "in the trenches" of the audition circuit together. Seeing them all in one frame is like looking at a high school yearbook for people who grew up on the Disney Channel.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you are tracking down the careers of the Opposite Day 2009 cast, here is how to dive deeper:
- Check Out the Early Work: To see how much Ariel Winter and Rico Rodriguez evolved, watch Opposite Day back-to-back with the first season of Modern Family. The difference in their acting styles—from broad "kid movie" energy to subtle sitcom timing—is a masterclass in growth.
- Follow the Bionic Path: If you liked Billy Unger in this, his transition to William Brent in Lab Rats is the logical next step. You can see the roots of his "action hero" persona in his role as Samuel.
- Don't Sleep on Atticus Shaffer: His performance here is a precursor to Brick Heck. If you enjoy his specific brand of quirky, monotone humor, this is a must-see for the "origin story" vibes.
- Look for the Physical Media: Because these smaller films often disappear from streaming due to licensing shifts, finding a used DVD on eBay or at a thrift store is the only way to ensure you have access to this weird slice of 2009 history.
- Verify the Credits: When searching for the cast members on IMDb, look for the year 2008/2009. Many of these actors have hundreds of credits, and this film often sits right at the bottom of their "early career" list, hidden behind their big breaks.