Jodie FosterEllie Arroway Matthew McConaugheyPalmer Joss Tom SkerrittDavid Drumlin Angela BassettRachel Constantine Tucker SmallwoodMission Director Laura Elena SurilloCantina Woman Thomas Garner Ian Broderick Conroy ChinoKOB-TV Reporter Vance ValenciaSenator Valencia Claire ShipmanClaire Shipman Behrooz AfrakhanMiddle Eastern Anchor Saemi NakamuraJapanese Anchor Maria Celeste ArrarasLatina Anchor Tabitha SorenTabitha Soren Geraldo RiveraGeraldo Rivera Ian WhitcombBritish Anchor Natalie AllenNatalie Allen Robert D. NovakRobert D. Novak Geraldine A. FerraroGeraldine A. Ferraro Ann DruyanAnn Druyan / Co-produsent / Story Kathleen KennedyKathleen Kennedy Michael AlbalaDecryption Hacker Ned NettervilleDecryption Expert William JordanChairman of Joint Chiefs David St. JamesJoint Chief Jill DoughertyJill Dougherty Haynes BrookeDrumlin Aide John HollimanJohn Holliman Bobbie BattistaBobbie Battista Dee Dee MyersDee Dee Myers Bryant GumbelBryant Gumbel Alexander ZemeckisMajor Russell's Son Janie PetersonMajor Russell's Daughter Philippe BergeronFrench Committee Member Jennifer BalgobinDr. Patel Anthony HamiltonBritish Committee Member Rebecca T. BeuclerNASA Public Relations Marc MacaulayNASA Technician Pamela WilseyVoice of NASA (voice) Jeffery Thomas JohnsonMechanical Brian AlstonCommunications Todd Patrick BreaughNew VLA Technician Alex VeadovRussian Cosmonaut Robin GammellProject Official Richardson MorseMission Doctor Seiji OkamuraJapanese Ensign Mak TakanoJapanese Tech #1 Hiroshi Tom TanakaJapanese Tech #2 Catherine DaoLife Support Kristoffer Ryan WintersDynamics #2 Valorie ArmstrongWoman Senator William L. ThomasReporter #6 Jonathan AdlerWhite House Official (uncredited) Robert Aguilar Jr.NASA Controller #2 (uncredited) Mark BaileyFour-Star General (uncredited) Matt BennettSenate Observer (uncredited) Tony BoldiRobert Hand (uncredited) Christopher BoyerScientist (uncredited) Christine BradyWhite House Official (uncredited) Ray BufferPress Reporter (uncredited) Mark ByrneProtester (uncredited) Candice T. CainSupporter (uncredited) Michael ChabanHadden Suit (uncredited) Aixa ClementePresident's Secretary (uncredited) Bill ClintonSelf (archive footage) (uncredited) Derrick DamionsAiling Believer (uncredited) Elaina Erika DavisPhilanthropy Bureaucrat (uncredited) Joey DenteFactory Worker (uncredited) Michael EganIMC Police Officer (uncredited) Jeff ElmoreMonk (uncredited) Pamela FischerPedestrian (uncredited) Carl GilliardController (uncredited) William B. KaplanTV Interviewer (uncredited) / Production Sound Mixer Boris Lee KrutonogAstronaut (uncredited) Ming LoPod Systems Control (uncredited) Sunshine LogroñoPuerto Rican Taxi Driver (uncredited) Denise LovedayPress Secretary (uncredited) Neal MatarazzoKitz's Aide (uncredited) Bill MillerReporter (uncredited) Molly MuellerFamily Exchange (uncredited) Paul L. NolanEllie's Attorney (uncredited) Marisa PetroroOval Office Secretary (uncredited) Errica PoindexterPolice Officer (uncredited) J.A. PrestonSenator (uncredited) Frank PrincipeAiling Believer (uncredited) Billy QuinnSecurity Guard (uncredited) Thomas ReidSenate Hearing (uncredited) Leo RogstadAiling Believer (uncredited) Russell Sanderlin Sr.Photographer (uncredited) Frank SilvaArmy Officer (uncredited) John A. TaylorSenate Hearing Attendee (uncredited) Todd ThompsonNews Reporter (uncredited) Cenk UygurReporter (uncredited) Holly Cross VagleyReligious Zealot (uncredited) Eric Alan WendellProtester (uncredited) Delaney WilliamsBeliever #1 (uncredited) Gregory L. WilliamsExtra (uncredited) Robert ZemeckisRegissør / Produsent Carl SaganRoman / Co-produsent Steve StarkeyProdusent / Second Unit Director Joan BradshawEksekutiv produsent Steven J. BoydAssosierende produsent Rick PorrasAssosierende produsent Lynda ObstEksekutiv produsent Ann DruyanAnn Druyan / Co-produsent / Story Michael TaylorSet Decoration Ed VerreauxProduction Design Lawrence A. HubbsArt Direction Don BurgessDirector Of Photography Joanna JohnstonCostume Design Hallie D'AmoreKey Makeup Artist Vivian McAteerHairstylist Janice AlexanderHairstylist Barbara LacyMakeup Artist Deborah La Mia DenaverMakeup Artist Frances MathiasHairstylist Audrey L. AnzuresHairstylist Jean-Luc RussierMakeup Artist Pamela WiseCostume Supervisor Roxanna FloydMakeup Artist Margaret E. ElliottMakeup Artist Betty BrikowskiCostume Supervisor Patricia BercsiSet Costumer Steve EllsworthSet Costumer Jessica FasmanAssistant Costume Designer Keith VanderLaanProsthetic Makeup Artist Kathryn BlondellKey Hair Stylist Robin RichessonCostume Illustrator Alison C. RosaSecond Second Assistant Director Luca KouimelisManusveileder Bruce MoriartyFirst Assistant Director Darin RivettiSecond Second Assistant Director Cellin GluckSecond Assistant Director Lucille OuYangSecond Assistant Director Carin-Anne StrohmaierFirst Assistant Editor R. Orlando DuenasFirst Assistant Editor Jeremiah O'DriscollFirst Assistant Editor Harry KeramidasAdditional Editing Bob PutynkowskiColor Timer John NicolardDigital Color Timer Jana Lynn GoldAssistant Editor Dennie ThorpeFoley Artist David DresherAssistant Sound Editor Susan PopovicAssistant Sound Editor Gary RizzoAdditional Sound Re-Recording Mixer Stephen KearneyAssistant Sound Editor Andrew CowittAssistant Sound Editor Mary Helen LeasmanFoley Editor Karen HardingAssistant Sound Editor Mary WorksAssistant Sound Editor Dennis SandsSound Re-Recording Mixer Phil BensonSupervising Sound Editor Teresa EcktonSound Effects Editor Steve BoeddekerSound Effects Editor Marian WildeSound Effects Editor Tom JohnsonSound Re-Recording Mixer Douglas MurraySound Effects Editor Kenneth KarmanMusic Editor Randolph SaucedoSound Recordist William B. KaplanTV Interviewer (uncredited) / Production Sound Mixer Kent BrownAssistant Sound Editor Earl SampsonBoom Operator Michael SilversDialogue Editor Ewa SztompkeDialogue Editor Barbara McBaneDialogue Editor Sue FoxSupervising Adr Editor Catherine HarperFoley Artist Charleen Richards-SteevesAdr Mixer Cheryl NardiFirst Assistant Sound Editor Scott LevySound Recordist Luz Eneida NuñezLocation Manager Peggy PridemoreLocation Manager Allen E. TaylorProduction Accountant Ines Mongil-EchandiProduction Office Coordinator Darcy FrayProduction Coordinator Dawn GuintaProduction Supervisor Nannette Rosa CollazoUnit Manager Scot BolandCasting Associate Nick BoothProduction Assistant Kevin BoweAssistant Accountant Robert CableSecond Assistant Accountant Primrose FukuchiLocation Assistant Nikki DalmauCasting Coordinator Judd NissenTravel Coordinator Kristin DehnertAssistant Location Manager Judith BouleyAdditional Casting Carley A. BerkmanProduction Secretary Mark Wineman24 Frame Playback Ira Toles24 Frame Playback David StumpVfx Director Of Photography John RauhDigital Compositor Jean François FontaineDigital Compositor Geoffrey Harvey3d Animator Joanie KarnowskiRotoscoping Artist Mary NelsonRoto Supervisor Aaron SmithRotoscoping Artist Stephen KennedyCompositing Supervisor M. Scott McKeeCompositing Supervisor Jeff DoranDigital Compositor Dylan Robinson3d Animator Gimo ChanphianamvongRotoscoping Artist Ken RalstonSenior Visual Effects Supervisor Lisa KahatriyaRotoscoping Artist Kenneth JonesVisual Effects Supervisor C. Marie DavisVisual Effects Producer Lauren Alexandra RitchieVisual Effects Supervisor Joe MatzaVisual Effects Supervisor Julia Rivas FreyVisual Effects Producer Ariel Velasco-ShawVisual Effects Supervisor Debbie DeniseVisual Effects Producer Stephen RosenbaumVisual Effects Supervisor Mark S. MillerVisual Effects Producer Allen HallSpecial Effects Supervisor Mark Marcum24 Frame Playback Tim AlexanderDigital Compositors Jeff DeyoeMechanical Designer Theresa CorraoVisual Effects Coordinator Mimi MedelVisual Effects Production Manager Maura AlvarezRotoscoping Artist Charlie ClavadetscherMatchmove Supervisor Peter JacksonAdditional Visual Effects Michael L. FinkSenior Visual Effects Supervisor Bart GiovanettiCompositing Supervisor Kelly GraniteVisual Effects Compositor 
