The Heat cast is full of legendary movie stars and revered character actors playing both cops and crooks. Written and directed by Michael Mann, Heat is an intense, action-packed crime thriller about a street war that brews between the officers of the LAPD and the band of bank robbers loyal to a notorious thief. Heat has more focus on relationships and character development than the average action movie. It has plenty of shootouts and fast cars, but it also has plenty of engaging dialogue scenes that deepen the characters and their dynamics.
Heat is one of the most influential crime films ever made, inspiring everything from The Dark Knight to the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Not only is Heat distinguished for its thrilling action sequences; but it’s also notable for being the first on-screen pairing of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. The two acting legends had previously co-starred in The Godfather Part II, but they appeared in separate story timelines, so they never shared the screen in the classic sequel. Heat cast Pacino and De Niro as the cat and mouse in a tense criminal pursuit, and surrounded them with an ensemble of unforgettable supporting players, listed below.
Al Pacino As Lieutenant Vincent Hanna
Vincent Hanna, the workaholic LAPD lieutenant at the center of Heat, is played by Al Pacino. Throughout his decades-long acting career, Pacino has played such iconic roles as Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Sonny Wortzik in Dog Day Afternoon, and Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman. Pacino won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Lt. Col. Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman. He’s one of the few performers to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting. He’s also received the Kennedy Center Honor, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the AFI Life Achievement Award.
Robert De Niro As Neil McCauley
Robert De Niro appears in the Heat cast as Neil McCauley, a professional thief with a strict set of rules to evade capture. Like Pacino, De Niro has also received the Kennedy Center Honor, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the Academy Award for Best Actor, the last for his portraying boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. De Niro also won Best Supporting Actor for his performance as a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II. The actor’s other iconic roles include Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents, and Frank Sheeran in The Irishman — in which he once again co-starred with Pacino.
Val Kilmer As Chris Shiherlis
Neil’s loyal right-hand man, Chris Shiherlis, is played by Val Kilmer. The actor became one of the biggest movie stars of the ‘80s and ‘90s with roles like LT Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the action drama Top Gun, Doc Holliday in the historically based Western Tombstone, and Bruce Wayne and his titular alter-ego in the campy superhero movie Batman Forever. Kilmer gained further acclaim for his eccentric performances as frontman Jim Morrison in the band biopic The Doors and private eye “Gay” Perry van Shrike opposite Robert Downey, Jr.’s Harry Lockhart in the neo-noir buddy comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Jon Voight As Nate
Jon Voight appears in the Heat cast as Neil’s fence, the well-connected Nate. Voight got his breakout playing aspiring gigolo Joe Buck in Midnight Cowboy, a role that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Although he lost out on that Oscar, Voight won the award a decade later for his portrayal of Vietnam War veteran Luke Martin in Coming Home. Voight’s other well-known film roles include Ed Gentry in Deliverance, villain Jim Phelps in Mission: Impossible, and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Pearl Harbor.
Tom Sizemore As Michael Cherittow3
Michael Cheritto, Neil’s most trusted enforcer, is played by Tom Sizemore. The actor is otherwise known for such roles as Sly Delvecchio in Passenger 57 and Tom Wolls in Bringing Out the Dead. He played two different detective roles in movies written by Quentin Tarantino: Detective Cody Nicholson in True Romance and Detective Jack Scagnetti in Natural Born Killers. Sizemore scored the biggest hit of his career with the role of Mike Horvath, Captain Miller’s second-in-command, in Saving Private Ryan. The success of Saving Private Ryan led to supporting roles in other war movies, like LTC Danny McKnight in Black Hawk Down and Sergeant Earl Sistern in Pearl Harbor.
Amy Brenneman As Eady
Amy Brenneman plays Eady, Neil’s love interest. Neil breaks his own rules by getting emotionally attached to Eady. Brenneman is best known for starring as Judge Amy Gray in the CBS drama series Judging Amy, which she co-created. She first rose to prominence with the role of Detective Janice Licalsi in the ABC police procedural NYPD Blue. Her other TV characters include Dr. Violet Turner in the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Private Practice and Laurie Garvey on the dystopian sci-fi series The Leftovers, as well as the recurring role of Faye Moskowitz on Frasier.
Kevin Gage As Waingro
Kevin Gage acts in the Heat cast in the role of Waingro, the latest addition to Neil’s crew who turns out to have a hair trigger. Gage appeared on the other side of the law when he played Detective Mike Gage in the police actioner Strangeland. His other movie roles include United States Navy SEAL instructor Max Pyro in the military drama G.I. Jane and prison guard Bullard in the Rob Schneider comedy Big Stan. He also voiced Gabriel Rorke in the video games Call of Duty: Ghosts and Call of Duty: Vanguard.
Wes Studi As Lieutenant Sammy Casals
Lieutenant Sammy Casals, who assists Vincent’s investigation into Neil’s activities, is played by Wes Studi. The actor is best known for playing the title character in the historical epic Geronimo: An American Legend. He has also played such roles as Magua in The Last of the Mohicans (also directed by Mann), Toughest Pawnee in Dances with Wolves, and Chief Cochise in a sequence that parodies Dances with Wolves in A Million Ways to Die in the West. Studi is known to Penny Dreadful fans as Kaetenay, who became a major character in season 3. Studi received an Academy Honorary Award in 2019.
Heat Supporting Cast & Characters
Danny Trejo as Gilbert Trejo: Neil’s go-to getaway driver, Gilbert Trejo, is played by Danny Trejo. The actor is best known for his work with Robert Rodriguez: he played Navajas in Desperado, Razor Charlie in From Dusk Till Dawn, and the titular antihero in the Machete movies.
Diane Venora as Justine Hanna: Justine Hanna, Vincent’s third wife, is played by Diane Venora. She also played Detective Rebecca Neff in Wolfen and Juliet’s mother, Gloria Capulet, in Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet. She reunited with Mann and Pacino to play Liane Wigand in The Insider.
Natalie Portman as Lauren Gustafson: A young Natalie Portman plays Vincent’s troubled stepdaughter, Lauren Gustafson. Portman had previously made her acting debut as Mathilda in Léon: The Professional. She went on to play Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and Jane Foster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Portman won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her turn as Nina Sayers in Black Swan.
Ashley Judd as Charlene Shiherlis: Chris’s embattled wife, Charlene, is played by Ashley Judd. After appearing in Heat, Judd had a string of roles in similarly successful ‘90s thrillers, including Carla Brigance in A Time to Kill, Dr. Kate McTiernan in Kiss the Girls, and the lead role of Libby Parsons in Double Jeopardy.
Mykelti Williamson as Sergeant Bobby Drucker: Mykelti Williamson plays Sergeant Bobby Drucker, one of Vincent’s protégés. Williamson’s most memorable role is Bubba Blue in Forrest Gump. He also played Mike “Baby-O” O’Dell in Con Air and boxing promoter Don King in Ali (also directed by Mann).
Ted Levine as Detective Mike Bosko: Ted Levine appears in the Heat cast as Detective Mike Bosko, Vincent’s partner and close friend. Levine’s most iconic roles are Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs and Leland Stottlemeyer on the police procedural Monk.
Dennis Haysbert as Don Breedan: The getaway driver hired to replace Trejo is played by Dennis Haysbert, who is best known for playing President David Palmer on the first five seasons of 24. He also played Secret Service agent Tim Collin in Absolute Power, baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League trilogy, and God on the Netflix series Lucifer.
Tom Noonan as Kelso: Tom Noonan plays the supporting villain of Heat, Kelso. Noonan also played Cain in RoboCop 2, Frankenstein’s Monster in The Monster Squad, and serial killer Francis Dolarhyde in Manhunter (also helmed by Mann).
William Fichtner as Roger Van Zant: Neil’s former boss, gangland kingpin Roger Van Zant, is played by William Fichtner. The actor is also known for playing Kent Clarke in Contact, Captain Knauer in The Longest Yard, and the bank manager in the opening scene of The Dark Knight, as well as his TV role as Alexander Mahone on Prison Break.
Hank Azaria as Alan Marciano: Hank Azaria appears in the Heat cast as Charlene’s lover, Alan Marciano. Azaria also played Agador Spartacus in The Birdcage, Kahmunrah in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, and the title character in Brockmire. As a voice actor, Azaria is known for playing Simpsons characters Moe Szyslak and Chief Wiggum.