Why Rabbit From Twister Looks So Familiar

We've all been there — you see an actor's face, but can't drum up what their name is. One of the characters from Jan de Bont's 1996 thriller Twister tends to trigger this dilemma. Ironically, he's actually one of the most prolific actors in the disaster flick's star-studded cast, and is still working to this day.

From top to bottom, Twister's roster boasts a plethora of Hollywood's biggest names from the '90s. Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton play storm chasers Dr. Jo and Bill Harding, respectively. Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Saw) and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman join them in supporting roles. They all play off of one another well and produce excellent performances.

The character Robert "Rabbit" Nurick is the Harding crew's resident navigator. As it turns out, the man behind the role is no novice to the camera, and has landed some pretty major roles over the years. One of cinema's most iconic wingmen took on the character — which, unlike his most well-known role, was anything but a day off.

The man responsible for presenting Rabbit to audiences is none other than the '80s and '90s icon Alan Ruck. The name might not ring immediate bells, but his face will certainly do the trick. He's found work all across Tinseltown for decades, making his big-screen debut in 1983's Bad Boys at 27 years old. Since then, Ruck has tried his hand at all types of other roles in projects ranging from comedies to thrillers. Ruck was already a journeyman of the big screen by the time de Bont cast him in Twister.

He doesn't, however, limit his talents to the cinema, diving into the world of television on more than one occasion. He arrived in the TV world in 1989 in a single appearance on the short-lived sitcom The Famous Teddy Z. While this was a small role, Ruck pressed on with television work, cameoing and guest-starring in countless other series. His effort wasn't for nothing, as he secured some consistent work down the line.

Despite his diverse portfolio, Ruck is still best recognized as Cameron Frye, the stressed-out teenager from 1986's Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Dealing with a rough home life in which his father and mother argue constantly, Frye is all kinds of depressed. Luckily for him, his buddy Ferris (Matthew Broderick), is prepared to bring him along for his big day off. While Ferris is the focus of the film, Ruck deserves far more credit for his performance.

Cameron Frye is an incredibly complex character, and is a strong representation of teenage angst. His strained family dynamic is the key to who he is as a character. He evolves throughout the film, going into a daze in the Art Institute of Chicago and later destroying his father's prized 1961 Ferrari 250GT California. By the end, he's standing on his own two feet, ready to face the world as a new man. Although Ferris Bueller is a comedy (and one of John Hughes' best), Ruck's work as Cameron grounds the viewer in reality. The character goes through a powerful progression that simply wouldn't have worked without him.

It only took Ruck a little over a decade to achieve serious success in the television medium. After some minor spots on shows like Picket Fences and Daddy's Girls, he finally found his groove on the popular sitcom Spin City. Throughout its six-season run, Ruck was a major player in over 140 episodes as the character Stuart Bondek, a conniving and grossly sexist assistant to Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty (Michael J. Fox).

Ruck's work on Spin City further cemented him as a capable supporting actor with a strong range. Stuart came off as a sleazy, grimy politician because of Ruck's strength as an actor, and he had the consistency to remain a key player for the entirety of the series. Even though the sitcom was canceled in 2002, it stands as one of the best-remembered of its time. Alan Ruck played a big hand in helping it reach that status.

While most of Ruck's biggest hits are a bit dated by now, he hasn't stopped working by any stretch. On the film front, he's been in a good number of productions over the past few years. He found a supporting role as Charles Rittenhouse in 2019's sci-fi crime thriller Captive State, as well as a leading role in Christopher Landon's next horror project. Ruck has hit his stride, however, on television, playing a major character on HBO's hit series Succession. 

Ruck fills the shoes of Connor Roy, the eldest son of Logan Roy (Brian Cox), who's the founder of the media conglomerate Waystar Royco. Unlike his family members, Connor doesn't concern himself with the drama in which they've caught themselves up. He isn't vying for his father's position, choosing instead to get himself into other endeavors like a failed bid for President. In a family full of lies and back-stabbing antics, Ruck's character is among one of the most intriguing of them all, which is yet another testament to his unwavering talent. His continuation in the role will be something to look forward to in Succession's upcoming third season.