The Cast of 'Blade': Where Are They Now?

This classic vampire hit was released 25 years ago today.

Screenshot 2023-08-21 at 6.58.35 AM.png

1 / 10

Blade (1998) - Based on the Marvel Comics character, Blade can be counted as one of the pre-Twilight films to bring sexy vampires back. Wesley Snipes starred as the human-vampire hybrid hero out to protect the human race from bloodsuckers out to harvest them for their blood. 25 years after the release of this hit supernatural thriller, we look back on the cast who stalked the night. (Photo: New Line Cinema)

Photo By Marvel

Wesley Snipes: July 31 - The Blade star, currently serving a prison sentence for failure to pay income tax, turns 50.   (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Overture Films)

2 / 10

Wesley Snipes - As half-mortal, half-vampire Blade, Wesley Snipes landed a hit Hollywood film and a franchise. The actor returned as his signature character in Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trinity (2004). He has started in numerous films, including Coming 2 America, which was released in 2021. He can currently be seen in Chris Spencer's Back on the Strip. Additionally, Snipes is in production for the financial drama Paper Empire. (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Overture Films)

Photo By Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Overture Films

N'Bushe Wright

3 / 10

N'Bushe Wright - Wright played Dr. Karen Jenson who becomes Blade's right-hand woman after being bitten by an evil vampire. Following Blade, the actress’s career didn’t gain much traction, but she landed parts in films like 3 Strikes (2000) and Civil Brand (2003). Her latest credited role was 2018's A Talent for Trouble. However, she is active on social media.

Photo by @nbushe_wright via Instagram

Sanaa Lathan - Lathan was cast as Vanessa Brooks, Blade’s mother. In 2000, Snipes and Lathan were paired again for the HBO movie Disappearing Acts. She also landed lead roles in hit flicks like Brown Sugar (2002), Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Something New (2006). She also received a Best Actress Tony nomination for her performance in A Raisin in the Sun.(Photo: John Ricard / BET)

4 / 10

Sanaa Lathan - Lathan was cast as Vanessa Brooks, Blade’s mother. In 2000, Snipes and Lathan were paired again for the HBO movie Disappearing Acts. Sanaa has steadily been working and last year reprised her role as Robyn in The Best Man: The Final Chapters. She is also the voice of Donna Tubbs in Family Guy. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)

Traci Lords - The former porn actress was a shoe-in for the seductive vampire Racquel. Lords, who posed for adult magazine Penthouse in the 1980s, became one of the few adult film stars to transition to mainstream Hollywood. Lord has since appeared in the film Zack and Miri Make a Porno and the TV series First Wave.(Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

5 / 10

Traci Lords - The former porn actress was a shoo-in for the seductive vampire Racquel. Lords, who posed for adult magazine Penthouse in the 1980s, became one of the few adult film stars to transition to mainstream Hollywood. Lords has continued working over the years, appearing in several horror films. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT
Kris Kristofferson - In the role of Abraham Whistler, Blade’s mentor and weapons-smith, the Golden Globe-winning actor came to the film as a Hollywood elder statesman. Best known as Barbara Streisands’ love interest in 1976’s A Star Is Born, Kristofferson reprised his role in Blade II and Blade: Trinity.(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for CFN)

6 / 10

Kris Kristofferson - As Abraham Whistler, Blade’s mentor and weapons-smith, the Golden Globe-winning actor came to the film as a Hollywood elder statesman. Best known as Barbra Streisand's love interest in 1976’s A Star Is Born, Kristofferson reprised his role in Blade II and Blade: Trinity. Now 87 and retired, Kristofferson's last film was in 2018 but he is definitely a Hollywood legend. (Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for CFN)

Stephen Dorff - Dorff was cast as evil vampire lieutenant Deacon Frost. The Atlanta-born thespian has consistently kept his face on the big screen, starring in Lee Daniels’s Shadow Boxer (2005) and Tarsem Singh’s Immortals (2011).(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

7 / 10

Stephen Dorff - Dorff was cast as evil vampire lieutenant Deacon Frost. The Atlanta-born thespian has consistently kept his face on the big screen, like starring in Lee Daniels’s Shadow Boxer (2005). His most recent role was in John Travolta's Mob Land, just released this month. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Udo Kier - Kier played vampire elder Gitano Dragonetti. Because of his striking angular features and wide, piercing blue eyes, Kier has frequently played vampires in films like Modern Vampires (1998) and Shadow of a Vampire (2000).(Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images for IMG)

8 / 10

Udo Kier - Kier played vampire elder Gitano Dragonetti. He has frequently played vampires in films like Modern Vampires (1998) and Shadow of a Vampire (2000). Kier is currently starring in the Amazon Prime series Hunters. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images for IMG)

Donal Logue - In the role of Frost’s cocky minion, Quinn, Logue was almost unstoppable. Since Blade, Quinn has garnered an impressive body of work in film and on TV, landing on hit TV shows like Life and ER.(Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images)

9 / 10

Donal Logue - In the role of Frost’s cocky minion, Quinn, Logue was almost unstoppable. Since Blade, Quinn has garnered impressive work in film and on TV, landing on hit TV shows like Life and ER. You can currently see him in Queen Latifah's The Equalizer. (Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images)

Stephen Norrington - After helming the inaugural film in the Blade franchise, the London-born director wouldn’t return to direct the next two in the trilogy. Afterward, he directed the foreign mystery thriller The Last Minute (2001) and the big-budgeted League of Extraordinary Gentleman (2003). As a talented visual artist, Norrington lent his sculpting skills to the film Exorcist: The Beginning (2004).(Photo: wikicommons)

10 / 10

Stephen Norrington - After helming the inaugural film in the Blade franchise, the London-born director wouldn’t return to direct the next two in the trilogy. Afterward, he directed the foreign mystery thriller The Last Minute (2001) and the big-budgeted League of Extraordinary Gentleman (2003), which has last directing credit. He has worked on special effects in other films but has kept a low profile in Hollywood. (Photo: wikicommons)