When “Field of Dreams” was released in 1989, the film captured the hearts and minds of movie lovers and baseball fans, alike. The movie tells the story of Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), a corn farmer who builds a baseball diamond in his backyard where the ghosts of players come to step up to bat. The movie also stars Gaby Hoffmann as his daughter, Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson, and James Earl Jones.
The movie made $84 million at the box office and received three Academy Award nominations – for best picture, best screenplay, and best original score. In 2017, it was added to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry. And in 2021, Major League Baseball hosted the first MLB at Field of Dreams event, played between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees and held at the “Field of Dreams” filming site in Dyersville, Iowa. It was the first MLB game ever played in the state.
Costner was on hand for the game and walked out of the rows of corn with both teams, who wore throwback uniforms to match the players in the movie. Costner, speaking to the crowd, looked around at the field and declared, “It’s perfect.” The White Sox won with a walk-off home run, which was particularly appropriate since the first White Sox player to beat the Yankees that way was Shoeless Joe Jackson, himself.
The second MLB at Field of Dreams is being held Aug. 11 between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs. Reds star Joey Votto opened up about how special the opportunity was for him in a Twitter thread on Aug. 11. He explained that he watched the movie with his own dad, who died 14 years ago. He wrote in part, “Getting the opportunity to play a game at the mythical field that sowed the seeds of hope for a Major League Baseball career is a significant moment for me. Couple that with the father/son connection, and this game is an exceptional moment in my life.”
Revisit the original cast of “Field of Dreams” and see where they all are now.
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Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella
Kevin Costner stars in “Field of Dreams” as Ray, the farmer who has a vision of Shoeless Joe Jackson and turns his cornfield into a baseball diamond.
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Kevin Costner Now
Costner has continued to work in films and on TV. In 1991, he won two Oscars – for best actor and best director – for his work in “Dances With Wolves.” He’s appeared in the DCEU as Superman’s dad, Jonathan Kent. He currently stars on the hit series “Yellowstone.”
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Gaby Hoffmann as Karin Kinsella
Gaby Hoffmann plays Amy, Ray’s young daughter, in “Field of Dreams.” It was her first film role.
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Gaby Hoffmann Now
Hoffmann worked as a child actor for years, appearing in movies like “This Is My Life” and “Sleepless in Seattle.” In 2007, she returned to acting. She had starring roles in “Transparent” and “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” She also appeared in 2021’s “C’mon C’mon.”
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Amy Madigan as Annie Kinsella
Amy Madigan stars in “Field of Dreams” as Annie, Ray’s supportive wife.
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Amy Madigan Now
Madigan has worked widely in film and television, in projects like “Gone Baby Gone,” “American Woman,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Fringe.”
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James Earl Jones as Terence Mann
James Earl Jones plays the author Terence Mann in “Field of Dreams.”
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James Earl Jones Now
James Earl Jones, now 91, has slowed down on his appearances in film and television, though he has continued to voice Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, and once again voiced Mufasa in the 2019 “The Lion King.” In 2021, he also appeared in “Coming 2 America,” reprising his role as King Jaffe Joffer.
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Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson
In “Field of Dreams,” Ray Liotta plays Shoeless Joe Jackson.
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Ray Liotta Now
Liotta followed up his role in “Field of Dreams” with Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas,” which he starred in as Henry Hill. He continued to work prolifically in film and on television, including co-starring with Jennifer Lopez in “Shades of Blue” for three years. Liotta died in May 2022 at the age of 67 while filming another movie.
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Timothy Busfield as Mark
Timothy Busfield plays Mark, Amy’s brother and Ray’s biggest doubter, in “Field of Dreams.”
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Timothy Busfield Now
After “Field of Dreams,” Timothy Busfield joined the cast of “The West Wing.” Most recently, he appeared on the ABC series “For Life.”
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Dwier Brown as John Kinsella
At the end of “Field of Dreams,” Dwier Brown plays John Kinsella, Ray’s father, as a young man.
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Dwier Brown Now
Dwier Brown has continued to appear in guest roles on television, including on “Firefly,” “Criminal Minds,” “CSI” and “Rizzoli & Isles.” In 2014 he released a memoir titled, “If You Build It…,” a reference to “Field of Dreams.”
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Burt Lancaster as Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham
Burt Lancaster plays the older version of Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham in “Field of Dreams.”
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Burt Lancaster Now
“Field of Dreams” was Lancaster’s final film role. In 1990, he suffered a stroke that forced him to retire from acting. He died in 1994 at the age of 80.
