Groundhog Day cast: List of actors and the characters they play in the 1993 fantasy comedy

Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Ramis and Danny Rubin. The film stars Bill Murray in the lead who portrays Phil Connors, a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who becomes trapped in a time loop forcing him to relive February 2 repeatedly. For almost 30 years, Harold Ramis' hilarious comedy has not only been mandatory viewing on February 2, but it has influenced films across genres. The movie has become a cult classic, but it's much more than just a joke machine. It makes the audience look within themselves, to analyze their own actions and think about how they'd approach life differently if given the opportunity for a do-over. Here's an inside look at the Groundhog Day cast and the characters they portray.

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Groundhog Day Cast and Characters

Bill Murray as Phil Connors

Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, the charismatic yet sardonic weatherman. His contempt for the world around him, as well as his selfishness, cause him to get stuck in a time loop reliving February 2 every day. This predicament forces him to take a look inward, and eventually, he realizes he wants to become a better man. 

Andie MacDowell as Rita Hanson

While Phil Connors is the mean-spirited, negative character of the film, Rita Hanson is the polar opposite. Andie MacDowell embodies the kind, strong female producer who serves as a catalyst for Phil's change of heart. As the moral centre of the film, Rita finds joy in life. She cares about other people and is the kind of person everyone should aspire to be like.

Chris Elliott as Larry the cameraman

Larry the cameraman is basically Phil's punching bag. When Phil wants someone to blame or yell at, Larry is his go-to guy. He loves the ladies but is also clueless about women. Yet, his main attribute is his ability to land a one-liner.

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Stephen Tobolowsky as Ned Ryerson

Fans of Groundhog Day know when they hear the name "Phil," it's incredibly difficult not to respond, "Phil? Phil Connors?" The infamous line spoken by the insurance agent and high school acquaintance Ned Ryerson is so perfectly delivered by Stephen Tobolowsky. Ned has many characteristics that make people so annoyed that they may just want to land a punch to his face. 

Brian Doyle-Murray as Buster Green

If Buster Green has any goal in life, it's to ensure that the Punxsutawney Groundhog Day celebrations are perfect. He loves Punxsutawney Phil (the groundhog) more than most humans. He isn't wrong in his approach though. Animals are often way better than humans. Phil Connors sure doesn't make Buster's life easy. In fact, it's almost like Phil knows exactly how to make his life a nightmare.

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Marita Geraghty as Nancy

Nancy is a beautiful stranger that Phil meets in the diner. Sadly, like many female characters at the time, her backstory is not clearly fleshed out. Instead, she's mostly used to confirm that Phil is a selfish prick. In order to sleep with Nancy, he tricks her. Knowing that any relationship he has will result in a one-night stand, because of, you know, the whole "being trapped in an endless loop" situation, he makes her believe he actually loves her.

Apart from the main cast, Groundhog Day features Ken Hudson Campbell as the man in the hotel hallway, David Pasquesi as Phil's psychiatrist, and Richard Henzel and Rob Riley as the radio hosts waking up Phil every morning. Hynden Walch and Michael Shannon portray, respectively, the newly married couple Debbie and Fred. Les Podewell plays the homeless old man, and Rod Sell appears as a Groundhog Day official. Director Harold Ramis cameos as a neurologist. Punxsutawney Phil is portrayed by a groundhog known as "Scooter".

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