As one of the most beloved pieces of American literature, Little Women has been adapted several times [1] over the years. From lavish period pieces dating back to the 1930s to contemporary, updated takes, we've seen them all! And we can't wait for the latest version, the Greta Gerwig-directed adaptation [2] starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson [3], Meryl Streep [4], Florence Pugh [5], and more, due out this Winter. The cast for the new movie [6] is packed with some of the brightest young stars in Hollywood today, and other versions of Little Women have similarly attracted some pretty recognisable names. Ahead, check out several of the stars you definitely know who have been in different versions of the story over the years.
Joan Bennett
Bennett's career was defined by her femme fatale roles in film noir, but she also had a role in the 1933 film adaptation of Little Women as Amy.
Christian Bale
Long before he was an Oscar winner (and Batman), Bale was playing literal boy-next-door Laurie in the 1994 film.
Gabriel Byrne
In the 1994 film, Byrne played Professor Bhaer, the older German professor who grows close with Jo.
Claire Danes
Decades before she garnered acclaim and a slew of awards for Homeland, Danes was on the big screen as sweet, doomed Beth March in 1994's film adaptation.
Kirsten Dunst
In one of her earlier roles, Dunst played the childhood version of romantic, artistic Amy in the 1994 film version.
Willa Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald tackled the role of Meg in the 2017 miniseries adaptation.
Sutton Foster
The Younger fave was in a version of Little Women that you've probably never heard of: the Broadway musical version! Foster played Jo in the 2005 original cast, earning a Tony nomination for best actress in a musical.
Michael Gambon
Albus Dumbledore himself had a role in the 2017 BBC/PBS miniseries, playing the grump-with-a-heart-of-gold Mr. Laurence.
Lucas Grabeel
The High School Musical [7] vet played Laurie in 2018's modern-day update. And that's not all he did on the film: he's credited as a coproducer as well.
Maya Hawke
Before she was the breakout star of Stranger Things [8] season three, Hawke played headstrong Jo in 2017's miniseries version of Little Women.
Katharine Hepburn
In a way, it makes sense that one of the greatest American film stars of all time played one of the greatest American literary heroines of all time. Hepburn led the way as Jo in the 1933 film adaptation.
Angela Lansbury
The legend of stage and screen stole the show as Aunt March in 2017's Little Women miniseries.
Samantha Mathis
In the 1994 film, Mathis played the older version of Amy March for the second half of the film.
Kathryn Newton
The young star of Big Little Lies and The Society appeared as Amy March in the 2017 miniseries. Unexpectedly, she portrayed both the younger and older versions of the character, rather than splitting the role with a child actress.
Winona Ryder
At the height of her '90s career, Ryder earned an Oscar nomination in 1994 for best actress for playing the rebellious second sister, Jo March.
Susan Sarandon
The Oscar-winning actress took on a supporting role in the 1994 film version, playing the stalwart mother "Marmee."
Lea Thompson
Thompson reunited with her Switched at Birth costar Grabeel in 2018, playing Marmee in the modern-day movie.
Emily Watson
Watson, who is a staple in British dramas and most recently costarred in HBO's sensation Chernobyl, played Marmee in the BBC's 2017 miniseries adaptation.