Rusty and Audrey Griswold were famously played by a different actor in each of theNational Lampoon’s Vacationmovies, and that included some huge stars.The Griswold family’s patriarch and matriarch, Clark and Ellen, were consistently played by Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo across the whole franchise — even in the 2015 reboot, two decades after the last movie — but the kids were always replaced with new cast members in each subsequent sequel. It practically became a running joke throughout the series that Clark and Ellen’s kids looked totally different and aged inconsistently from movie to movie.
Part of the reason for casting new actors as Rusty and Audrey intheNational Lampoon’s Vacationmoviesis that child actors age a lot faster than their adult co-stars. Whereas Chase and D’Angelo looked more or less the same in the 14 years between the originalVacationfilm and the fourth one,Vegas Vacation, the child actors would’ve long since aged into adulthood. Rusty has been played by everyone from Leonard Hofstadter to Andy Bernard to Brian the “brain” fromThe Breakfast Club, while Audrey has been played by stars fromYellowjacketsandKnocked Up.
10Anthony Michael Hall Plays Rusty Griswold In Vacation (1983)
The role of Rusty originated with Anthony Michael Hall in the originalNational Lampoon’s Vacation. Hall was a frequent collaborator of John Hughes, who wrote the screenplay forVacationbased on his own short story, “Vacation ‘58,” first published in theNational Lampoon. Hughes didn’t directVacation, but he made a note of its casting for when he did become a director. After Hall appeared inVacation, Hughes cast him in several of his classic directorial efforts:Sixteen Candles,The Breakfast Club, andWeird Science.
Hall played Rusty as a typical teenage boy archetype: he’s boorish, he’s shamelessly gross, and he’s constantly mocking his sister. He also acted as a straight man opposite Chase in Rusty’s scenes with Clark.Vacationwas just Hall’s second movie after he played Doc in the Kenny Rogers vehicleSix Pack.
9Dana Barron Plays Audrey Griswold In Vacation (1983) & Christmas Vacation 2
Dana Barron was the first actor to play Audrey in theNational Lampoon’s Vacationfranchise. In the originalVacationmovie, Barron played Audrey opposite Hall. While Hall established that Rusty is a bit of a nerd, Barron established that Audrey has a rebellious streak. She snuck out of her hotel room after hours and she secretly smoked weed behind her parents’ backs, and Barron leaned into that adolescent rebelliousness.
Barron later reprised her role as Audrey inthe made-for-TV sequelChristmas Vacation 2in 2003.Christmas Vacation 2focused on Cousin Eddie taking his family on a free vacation to an island in the South Pacific. Audrey tags along after dumping her married boyfriend, Daniel. Barron’s return as Audrey, 20 years after her initial performance, made her the first of the Griswold children to play their part more than once.
8Jason Lively Plays Rusty Griswold In European Vacation
In the secondVacationmovie, 1985’sNational Lampoon’s European Vacation, Jason Lively replaced Hall in the role of Rusty. Since it was just two years after the first film, Hall hadn’t exactly aged out of the role — but he had become a much bigger and more in-demand star.European Vacationmarked Lively’s second film appearance after playing Chris Brace in Douglas Trumbull’s sci-fi movieBrainstormin 1983.
National Lampoon’s Vacation: Why The Griswold Kids Always Change
Throughout 4 Vacation movies in 14 years, Rusty and Audrey Griswold are always played by different actors while remaining teenagers. Here’s why.
Lively played Rusty as being a little older and, as a result, a lot more interested in girls. When they’re at the Eiffel Tower, Rusty is acutely aware that some nearby girls are laughing at him for wearing matching berets with his family. When they go to a raunchy Paris can-can dance show, Rusty attempts to employ the services of a sex worker before his parents catch him.
7Dana Hill Plays Audrey Griswold In European Vacation
When the producers recast the kids forEuropean Vacation, they brought in Dana Hill to replace her namesake Barron as Audrey. Hill maintained the rebellious streak that Barron had imbued in the character, and she has some ofEuropean Vacation’s funniest moments. Hill suffered from a form of diabetes that affected her physical growth, which meant that she continued to play roles as children into her teenage years and adulthood.
As a voice actor, Hill was best known for playing Max Goof in the Disney animated seriesGoof Troopand Jerry inTom and Jerry: The Movie. In other movies, Hill played Sherry Dunlap inShoot the Moonand Ellie Turner inCross Creek. Due to complications from diabetes, Hill passed away at the tragically young age of 32 in 1996 (viaThe Los Angeles Times).
6Johnny Galecki Plays Rusty Griswold In Christmas Vacation
Today, Johnny Galecki is best known for playing Leonard Hofstadter in the hit sitcomThe Big Bang Theory. But long before he pined after Penny and shared an apartment with Sheldon Cooper, Galecki was a prolific child actor. Throughout the ‘90s, Galecki played high-profile sitcom roles like David Healy inRoseanneand Danny Nash inAmerican Dreamer. In 1989, Galecki adopted the role of Rusty in the yuletide-themed sequelNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Whereas Hall had introduced Rusty as a dork, Galecki played him as more of a wise alec who frequently outsmarts his elders. Galecki’s Rusty is cool, witty, and always one step ahead of his dad. While Clark is frantically racing around the house, trying to get his Christmas lights to come on, Rusty is kicking back with plenty of wry one-liners in the chamber.
5Juliette Lewis Plays Audrey Griswold In Christmas Vacation
Juliette Lewis was cast to play the new version of Audrey alongside Galecki’s Rusty inChristmas Vacation. Lewis took the rebelliousness that Barron and Hill had brought to the character to its natural next step and played Audrey as slightly older and moodier. Lewis’ Audrey is an angsty teenager who’s mortally embarrassed by her family and doesn’t want to be seen in public with them.
In the ‘90s, Lewis would go on to become a huge star with her appearances in indie and arthouse movies. She played Danny Bowden in Martin Scorsese’sCape Fear(for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress), Mallory Knox in Oliver Stone’sNatural Born Killers, and Rain in Woody Allen’sHusbands and Wives. Today, Lewis is most renowned for her role as present-day Nat Scatorccio inYellowjackets.
4Ethan Embry Plays Rusty Griswold In Vegas Vacation
Ethan Embry was cast to take on the role of Rusty in the fourth movie,Vegas Vacation. InVegas Vacation, Clark takes his family on vacation to Las Vegas so he and Ellen can renew their marriage vows. Embry plays Rusty as being thrilled to visit Sin City — ecstatic to be around all the showgirls and gamblers — which ties back to the typical teenage lasciviousness that Lively brought to the part inEuropean Vacation.
Embry wasn’t a huge name when he appeared inVegas Vacation, but in the years that followed, he went on to become a very high-profile star of romcoms and sitcoms. In movies, he played Preston Meyers inCan’t Hardly Waitand Bobby Ray inSweet Home Alabama. On television, he played Coyote Bergstein inGrace and Frankieand the real Pete Murphy inSneaky Pete.
3Marisol Nichols Plays Audrey Griswold In Vegas Vacation
Marisol Nichols was cast to play Audrey opposite Embry’s Rusty inVegas Vacation. While Rusty is excited about being around the glitz and glamor of Vegas, Nichols plays Audrey as being a little more trepidatious about visiting the notorious party town. This was a stark contrast to previous portrayals of Audrey. In the earlier movies, Audrey was shown to have a wild streak — she smoked pot with her cousin when she was about 13 — so the traditional Audrey would’ve probably loved to go to Vegas.
Vegas Vacationmarked Nichols’ movie debut. Her subsequent film roles include Liliana Morales inBig Momma’s House 2and Captain Angie Garza inSpiral: From the Book of Saw. On TV, Nichols has played such characters as Nadia Yassir in24, Hermione Lodge inRiverdale, and the voice of Principal Ramirez inThe Loud House.
2Ed Helms Plays Rusty Griswold In Vacation (2015)
In 2015, 18 years afterVegas Vacation, theVacationfranchise came back with a reboot, simply titledVacation. This movie sees Rusty taking his own family on a road trip to Walley World and facing just as many challenges and tribulations as his father before him. Rusty has grown up to have two sons and works as a pilot for the low-priced airline Econo-Air. In the reboot, Rusty is played by Ed Helms.
At the time, the roles of Andy Bernard inThe Officeand Stu Price inThe Hangovertrilogy had made Helms one of the biggest comedy stars in the world. In 2015’sVacation, Helms’ performance as Rusty is based less on previous portrayals of Rusty and more on Chase’s portrayal of Clark. He’s the goofy suburban dad with a hilariously psychotic streak.
1Leslie Mann Plays Audrey Griswold In Vacation (2015)
During Rusty’s disastrous road trip with his own family in the 2015Vacationreboot, they stop off to visit Audrey and her husband at their lavish ranch in Plano, Texas. Audrey is married to up-and-coming news anchor Stone Crandall, played by Chris Hemsworth, and Audrey herself is played by Leslie Mann. Mann is best known for starring in such hit comedies asKnocked Up,Blockers,George of the Jungle,This is 40, andThe Other Woman.
Mann’s performance as Audrey is a sad development from the previous versions of Audrey. In the originalNational Lampoon’s Vacationmovies, Audrey was portrayed as a wild, liberated free spirit who seemed to have a very adventurous life ahead of her. But the 2015National Lampoon’s Vacationreboot traps Audrey in a loveless marriage where she feels like she has no purpose.
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Cast
National Lampoon’s Vacation is a 1983 comedy directed by Harold Ramis and written by John Hughes. The film follows Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, as he embarks on a cross-country road trip with his family to reach the fictional amusement park, Walley World. Along the way, they encounter a series of comedic misadventures that test their resolve and family bonds.
