<P> As helicopters bring the three men aboard the recovery ship USS Iwo Jima for a hero's welcome, Lovell's voice - over describes the subsequent investigation into the explosion, and the careers of Haise, Swigert, Mattingly, and Kranz . He wonders if and when mankind will return to the Moon . </P> <Ul> <Li> Tom Hanks as Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell: Jim Lovell stated that before his book Lost Moon was even written, the movie rights were being shopped to potential buyers and that his first reaction was that Kevin Costner would be a good choice to play him . However, by the time Howard acquired the director's position, Costner's name never came up in serious discussion, and Hanks had already been interested in doing a film based on Apollo 13 . When Hanks' representative informed him that a script was being passed around, he had the script sent to him . John Travolta was initially offered the role of Lovell, but declined . </Li> <Li> Kevin Bacon as Apollo 13 backup Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert </Li> <Li> Bill Paxton as Apollo 13 Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise </Li> <Li> Gary Sinise as Apollo 13 prime Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly: Sinise was invited by Howard to read for any of the characters, and chose Mattingly . </Li> <Li> Ed Harris as White Team Flight Director Gene Kranz: Harris described the film as "cramming for a final exam ." Harris described Gene Kranz as "corny and like a dinosaur", but was respected by the crew . Apollo 13 would be Harris' second space travel - themed movie; he had starred as pioneering astronaut John Glenn in 1983's The Right Stuff . </Li> <Li> Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Gerlach Lovell, Jim's wife </Li> <Li> Chris Ellis as Director of Flight Crew Operations Deke Slayton </Li> <Li> Joe Spano as "NASA Director", a composite character loosely based on Chris Kraft </Li> <Li> Marc McClure as Black Team Flight Director Glynn Lunney </Li> <Li> Clint Howard as White Team Electrical, Environmental and Consumables Manager (EECOM) Sy Liebergot </Li> <Li> Ray McKinnon as White Team Flight Dynamics Officer Jerry Bostick </Li> <Li> Todd Louiso as White Team Flight Activities Officer </Li> <Li> Loren Dean as EECOM John Aaron </Li> <Li> Xander Berkeley as "Henry Hurt", a fictional NASA Office of Public Affairs staff member </Li> <Li> David Andrews as Apollo 12 Commander Pete Conrad </Li> <Li> Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon Dr. Charles Berry </Li> <Li> Ben Marley as Apollo 13 backup Commander John Young </Li> <Li> Brett Cullen as Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) 1 </Li> <Li> Ned Vaughn as CAPCOM 2 </Li> <Li> Tracy Reiner as Haise's wife Mary </Li> <Li> Mark Wheeler as Neil Armstrong Apollo 11 Commander </Li> <Li> Larry Williams as Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot </Li> <Li> Mary Kate Schellhardt as Lovell's older daughter Barbara </Li> <Li> Max Elliott Slade as Lovell's older son James (Jay), who attended military school at the time of the flight </Li> <Li> Emily Ann Lloyd as Lovell's younger daughter Susan </Li> <Li> Miko Hughes as Lovell's younger son Jeffrey </Li> </Ul> <Li> Tom Hanks as Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell: Jim Lovell stated that before his book Lost Moon was even written, the movie rights were being shopped to potential buyers and that his first reaction was that Kevin Costner would be a good choice to play him . However, by the time Howard acquired the director's position, Costner's name never came up in serious discussion, and Hanks had already been interested in doing a film based on Apollo 13 . When Hanks' representative informed him that a script was being passed around, he had the script sent to him . John Travolta was initially offered the role of Lovell, but declined . </Li> <Li> Kevin Bacon as Apollo 13 backup Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert </Li>

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