<P> On his final day as a teacher, Holland enters the school auditorium, where his professional life is surprisingly redeemed . Hearing that their beloved teacher is retiring, hundreds of his former students have secretly returned to the school to celebrate his life . </P> <P> Holland's orchestral piece, never before heard in public, has been put before the musicians by his wife and son . One of his most musically challenged students, Gertrude Lang, now the Governor of Oregon, takes the podium and explains to Holland that the symphony he wrote is not his only legacy...it's the people he has inspired and taught, all of the people he has helped to make a better person, that is his true legacy . Gov. Lang then sits among the musicians with her clarinet, but not before asking Holland to step on up on stage and serve as their conductor for the premiere performance of Mr. Holland's Opus ("The American Symphony"). A proud Iris and Cole look on, appreciating the affection and respect that Holland receives . </P> <Ul> <Li> Richard Dreyfuss as Glenn Holland </Li> <Li> Glenne Headly as Iris Holland </Li> <Li> Jay Thomas as Bill Meister </Li> <Li> Olympia Dukakis as Principal Helen Jacobs </Li> <Li> William H. Macy as Vice Principal (later Principal) Gene Wolters </Li> <Li> Alicia Witt as young Gertrude Lang </Li> <Li> Joanna Gleason as older Governor Gertrude Lang </Li> <Li> Terrence Howard as Louis Russ </Li> <Li> Damon Whitaker as Bobby Tidd </Li> <Li> Jean Louisa Kelly as Rowena Morgan </Li> <Li> Alexandra Boyd as Sarah Olmstead </Li> <Li> Nicholas John Renner as Coltrane "Cole" Holland (age 6) </Li> <Li> Joseph Anderson as Coltrane "Cole" Holland (age 15) </Li> <Li> Anthony Natale as Coltrane "Cole" Holland (age 28) </Li> <Li> Beth Maitland as Deaf School Principal </Li> <Li> Balthazar Getty as Stadler </Li> </Ul> <Li> Richard Dreyfuss as Glenn Holland </Li>

Who played cole in mr holland's opus