In the heady days of 2009, when Instagram wasn’t even a thing yet and George W. Bush was considered the most inarticulate president of all time, Confessions of a Shopaholic was released to, well, not quite fanfare — but some people liked it! Add in the fact the cast was full of a combination of big names and up-and-coming stars, and you have yourself a girl’s night classic.
The movie, based on Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic novel series, followed the life of Rebecca “Becky” Bloomwood, a retail-addicted columnist as she battles with her inability to stop spending on clothes, all while trying to salvage her professional and personal relationships as they come under strain because of her buying habits.
In the near-decade and a half since the film’s release, its stars have gone on to do plenty of interesting things. If you watched the movie way back in 2009, or were charmed by it more recently, and have been wondering what happened to the actors who were in the film, then read ahead for our roundup of where the Confessions of a Shopaholic cast is now!
Rebecca “Becky” Bloomwood – Isla Fisher
Aussie actress Isla Fisher was already a relatively big name when she signed up to star in the adaptation of Kinsella’s novel series, having appeared in comedy classics like Wedding Crashers and Hot Rod, as well as a number of shows and films in her native Australia (although, funnily enough, not Home and Away or Neighbours, the two soaps that have both produced most of the stars that make it big from the land down under). Fisher made Rebecca both endearing and hilarious, which was no surprise given her experience, and was a huge part of why this chick-flick has a special place in many people’s hearts.
Since 2009, Fisher seems to have been everywhere. She played Ron Howard’s daughter in Arrested Development, was in Baz Luhrmann’s ultra-successful adaptation of The Great Gatsby, and showed off more of her comedic side in Harmony Korine’s The Beach Bum. She’s also ventured into voiceover work, and her next big movie appearance will be as a voice actor in the upcoming comedy Strays. The series Wolf Like Me, which she also starred in, has been renewed for a second season.
Luke Brandon – Hugh Dancy
Heartthrob Hugh Dancy plays Luke Brandon, Rebecca’s boss and love interest in the film. The Black Hawk Down and Ella Enchanted star was no stranger to playing a romantic lead by this point, and had a strong acting resume that showed he could easily take on the role. Dancy is sexy, smart, and charming in Confessions of a Shopaholic, giving audiences plenty to swoon over.
Since his turn in the 2009 rom-com, Dancy has done a fair amount of acting work in theater, television, and cinema, although his most prominent roles have come on the small screen. He played one of the leads in the successful NBC series Hannibal between 2013 and 2015, picking up plenty of award nominations for his performances. He also had a six-episode arc in Homeland and starred alongside Aaron Paul in cult drama The Path. It’s not all been super intense roles, though — he did some voice work for a couple of episodes of Robot Chicken, which is about as far from serial killer and cult dramas as you can get. Last year, he was in the Downton Abbey movie, and most recently, he’s been playing Nolan Price in Law & Order.
Suze Cleath-Stuart – Krysten Ritter
Krysten Ritter played Rebecca’s best friend, roommate, and soon-to-be bride (not to Rebecca, of course), Suze. Up until that point, the American had acted in a few smaller film roles, some in similar movies to Confessions of a Shopaholic, like 27 Dresses, but her television career was much more successful. She had appeared on multiple episodes of iconic shows like Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, and was filming for the part that really springboarded her into public consciousness, as Aaron Paul’s addict girlfriend Jane Margolis in Breaking Bad.
After Shopaholic, Ritter’s star continued to rise. She reprised her Veronic Mars role in a 2014 film adaptation of the series and starred in the criminally underrated show Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23. She also continued to show off her comedic abilities with parts in Robot Chicken and The Cleveland Show, as well as appearing as herself in shows like Comedy Bang! Bang! and The Eric Andre Show. Her biggest part since her turn as Suze was when she played the titular character in the Netflix series Jessica Jones, based on the Marvel character. Later this year she’s set to star in the upcoming series Orphan Black: Echoes.
Graham Bloomwood – John Goodman
Character acting legend John Goodman was probably the joint most famous member of the cast of Confessions of a Shopaholic when it was released back in 2009 (that accolade is shared with the actress who played his wife, but more on that later). Listing his best performances prior to his appearance as Rebecca’s caring father could be a whole article in itself, but some of the hits are Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, and Blues Brothers — his association with the Coen brothers is well-known and legendary. He first really shot into the public’s eye on the iconic series Roseanne, back in the ’80s, and by 2009 was likely able to pick and choose any role he wanted.
Since Confessions of a Shopaholic was released, Goodman has continued to do lots of good work. On TV, he had a hilarious turn in the comedy series Community, played Santa in SpongeBob SquarePants, and parodied ex-secretary of state and all-around disgusting human being Rex Tillerson on SNL. In terms of film work, he’s been in Argo, the Hangover franchise, and even made an appearance in a Transformers film. Currently, he’s doing voice work for the Tubi series The Freak Brothers, and continuing his association with the Monsters Inc. universe by voicing Sulley in the Disney animated series Monsters at Work.
Jane Bloomwood – Joan Cusack
We said the person who played Rebecca’s mother and Graham’s wife was a big name, and they don’t come much bigger than Joan Cusack. A Hollywood titan, she’s been nominated for two Oscars and won an Emmy, so her credentials are most certainly there. Her body of work prior to her turn in the 2009 rom-com speaks for itself: Working Girl, Addams Family Values, and High Fidelity are just three of the incredible films on her resume, and she was also a cast member on SNL. Oh, and did we mention she voices Jessie in the Toy Story franchise, too?
Since 2009, Cusack has continued to consistently work. She went back to her voice role as Jessie in Toy Story 3 and 4, was in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and continued to make audiences laugh in Andy Samberg’s Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. She also expanded her television work with a long-time role on Shameless, and her excellent performances in the adaptation of the famous British show won her the previously mentioned Emmy. Although she hasn’t done much film or TV work since before the pandemic, if Jessie is in Toy Story 5, it’s highly likely she’ll reprise her role in the beloved franchise.
Alicia Billington – Leslie Bibb
In Confessions of a Shopaholic, Leslie Bibb plays Alicia Billington, a bit of a professional rival to Rebecca, getting the role the main character initially wanted at Alette magazine. Bibb was already a fairly established name thanks to her work in Iron Man, as well as her recurring roles on television series like ER and The League.
Since 2009, Bibb has continued working steadily. She reprised her role as the journalist Christine Everhart in Iron Man 2 and even had a part in the action thriller Law Abiding Citizen. She has two projects set to be released either this year or next, depending on how post-production goes: the comedy About My Father, starring Robert De Niro, and an Apple TV miniseries entitled Mrs. American Pie, where she has a supporting role.