New audition footage of The Outsiders cast has been released by the director of film, Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola posted a video on his Instagram of the film’s cast, along with other hopefuls such as Anthony Michael Hall who went on to star in The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, auditioning for the film. The video showcases the film’s stars such as Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, C. Thomas Howell, and Diane Lane, among others. 

In the caption, Coppola stated, “42 years ago we cast The Outsiders in a unique way. We had all the actors together on a soundstage and would alternate different actors reading for different roles. It was interesting because each of them was watching their competition, so while it could’ve been a volatile situation, it turned into a very positive one. There emerged the natural respect and sense of colleagueship among them. The result worked beautifully and reminded me of my days as a camp counselor.”

The book of the same name by S. E. Hinton is regularly read in middle school classrooms, along with the viewing of the film. This regular reading and watching has kept the film alive in the minds of young people. The casting itself is notable because it launched the careers of many young actors. Much of the cast is still working regularly. Ralph Macchio is one notable name, after The Outsiders, the actor went on to play Johnny in The Outsiders and then played Daniel Larusso in The Karate Kid. He is also currently starring in a Netflix spin-off of The Karate Kid series titled Cobra Kai. In addition, the video shows footage of the late Patrick Swayze, who played Darry in The Outsiders. 

Seeing new footage of the auditions has given fans a new look at the casting process and has allowed them to see how their favorite actors began their careers.