Editing Heaven's Gate (film) (section)

== Cast ==
<!--- Cast and order per opening tombstone credits, roles per closing credits scroll --->
{{Cast listing|
* [[Kris Kristofferson]] as [[James Averill]]
* [[Christopher Walken]] as [[Nate Champion|Nathan D. Champion]]
* [[John Hurt]] as Billy Irvine
* [[Sam Waterston]] as [[Frank M. Canton]]
* [[Brad Dourif]] as Mr. Eggleston
* [[Isabelle Huppert]] as [[Ellen Watson]]
* [[Joseph Cotten]] as The Reverend Doctor
* [[Jeff Bridges]] as John L. Bridges
* [[Geoffrey Lewis (actor)|Geoffrey Lewis]] as Trapper
* [[Paul Koslo]] as Mayor Lezak
* [[Richard Masur]] as Cully
* [[Terry O'Quinn]] as Captain Minardi
}}

In addition, musician [[Ronnie Hawkins]] appears in the first of his few acting roles, as Major Wolcott; the film's composer [[David Mansfield]] appears onscreen as John DeCory, the leader of the Heaven's Gate Band and an employee of Ella; [[Rosie Vela]] (credited as Roseanne Vela) appears as the "Beautiful Girl" whom Averill falls for at [[Harvard University|Harvard]]; future [[66th Golden Globe Awards#Film|Golden Globe winner]] and [[81st Academy Awards#Awards|Academy Award nominee]] [[Mickey Rourke]] appears in his second-ever screen role as Nick Ray; and future multi-Academy Award nominee [[Willem Dafoe]] makes his first, uncredited, screen appearance as Willy.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Spalding Gray's Tortured Soul|date=October 6, 2011 |magazine=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/magazine/spalding-grays-tortured-soul.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=willem%20dafoe&st=cse| page = [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/magazine/spalding-grays-tortured-soul.html?pagewanted=4&_r=1&sq=willem%20dafoe&st=cse&scp=5 p. 5 of online version]|access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref>