From the beginning,Wet Hot American Summerwas largely a film about underdogs. After the cancellation of MTV’sThe State,Michael Showalter,andDavid Waindecided to create a quick and cheap story they could make with their friends. Yet this process took over three years, leading to filming at a cold Pennsylvania camp where it rained every single day, and a trip to the 2001 Sundance Film Festival with no distribution offers. The film received terrible reviews from critics and made less than $300,000 in theaters.
Yet you’d never realizeWet Hot American Summerwas originally a failure twenty years later. The film quickly became a cult classic, a strange comedy that has a very specific voice unlike any other comedy, and the giant ensemble cast included actors who would soon become gigantic stars, likeBradleyCooper,AmyPoehler,ElizabethBanks, and many more. Two decades after its release,Wet Hot American Summerhas spawned two Netflix series -First Day of CampandTen Years Later- a graphic novel, and even a role-playing game. The film that took years to make and failed upon release has become an everlasting franchise.
The events ofWet Hot American Summertook place on June 18, 2025, so forty years later (and just slightly over twenty years after the film was released), let’s take a look back at that last day of Camp Firewood’s 1981 season, and rank the best characters from the film. But what makes a greatWet Hotcharacter? First, this list will only focus on the events of the film, not on the various ephemera that has come out since. But secondly, the best characters fromWet Hotare consistently hilarious, are important to the events of this final day of camp, and are simply a blast to be around. Some of these characters might only get a few scenes in the film, yet their impact inWet Hot American Summeris integral to the overall experience.
Without further ado, grab your 20-sided die and fondle your sweaters, as we rank the 20 best characters fromWet Hot American Summer.
20. Ben (Bradley Cooper)
20 years after the release ofWet Hot American Summer, Bradley Cooper has arguably become the biggest member of this cast, and while his part may be small, his ability to play off anyone he’s up against in his very first film shows the talent the actor already had. Ben is able to be the order to Susie’s madness, and is able to make his relationship with McKinley possibly the most believable in the entire film. WatchingWet Hot American Summernow, it might be easy to think Ben is funny simply because it’s odd watching a young Cooper in such a tiny role, but Ben is able to hold his own against some massive comedic talents right out the gate.
19. McKinley (Michael Ian Black)
Beyond his relationship and iconic sex scene with Ben, Michael Ian Black’s McKinley doesn’t have a lot to do inWet Hot, somewhat surprising considering his prominence inThe Stateand as one-third of Stella with Showalter and Wain. But it’s in the small moments throughout the film that make Black shine, like the awkward way he runs during the capture-the-flag competition, and the way he already has plans a decade after the events of the film. Also, in a film where everyone is so committed to getting laid/getting other people laid, McKinley is one of only two characters that we know for a fact did the deed during their summer at Camp Firewood.
18. Gary (A.D. Miles)
When looking at the characters ofWet Hot American Summer, there are really two types of characters: the chaos characters who are integral to some of the film’s most insane and hysterical moments, and the more restrained characters who often act as a garnish to the chaos characters. By working in the kitchen with Gene, Gary immediately becomes one of the most important characters in the latter character, as he has to consistently deal with one ofWet Hot’s most bonkers characters. Without Gary, you don’t get Gene’s floundering to make up excuses, and you almost certainly don’t get the Can of Vegetables having a heart-to-heart with Gene about their shared experiences in Vietnam. Whether it’s getting a wedding present for Ben and McKinley, showing that Abby (MarisaRyan) won’t wait for Victor, or asking about the camp’s trip into town, Gary is also integral to setting up some ofWet Hot’s biggest jokes, an underrated and important piece of this story.
17. Lindsay (Elizabeth Banks)
If this list took into consideration the events of the two NetflixWet Hot American Summerseries, Lindsay would be far higher on this list, as she has one of the most interesting backstories of any character at camp. But even without knowing that Lindsay isNever Been Kissingthis entire group, Elizabeth Banks is fantastic at trying to steal away moments with Andy, even when she smells like a burger. Lindsay’s inability to not be turned on, whether it’s when covered in barbecue sauce or when it seems like the camp is about to blow away during the talent show, is a fun commentary on the over-sexualization of female characters in teen comedies.
16. Aaron (Gideon Jacobs)
Wet Hot American Summerusually keeps a strict line between the lives of the campers and their counselors, but that isn’t the case with Aaron. Out of all the kids in arts and crafts, Aaron takes it upon himself to make sureMolly Shannon’s Gail is okay about her separation from Ronald von Kleinstein (JudahFriedlander). Considering that Gail is one of the only characters that is supposed to be in their 30s only makes the actions of Aaron even weirder.Wet Hotends with the two deep in wedding plans, and while it seems like this is just another one of Gail’s relationships that doesn’t work out, it’s extremely strange and borderline unsettling while it lasts.
15. Nancy (Nina Hellman)
Nurse Nancy is another one of thoseWet Hotcharacters that doesn’t have much to do, other than to pop up at opportune times, and drop absolutely brilliant one-liners. In fact, Nancy is one of the only characters whose every line absolutely kills, and her reactions in every scene are extremely underappreciated. Take, for example, her line about lube that causes Beth (JaneneGarofalo) to silently drive away from her. The line was enough, but the unhinged way she runs away from Beth is the perfect capper to what was already an absurd moment. Like Gary, Nancy is an ingenious embellishment for already hilarious scenes.
14. Caped Boy/Keith Stack (Gabriel Millman)
Unlike the other “indoor kids” that decide to spend their last day of camp doing science projects with Henry, Caped Boy distinguishes himself from the crowd, in that he actually has a name. With just one small monologue, we learn so much about Keith Stack - aka Caped Boy. He’s from New Jersey, he is a class B dungeon master, and he’s unexpectedly confident, even after being called a douchebag. Simply put, Keith rocks, to the point that he’s the face of theWet Hotroleplaying adventure game, and even gets his own backstory in theWet Hotgraphic novel byChristopher Hastings. And of course, he saved the camp using his trusty 20-sided die. Keith doesn’t have a lot of time inWet Hot, but he’s definitely cast a level 5 charm spell on us.
13. Neil (Joe Lo Truglio)
Joe Lo Truglio has always been a great sidekick, but when he faces a raft full of scared campers, and a runaway Victor (KenMarino), Neil becomes the star of his own story. Neil alone with the campers on the rapids is packed with great lines, especially telling the boat to “stay there” while on the river, but it’s the aggressive way he attempts to track down Victor that gets him so high on his list. His anger at Victor making “a big mistake,” leading him to chase him down on a stolen motorcycle and eventually destroy the camp’s infirmary is so delightfully over-the-top and crazy in a film that already has its fill of crazy.
12. Gail (Molly Shannon)
At the time ofWet Hot American Summer’s release, Molly Shannon was one of the biggest names associated with the film, having already been a successful cast member onSaturday Night Livedue in large part to her ability to play ridiculous characters. Yet inWet Hot, Gail is possibly the most grounded character, a woman in her 30s who is still teaching at a summer camp, worried that she won’t ever find love and having a personal crisis while surrounded by concerned children. But it’s the way that Shannon plays Gail so seriously that makes her so funny. Her entire story builds to the punchline that she’s now going to marry one of the campers, and by that point, we’re just happy to see Gail happy. Be strong, Gail!
11. J.J. (Zak Orth)
J.J. is the ultimate supporting character inWet Hot American Summer, in that he defies time and space by apparently being everywhere in the camp at all times. He’s there when Andy (PaulRudd) accidentally kills his second camper, he has time to go to Waterville to rob old ladies and go on a drug binge, and he and Gary have time to go to Crate & Barrel and buy Ben and McKinley a wedding present. J.J. is also apparently the only character who came to camp with his brother, Steve (KevinSussman), and his acceptance of Steve at the end of the film is surprisingly effective. On that last day of camp, J.J. is truly making a day of it by being there for seemingly every major event that happens at the camp all day.
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