Jurassic World Rebirth, the next chapter in the Jurassic Park franchise, is set to hit theaters in 2025, marking the beginning of “a new Jurassic era” by introducing a new cast and a new storyline. While fans gear up for this soft reboot, one familiar face from the original films recently made a return—Ariana Richards, who played Lex Murphy, John Hammond’s resourceful granddaughter, in the 1993 classic and its 1997 sequel.
Richards, now 45, may have left Hollywood behind after her role as Lex Murphy in Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park to pursue a career as an artist, but that hasn’t stopped her from staying connected to her roots. These days, she’s built a successful career as a painter, with her work displayed in galleries across the country.
Despite her focus on art, Richards recently treated fans to a dose of nostalgia by visiting Jurassic World: The Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood. On October 2, she shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing her watching the iconic log flume-style ride, smiling as she asked fans, “Did any of you take the Jurassic World plunge on Monday?? Love Universal Studios Hollywood.”
Incognito at the park!! Did any of you take the Jurassic World plunge on Monday?? Love Universal Studios Hollywood
Incognito at the park!! Did any of you take the Jurassic World plunge on Monday?? Love Universal Studios Hollywood ❤️🌎 pic.twitter.com/R3p6jCg3Te
— Ariana Richards (@GalleryAriana) October 2, 2024
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Richards has always embraced her connection to Jurassic Park. Her visit to Universal Studios came just over a year after she reunited with some of her co-stars to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary by re-creating the famous “Jell-O scene.”
While Richards stepped away from acting after her Jurassic Park days, she has never completely disappeared from the spotlight. In addition to her painting career, she has appeared at fan conventions and special events tied to the Jurassic franchise.
Though fans have long speculated whether she might return as Lex Murphy in a future installment, Richards has yet to reprise her role. So far, she’s only appeared in the first two films alongside Joe Mazzello, who played her brother, Tim.
Despite Jurassic World Rebirth featuring a new cast, legacy actors like Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, and Laura Dern won’t be returning this time around. However, while Richards might not be battling dinosaurs on-screen anymore, either, it’s clear she still has a special connection to the franchise that helped launch her career.
With Jurassic World Rebirth set to debut in July 2025, fans can look forward to a fresh lineup of stars like Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali as the franchise heads in a bold new direction.
Would you like to see Ariana Richards return in Jurassic World Rebirth? Let Disney Fanatic know your thoughts in the comments down below!
