Where To Spot Bill Paxton's Family Cameo In Twisters

The following contains light spoilers for Twisters, now playing in theaters

Summary Bill Paxton's son, James, has a small but memorable role in Twisters.

James Paxton plays Cody, an angry motel guest who meets a darkly comedic fate.

Twisters cleverly references the original film and honors Bill Paxton's legacy.

Eagle-eyed fans of the original Twister can spot a clever James Paxton cameo in Twisters. Twisters takes inspiration from the prior movie, 1996's Twister, and explores it with a new perspective and cast of characters. It pays tribute to the original in small ways, even if stars like Helen Hunt don't appear in Twisters. The film also largely works as a stand-alone film disconnected from the 1996 disaster classic.

While the characters of Twisters are all unique from the protagonists of the previous film, the son of one of Twister's stars does make an appearance in the film. Bill Paxton's son James has followed in his father's footsteps, becoming an actor and appearing in films like The Fanatic and shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Playing effectively the opposite of Bill Paxton's Twister role as a man dismissive of any dangers posed by the titular weather phenomenon, James Paxton's cameo is small but memorable in Twisters.

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Bill Paxton's Son Is The Angry Motel Guest In Twisters

James Paxton Has A Small But Memorable Role In Twisters

As reported by Screen Rant, Bill Paxton's son James briefly appears in Twisters as an angry motel guest named Cody, giving the film a meta-connection to the original film. Twister starred Bill Paxton as Bill Harding, a former storm chaser who ends up working alongside his estranged wife to survive an outbreak of twisters that break out across Oklahoma. Twisters is largely disconnected from the previous film, with only a few minor direct connections to the 1996's Twister. Paxton passed away in 2017, making it impossible for the actor to appear in the film even just as a cameo.

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Luckily, his son James was able to honor his father's role in the original and make a memorable (if brief) cameo in Twisters. James Paxton appears as Cody, a dissatisfied traveler who is introduced complaining to a motel manager about the difficulties in renting a room. The scene is a darkly comedic way to cut through the tension of the approaching twister. While Kate and Tyler scramble to find a way to survive the oncoming storm, Cody and his girlfriend dismiss the danger until it's far too late.

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James Paxton's Character Dies In Twisters

Cody And His Girlfriend Don't Escape The Twister

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James Paxton's appearance is brief and ends with a brutal demise. After realizing that Kate and Tyler are right about their warnings, Cody and his girlfriend flee to their car in hopes of outrunning the twister. Unfortunately, they aren't able to get moving in time and are quickly swept up by the cyclone, which is treated as a death sentence throughout Twisters. Although any prospective death isn't seen on-screen, it's heavily implied to be the final fate for Cody and his partner.

James Paxton's scene in Twisters is a clever way to reference the legacy of the original film while still retaining enough distance to feel like a wholly stand-alone film, with James explaining to Entertainment Weekly that it was done to honor his father. The film also references Bill's work within the world of Twister by revealing his Dorothy storm-tracking system is still used by aspiring meteorologists, confirming that the films occur in the same universe. The inclusion of James Paxton in a brief role shows that Twisters hasn't forgotten the influence his father had on the original movie.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Screen Rant