Universal Pictures At age 16, Devon Sawa played the human version of Casper the ghost in the movie of the same name His role in the 1995 family film launched his career and left him with unforgettable memories on set alongside Christina Ricci and the rest of the cast The 46-year-old actor has made quite the name for himself in the horror genre in the years since Three decades since its release, the1995 family film,Casper, continues to be remembered as a pioneer in digital effects and an unforgettable story about loss and connection. Based on the Harvey Comics character, 'Casper the Friendly Ghost,' the film — directed by Brad Silberling and produced bySteven Spielberg— became the first to star a fully computer-generated lead character. Despite being dubbed a children's movie, the storyline was a mix of heart, humor and darker emotional themes.Christina Ricci starred as Kat Harvey, a teenage girl who moves into the haunted Whipstaff Manor with her paranormal therapist father, played by Bill Pullman. While navigating the grief of losing her mother and being the new girl in town, Kat meets Casper, the ghost of a young boy who died from pneumonia. Although Casper appears as a CGI ghost for nearly the entire film,actor Devon Sawaplayed the human version of Casper in a brief but memorable scene near the end of the movie. At just 16 years old, Sawa's role as Casper left a lasting impression — particularly for a generation of viewers who remember his emotional dance scene with Ricci's character. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. TheNow and Thenactor has creditedCasperwith helping launch his career, and although he was only on set for a week, it was an experience he'd never forget. "It's one of the movies that I have the most memories of. It was my first big Hollywood film. It was the first time I ever flew in first class," Sawa tells PEOPLE exclusively. "Walking onto Universal and into this sound stage that they had built an entire house on and meeting Steven Spielberg — I didn't know I was going to do that." "It was such a small amount of time that created so many amazing memories," he adds. "And 30 years, that's crazy that we're at 30 years now." Since his role as human Casper, Sawa has moved beyond the family-friendly image to build a lengthy career, particularly in horror films. He gained attention for leading roles in movies like theFinal Destinationfranchise and cult favorites such asIdle Hands, as well as starring in theChuckyTV series. When asked about a character he'd consider revisiting, it's clear that the 46-year-old has left his past behind – opting for more intense, darker roles. "I think I've definitely outgrownCasper," Sawa admits, adding that he would be most interested in anotherIdle Handscameo as Anton. Since shootingCasper, Sawa sayshe and Ricci still see each otheroccasionally, most recently atMotor City Conin Detroit in May. "I bump into her every once in a while, and it's like we haven't skipped a beat," he reveals. "She's great and I'm so proud of her for all the amazing things she's doing." POSE Ricci has also played herfair share of spooky characters, cementing her status as a '90s icon. "We were dark kids, I think," Sawa adds with a laugh. And while Ricci has been open about watchingCasperwithher children, the father of two says he doesn't often watch his own films — especially with family. "My son, he's 11, and he's starting to know some of the stuff that I've done. And 'Stan' is one of them," he says, referring to his memorable role inEminem's iconic 2000 music video. "They could care less aboutCasper." Sawa's most recent role includes the Valentine's Day horror film,Heart Eyes, which premiered in February 2025. As for future projects, he is open to all sorts of possibilities, especially related toChucky. "Hopefully I get to do anotherHeart Eyes-type movie, or anotherChucky-type TV show. I've been very fortunate over the last couple of years to do really amazing things that I really loved doing. I generally loved going to work withChucky," he tells PEOPLE. "Everything's wide open right now, but hopefully I land something again that I smile going to work for." Read the original article onPeople