Roland Emmerich's 2000 film 'The Patriot' starred Mel Gibson as a South Carolina man swept up in the American Revolutionary War in order to protect his family.

The hit film also starred the late Heath Ledger in his second high-profile role. With the Fourth of July in mind, we thought it'd be fun to look back at the cast of this film 13 years ago, and see where they're at now.

Mel Gibson, Benjamin Martin

Patriot Mel Gibson
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Then: Harrison Ford turned down the role of Benjamin Martin, the widower and father of seven children who tries to avoid entering the war. Mel Gibson took the part, which originally called for six children, but Gibson added a seventh because he himself had seven kids.

Now: Gibson recently starred in 'Get the Gringo' and can be seen next in 'Machete Kills,' and, if rumor has it, 'The Expendables 3.' In addition to acting, Gibson has also directed 'The Passion of the Christ' and 'Apocalypto' before going totally off the deep end and being all racist a few years back.

Joely Richardson, Charlotte Selton

Joely Richardson
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Then: Joely Richardson played Charlotte Selton, Benjamin's sister-in-law who, as it's implied, marries him at the end of the film.

Now: The sister of the late Natasha Richardson (wife of Liam Neeson), Joely has appeared in a number of movies and TV shows, including -- and most notably -- a recurring role on the steamy FX drama 'Nip/Tuck.' In recent years, she's appeared in 'Red Lights' and 'The Tudors.'

Jason Isaacs, Colonel William Tavington

Patriot Jason Isaacs
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Then: Kevin Spacey was the first choice to play the evil Colonel Tavington, but after paying $25 million to get Mel Gibson, the production couldn't afford the 'Usual Suspects' star. Instead, they went with Jason Isaacs, who previously starred in 'Event Horizon' and 'Armageddon.'

Now: Isaacs is known best for playing Lucius Malfoy, father of bratty Draco in the 'Harry Potter' movies. He also starred on the tragically short-lived TV series 'Awake.'

Chris Cooper, Colonel Harry Burwell

Patriot Chris Cooper
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Then: Though he had been acting since 1987, it wasn't until the late '90s that Chris Cooper became a household name after his intense performances in 'Lone Star' and 'American Beauty.' He followed that up as Colonel Burwell, Benjamin's commanding officer, in 'The Patriot.'

Now: Cooper went on to garner acclaim for roles in 'Adaptation' and 'Jarhead,' and recently starred in 'The Muppets Movie.' You can see him next in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' as Norman Osborn.

Lisa Brenner, Anne Howard

Patriot Lisa Brenner
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Then: Lisa Brenner played Anne Howard, wife of Benjamin's son, Gabriel, played by the late Heath Ledger.

Now: Brenner's resume is short, but she recently appeared on 'The Mentalist' and 'Leverage,' and is married to Hollywood producer Dean Devlin.

Tom Wilkinson, General Lord Charles Cornwallis

Patriot Tom Wilkinson
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Then: Acclaimed British actor Tom Wilkinson only took occasional roles before earning praise for his part in 'The Full Monty,' which led to a slew of roles, including General Cornwallis in 'The Patriot.'

Now: Wilkinson earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in 'In the Bedroom,' and has appeared in a ton of movies, including 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' and 'Batman Begins.' You can see him in this summer's blockbuster 'The Lone Ranger,' alongside Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer.

Adam Baldwin, Captain Wilkins

Patriot Adam Baldwin
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Then: The star of 'Full Metal Jacket' had previously worked with director Roland Emmerich on 'Independence Day' before signing on to play the part of loyalist soldier Captain Wilkins in 'The Patriot.'

Now: You probably know Adam Baldwin best for his work on TV shows like 'Firefly' and 'Chuck.' The actor is an outspoken libertarian who has contributed blog posts to The Huffington Post. He recently made appearances on 'Leverage' and 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.'

Gregory Smith, Thomas Martin

Patriot Gregory Smith
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Then: Gregory Smith was a popular child star in the '90s, with roles in 'Andre,' 'Harriet the Spy' and 'Small Soldiers.' In 'The Patriot,' he played one of Benjamin's sons.

Now: The Canadian actor went on to lead the WB show 'Everwood,' and recently starred on the TV series 'Rookie Blue.' He has appeared in the films 'Hobo with a Shotgun' and 'Dream House.'

Logan Lerman, William Martin

Patriot Logan Lerman
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Then: Logan Lerman made his big-screen debut in 'The Patriot' as Mel Gibson's youngest son, William, and reunited with Gibson the same year for the comedy 'What Women Want' as the womanizing lead's younger self.

Now: Lerman has been gaining a lot of attention in recent years, with roles in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief' and 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower.' You can catch him next in 'Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters' and Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic, 'Noah.'

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