TV Stars Where Are They Now?
PA PhotosBy Jessica David
The OC
Ben McKenziewon our hearts as the white-vest-clad, jock-punching, lovable rouge Ryan Attwood. Though we never believed for a second he was 16 (Ben was actually closer to 26 when he was cast), there was something undeniably cute about how Mischa ‘Marissa’ Barton had to wear flats for their kissing scenes. Aw!
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Ooh, Officer! Now having hung up his vest and slapped on a holster, Ben stars as a policeman in gritty drama Southland and actually looks damn fine in blue. He’s also due to hit the big screen next year in sexy thriller Forever.
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Making ‘geek’ chic, lovable nerd Seth Cohen ended up the surprise hottie of The OC and Adam Brody, a pin-up for teenage girls and their big sisters/mothers/grandmothers everywhere. He even found love on-screen and off with his equally adorable co-star, Rachel Bilson.
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Adam and Rachel may have gone their separate ways (sob!) but it looks like 2010 could be Adam’s year. His latest flick, Jennifer’s Body – a too-cool-for-school black comedy from Diablo Cody, the writer of Juno – co-stars Megan Fox and hit screens this November (we can’t wait!) whilst his next big screen venture, the brilliantly-titled A Couple Of Dicks – a comedy with Bruce Willis – is due to have them ‘rolling in the aisles’ next spring.
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Alan DaleAKA Jim Robinson from Neighbours played Caleb Nichol, basically the big nuts and deep pockets of Orange County, who resented his WASP daughter marrying a Jewish man (Sandy) and adopting a thug (Ryan). Until he died of a heart attack…Just like Jim.
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Alan sure hasn’t been short of work since The OC, starring in such high-profile hit shows as Torchwood, Lost and even Ugly Betty, in which he played Bradford Meade, head honcho of the publishing house. Until he died of a heart attack…Just like Jim. Ooh, and Caleb.
Rex FeaturesThe OC
Cam Giganetmade us swoon with a lot of shirtless action as OC bad-boy Kevin Volchok. He even bagged Marissa before eventually causing her untimely death at the end of Series 3.
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Cam hit the big time playing evil vampire James (who was also shirtless a lot, coincidence?) in the beautiful and brilliant Twilight. The role made him Hollywood hot property and he now has a staggering 11 movies in the pipeline, including psychological thriller The Experiment, with Oscar-winner Forest Whittaker. Go, Cam!
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Nikki Reedplayed Ryan’s steamy love interest Sadie for just six episodes in series 3 before realising that the diminutive Ryan really belonged with leggy Marissa after all, and bailing.
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Enjoying an ex-OC-star reunion with Cam Giganet, Nikki played show-stopping vampire Rosalie in Twilight and – unlike Cam – she didn’t die in the first film! Meaning she’s signed up for no less than three sequels in the Twilight saga. Smart girl.
Rex FeaturesThe OC
Willa Hollandplayed Marissa Cooper’s scheming, spoilt little sister Kaitlin, AKA mini Coop, in series 3 and 4.
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Willa went on to cause just as much trouble in Gossip Girl as model/party girl Agnes, and will be hitting the big screen in 2010 god-fearing fantasy flick Legion, with Paul Bettany.
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By series 4, Marissa had died, Summer had gone all eco-warrior and Orange County had really lost its charm. Enter Chris Brown, who played Kaitlin’s band geek boyfriend, Will Tutt.
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Now more tut-tut than Will Tutt, Chris is now probably most famous for that Rihanna incident. ‘Nuff said.
PA PhotosBuffy The Vampire Slayer
Alyson Hanniganplayed Buffy’s best friend Willow; an original Scooby Gang member and alongside Xander Harris, managed to re-define the English language with their ‘buffyisms’. From geeky school girl to formidable (and damn scary) witch the transformation of this Buffy character was THE one to watch in the series. Oh – and she liked girls too which was rather shocking at the time...
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After swapping her spell book for a flute to portray brazen band geek Michelle in the American Pie trilogy, Alyson now enjoys success as impulsive Kindergarten teacher Lily in hit US comedy show How I Met Your Mother: "I feel so lucky to have success twice." She recently had a baby girl with fellow Buffy co-star Alexis Denisof (Wesley) and is quite the Twitterer!
WENNBuffy The Vampire Slayer
The original sexy vampire (way before R-Patz girls) David Boreanaz’s Angel was the vampire with a soul that not only stole the heart of the slayer but every Buffy fan who checked in week after week to watch this unholy specimen of mankind work his magic. He brooded. A lot. It was his ‘thing’. The chemistry between the slayer and what should have been her arch enemy was intense and BEYOND romantic. If Romeo and Juliet thought they had it bad they should’ve checked out these two. Did we mention how sexy Angel was?
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After the end of the Buffy spin-off Angel a nation of hearts were broken as we feared - how we would get our DB fix? But luckily his series Bones proved a hit and several seasons on it looks like his role as forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperence Brennan is a stayer. Phew! Not the same without his fangs though. Sorry.
Rex FeaturesBuffy The Vampire Slayer
Who’d have thought little Dawn Summers has such a sparkling career ahead of her! Joining the Buffy team in Season 5 as Buffy’s little sister (although technically she never actually existed), Michelle Trachtenberggave her sister something to keep her occupied aside from demons and vampires and dare we say even bought out the soft side of the slayer.
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Now all grown up, style-icon-in-the-making Michelle can now been seen stirring up trouble as god-fearing coke fiend Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl. She can also be seen on the big screens next summer in A Couple Of Dicks with Bruce Willis and the lovely Adam Brody, and Young Americans, a comedy-drama with an ensemble cast of some of Hollywood’s brightest rising stars.
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As the ever-present Rupert Giles, Anthony Stewart Headwas Buffy’s ‘watcher’, which meant being her mentor, confidant and often the person Buffy would strike out at the hardest. For some UK viewers it was hard to accept Giles as an expert Demonologist because we’d grown up watching him try and have sex with his neighbour in the Gold Blend adverts.
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Trading Demonology for the Demon Barber, Anthony had a cameo in Tim Burton’s 2007 Sweeney Todd, before lending his dulcet tones to 21st Century rock opera Repo! He is currently back on Blighty’s fair shores and can be seen in BBC fantasy drama series Merlin.
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Ask any Buffy fan the biggest dilemma they’ve ever had to deal with and if it’s the female of the species you can guarantee they’ll confess to sleepless nights debating...Angel or Spike? Now Angel is an easy option – good looking, brooding, but James Marsters’ Spike is more your dirty street vampire. Originally Buffy’s arch enemy he went on to join the good guys and eventually became Buffy's lover.
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Has been keeping himself busy with regular TV work in such high profile shows as Without A Trace, Smallville, Lie To Me and Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood. There are rumours of a few movie roles in the pipeline, so hopefully fair-of-face James will be hitting the big screens soon too. Marsters has also enjoyed success with his rock band Ghosts of the Robot.
Rex FeaturesBuffy The Vampire Slayer
Seth Green’s Daniel "Oz" Osbourne was one of the most popular sometime characters of the Buffy series. A tortured soul who to the outside world was a cool teenager in a band but in reality was transformed into a werewolf on a full moon. He joined the series as Willow’s boyfriend but left after learning to control his internal beast.
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For non-Buffy fans Seth is best known as the son of Dr Evil in the Austin Powers movies as well as providing the voice of Chris Griffin in Family Guy. Since Buffy he has had several parts in movies and next year can be seen The Brazilian Job and Mars Needs Moms! as well as making us laugh hysterically with his comedy animation show, Adult Swim.
Rex FeaturesSaved By The Bell
Ah... How many days did we arrive late to school because of this lil’ American sit-com? We all wanted to go to Bayside High School in loud clothes with big hair and date the Ferris Bueller-esque Zack Morris. Of course, it was the character of Jessie, the resident feminist brainiac played by Elizabeth Berkley, who got to wear the loud clothes, big hair (she once said she went through a can of hairspray a day during her stint on the show) and date Zack. In fact, Zack would climb through Jessie’s window at night via a tree a good eight years before Dawson did so to Joey in da Creek.
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After washing that hairspray right outta her hair and slipping into something a little less comfortable (and a lot more slutty), Elizabeth put Jessie firmly behind her to play Vegas showgirl Nomi in the sex and nudity-laden movie Showgirls, which bombed at the time but has gone on to achieve cult status. Swapping sequins for trouser suits, Liz now plays Agent Julia Winston in the high-profile CSI Miami, and also runs Ask-Elizabeth; a self-help program for teen girls – putting those Saved By The Bell story-lines to good use, no doubt.
Rex FeaturesSaved By The Bell
The role of Samuel ‘Screech’ Powers made Dustin Diamonda teen star. He started playing the goofy, bumbling, big-haired sidekick when he was just 12 years old and hung around Bayside High School until the show’s cancellation and for the subsequent spin-offs, finally quitting the character when he was 25 (!).
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Sadly, Screech was as good as it gets for Dustin – and has become undoubtedly his most famous role to date. After many a’ stint on celebrity reality TV shows, such as Celebrity Fit Club and Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling (!?), Dustin spiralled into debt and, in an alleged bid to raise his profile, starred in a porno entitled Screech: Saved By The Smell which, as the name suggests, is particularly disgusting.
WENNMarried With Children
Hands up whose boyfriend DIDN’T fancy Christina Applegatein the ‘90s? The starlet shot to fame and pin-up status playing ‘easy’ teen Kelly Bundy in the hilarious sit-com about anti-domestic bliss when she was just 15 years old.
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Since Married With Children was cancelled in ’97, Christina built herself up quite a busy, comedy-packed CV with many a’ TV and film roles, including playing the eponymous heroine in hit show, Jesse, and flicks such as The Sweetest Thing and Anchorman. She also bravely battled breast cancer in 2008 (Go, Christina!) and can currently be seen wrapping up ABC sit-com Samantha Who? See Ms Applegate hitting the big screen again next summer in the Drew Barrymore/Justin Long rom-com, Going The Distance.
WENNMarried With Children
How much did we LOVE Katey Sagalas Peggy – the ever-amorous shopaholic wife of long-suffering Al Bundy? The spandex-clad, daytime TV-loving floozy spent half her time on the sofa and the other half trying to tempt Al into bed.
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As well as playing (the voice of) Leela in the brilliant Futurama, Katey stars in American gritty drama series Sons Of Anarchy, about a vigilante group of motorbike enthusiasts who protect their small hometown through bribery and violence. Ooh-er.
PA PhotosBeverly Hills, 90210
Jason Priestleywas catapulted to superstardom in 1990 when he joined the cast of a show based around the world’s most infamous zip-code. It was all we could talk about in our tweens: Who did you fancy most? Brandon or Dylan? Cue oodles of 90210 school paraphernalia – pencil cases, folders; the works! Sadly, the show wrapped in 2000.
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Jason has kept a relatively low profile since leaving 90210, choosing to spend the majority of his time behind the camera – he has produced and directed many a’ teen TV project including the new and current 90210 spin-off. The race car enthusiast cheated death in 2002 when his car crashed at 180mph during the Kentucky Speedway race. Despite suffering from multiple broken bones, as well as a fractured spine, the star made a full and speedy recovery.
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Brian Austin Greenplayed geek-turned-hip-hop-extraordinaire David Silver, step-brother to Jennie Garth’s Kelly and boyfriend to Tori Spelling’s Donna for the show’s full 10 years run.
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Brian released a poorly-received rap album in 1996, entitled One Stop carnival (which included such memorable funky beats as Style Iz It, and Mind And Da Body). He had a successful TV come-back in 2008 playing Derek Reese in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles but is probably most well-known for dating Celebdom’s current number 1 pin-up Megan Fox.
Rex FeaturesFriends
We all know what the big six are up to! But what about some of their recurring co-stars? Enter Gunther, the peroxide blonde, Rachel-obsessed owner of Central Perk. James Michael Tyleractually got the role of Gunther because he was the only extra on-set who knew how to actually work the Cappuccino machine!
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James is still making a living from playing the ‘sexy blonde behind the counter’, as Ross’ mother once described him in the show. He recently turned up on Blighty’s fair shores to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the much-loved TV series, when Central Perk popped up on London’s Carnaby Street and fans queued around the block for a free latte and a glimpse of the infamous coffee house.
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GLAMOUR.com favourite Paul Ruddplayed Phoebe’s yummy hubby Mike Hannigan for the last two seasons of the show – possibly the first time in the history of Friends that we were jealous of Phoebe.
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It’s fair to say Paul has had the most successful film career of all the Friends – aside from Jennifer Aniston, of course. The ‘improv’ king has starred in modern comedy classics such as Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Role Models with actors/buddies Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jane Lynch and Jason Segel.
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Giovanni Ribisishot to fame playing Phoebe’s long-lost lil’ bro Frank Jr – you know, the cutie who liked to ‘melt stuff’ and ended up marrying his home economics teachers 26 years his senior, whom he still called Mrs. Knight. Brilliant.
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A first-rate comedy actor, Giovanni has since starred in the hilarious My Name Is Earl as Ralph Mariano, and even earned himself an Emmy Awards nomination for the role. He’s also been busy building up an impressive film resume, and can be seen hitting big screens this Christmas in James Cameron’s Avatar - a sci-fi epic set to be HUGE. Go Gio!
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Eddie Cahillfirst stepped into the Friends spotlight in season 8 and made us all swoon as Tag Jones, Rachel’s cute (but young) tight-sweater-clad assistant/lover at Ralph Lauren.
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Making the smooth transition from one hit, high-profile show to another, Eddie has had a starring role in CSI: NY for over 5 years now as sexy detective Don Flack.
PA PhotosSex And The City
Made our hearts flutter as Carrie’s writer boyfriend – that is, before he became a total LOSER! Gorgeous Ron Livingstonplayed Jack Berger in series 5 and 6 of our beloved show before he famously dumped SJP by a post-it. Which we thought was the worst way you could ever dump someone, until Miranda then revealed she was once broken up with by her boyfriend’s doorman: “I’m sorry Ms. Hobbs, Jonathan won’t be coming down. Ever.”
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State-side, Ron is starring as astronaut Maddux Donner in big budget space drama series Defying Gravity. Here in Blighty, you may have noted his fair face pop up on the big screen in slushy weep-fest The Time Traveller’s Wife, with Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana
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First caught our eye as Big’s glamorous 5’ 11” wife, Natasha in series 2 and 3 – who didn’t feel a teensy bit sorry for Bridget Moynahanwhen she learned of her philandering hubby and Carrie’s affair just a few months into their marriage? Ooh-er.
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Swapping Big for Big Willy, Bridget went on to star alongside Will Smith in big budget action flick I, Robot, and has three further big screen ventures in the pipeline, including children’s book adaptation Ramona and Beezus with fellow ex SATC-er John Corbett (AKA Aiden), and sci-fi epic Battle: Los Angeles, with Aaron Eckhart.
