‘Married… With Children’ Stars: Where Are They Now?

Before Ed O’Neill landed his iconic role as father Al Bundy on Married With Children, he already had a few acting credits under his belt. He played a police detective in his first film titled Cruising, which also starred Al Pacino.

O’Neill was the longest-standing character on Married…With Children, starring in the show for its entire run of 11 seasons. After his great success with the sitcom, his career continued to thrive.

He has done voice-over work for Disney films like the Wreck-It Ralph franchise and Finding Dory but he struck luck again on the silver screen in 2009 with his role as Jay Pritchett on the award-winning ABC sitcom Modern Family. O’Neill has many nominations and awards under his belt courtesy of his roles on the two sitcoms.

Faustino has been acting since before he could even speak. He made his TV debut at three months old when he was featured on the Lily Tomlin Special. Then in 1980, he landed a small role on Little House on the Prairie.

Throughout the mid-1980s, he guest-starred in TV shows like Highway to Heaven and Family Ties. Then in 1987, he landed his breakthrough role as the younger brother, Bud Bundy on Married… With Children. He appeared in a whopping 259 episodes of the show.

Faustino was a fan favorite on Married… With Children, so even after the show ended, he reprised his role of Bud in the series Parker Lewis Can’t Lose and Top of the Heap.

He has also guest-starred in many popular TV shows including The X-Files, The New Addams Family, and even Modern Family alongside his former co-star Ed O’Neil. You may also recognize him from the films Entourage or Not Another B Movie. He also hosts a radio show with SkeeFM.

Christina made her TV debut in 1972 at the tender age of one, alongside her mother in the famed soap opera Days of Our Lives. Her first film debut then came in the 1981 horror film Jaws of Satan.

Then in 1986, she received a Young Artist Award for her role as a policeman’s daughter in the series Heart of the City. Then, in 1987 at just 16 years old, she landed the role of Kelly Bundy on Married… With Children, which helped her rise to stardom.

After successfully playing the stereotypical “dumb blonde” character on MWC, Applegate wasted no time and starred in the title role of the NBC sitcom Jesse which earned her a Golden Globe nomination.

Besides her many roles on TV and even a broadway stint, Christina has also featured in some major films such as The Anchorman franchise, Hall Pass, Bad Moms, and Crash Pad. To date, the actress has a Primetime Emmy award, four Golden Globe nominations, and a Tony under her belt.

Before Ted played the handsome scam artist Jefferson D’Arcy on Married With Children, he had already starred in a few notable TV series such as Happy Days, The Love Boat, and Dynasty. Then in 1991, he landed the role of Jefferson where he stayed until 1997.

Ted has described his role on MWC as a “great, great gig.” However, despite the many shows he’s featured in, McGinley isn’t as well known as some of his co-stars.

After his stint on Married… With Children, McGinley was able to secure recurring roles on the shows Sports Night, The West Wing, and Hope & Faith. Back in 2008, he even tried his hand at the dance competition show Dancing With the Stars for its seventh season.

His most recent features include acting in the films The Outcasts, A.X.L. and God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness, and the TV shows No Good Nick and Christmas Reservations.

David Garrison is an American actor who primarily ventures in live theatre, but he is well known for playing the self-centered banker Steve Rhoades on Married… With Children. Before landing that role, he starred opposite Jason Bateman in the 1984 sitcom It’s Your Move.

Some of his many broadway appearances include Wicked, Titanic, Dead Poets Society, and A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine which earned him a Tony Award nomination

While Garrison enjoyed playing Steve Rhoades, he admitted to missing live theatre and subsequently decided to leave the show after four seasons. However, he returned four times on seasons following on and he even became a regular on NBC’s sitcom Working It Out.

He still performs on stage nowadays and is known for his roles in the musicals The Wizard and Wicked. In 2017, he played Professor Walter in Tina Fey’s Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

In 1986, Michael made his first on-screen appearance when he received a small role in Janet Jackson’s music video for “When I Think of You.” Later that same year, his trainer and owner Steven Ritt took him in for an audition for the part as Buck in Married… With Children.

They were initially looking for an older dog but his energy and impressive tricks ended up landing him the role. The talented hound featured in 177 of the show’s episodes.

While Michael was very beloved by both fans of the show and the cast of Married…With Children, his closest bond was with Ed O’Neil. Ritt even recalls how “Buck all of a sudden started kissing Ed on the face in the middle of a scene so Ed was unable to deliver his lines.”

After nine seasons on Married… With Children, Michael eventually retired and was replaced. Then at age 13, he passed away due to old age.

Sylvester’s first role in Hollywood was playing Nathan in the sequel of Sounder. Then during the mid-’80s, he played supporting roles in the films Uncommon Valor, Innerspace, and An Officer and a Gentleman.

After that, he went on to land his best-known role as Griff, co-worker and friend of Al Bundy on Married… With Children. Griff was also a member of Al’s ‘National Organization of Men Against Amazonian Masterhood’ organization, aka “NO MA’AM!”

Sylvester has starred in many TV shows since Married…With Children such as Walking Tall, Shaky Ground, and Today’s F.B.I. His more recent roles include starring in The Army Show, NYPD Blue, The Eddie Capra Mysteries, and Murder, She Wrote.

Sylvester even scored a recurring role in the popular series City of Angels. Today, he keeps out of the spotlight as his last acting credit dates back to 2015.

David’s first paid acting gig in Hollywood actually came when he played Kelly’s boyfriend, Frank, on Married…With Children. Before that, he did some production assistant work and even worked as a background extra in the 1993 movie Aspen Extreme.

His character Frank is an unfaithful biker who ends up getting beaten up by Al. Soon after his stint with the show, he landed a role, playing Angel on the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He then appeared in a spin-off series entitled Angel.

David’s breakout role as Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer is what cemented his career as an actor. He later went on to play the male lead, FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth, on the comedy-drama series Bones.

Then in 2017, Boreanaz landed the role of Jason Hayes in the military drama series SEAL Team. His last acting credit was in 2018 when he narrated an episode of America’s Game.

Sagal actually started her career as a singer-songwriter and in 1973, she worked as a backing vocalist for legendary singers like Bob Dylan and Etta James. She transitioned into acting when she played a small part in the Columbo installment “Candidate for Crime,” directed by her father.

Her first major role came in the series Mary where she starred alongside Mary Tyler Moore. Then in 1987, she landed her breakthrough role as Peggy Bundy, the free-spending and lazy housewife of Al Bundy on Married… With Children.

While her role as Peggy Bundy is her most talked about, she is also known for her voiceover work as Leela on Futurama, as well as her characters on 8 Simple Rules and the FX series Sons of Anarchy.

Sagal even won the Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role as Gemma Teller Morrow on Anarchy. Her more recent roles on the silver screen include starring on Shameless, Dead to Me, and Rebel.

While you may recognize her as the character Mary D’Arcy from Married… With Children, she did have a few gigs before she got this big break. Bearse’s first appearance on TV came when she starred in the soap opera All My Children in 1982.

During the mid-1980s, she also featured in some B-movies such as Fright Night and Protocol. Then in 1987, she landed her role as Marcy, the annoying neighbor of the Bundy residence.

While acting on Married… With Children, Bearse tried her hand at directing and even directed 31 episodes of the show. Then, when the sitcom ended in 1997, she went on to star in the films The Doom Generation and Here Come the Munsters.

She definitely caught the directing bug because she also directed episodes of hit shows like The Jamie Foxx Show, Jessie, and The Big Gay Sketch Show where she teamed up alongside Rosie O’Donnell. Her most recent acting credit came in 2020 when she starred in Sky Sharks.

E.E. Bell is best known for his role as Bob Rooney, a buddy of Al and member of ‘No MA’AM’, on Married With Children. He also acted alongside Harrison Ford in the film Air Force One in 1997.

Bell is no stranger to playing larger-than-life characters as he was also cast in the popular Nickelodeon sketch show The Amanda Show, with Amanda Bynes.

Bell went on to star in the films Water for Elephants in 2011 and Hail, Caesar! in 2016. His recurring role as Barney on The Amanda Show set him up nicely to appeal to a younger audience.

Since that gig, he has landed small parts in the hit Disney shows Drake and Josh, Good Luck Charlie, Sonny With a Chance, and Shake It Up. His latest acting credit was for his role in the 2018 Netflix short film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

Shane Sweet graced our screens as the character Seven on Married…With Children. He was introduced to the show as the son of one of Peggy’s wild hillbilly family members.

Before his stint on the popular sitcom, Sweet also had small roles on the show Cheers and even starred in the film Murder of Innocence while shooting for Married… With Children. It’s fair to say that audiences hated his character’s unusual name – Seven.

Sweet went on to land his breakthrough role after his time on Married… With Children, when he starred as Josh Stevenson in Nickelodeon’s The Journey of Allen Strange.

And while he has acted in a few guest-starring roles since, his voice-acting work has taken center stage. He voiced parts in major films like Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas and the sequels to Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and The Tooth Fairy.

Everyone who sees this face will recognize him as Joey Tribbiani from Friends but before Matt LeBlanc landed that breakthrough role, he was a struggling actor trying to break into Hollywood.

So, when he starred as Vinnie Verducci on Married… With Children, the role helped him get his name out there. During the early ‘90s, Matt also starred in two short-lived spin-offs Top of the Heap, and Vinnie & Bobby.

After his short time on Married… With Children, Matt was offered the role that changed his life forever – playing the simpleminded but adored Joey on Friends. He went on to play this character for 12 years and the sitcom is still considered one of the most successful to date.

Matt even landed his own spin-off show from it, entitled Joey, but it was cancelled after just two season. LeBlanc’s career didn’t really pick up until he starred as a fictionalized version of himself on the hit show Episodes, a role that would win him a Golden Globe Award and propel him back into the mainstream.

You may recognize Joey Lauren Adams as the leading lady in Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy, but before she got her breakout role, she played teenage Mona Mullins on Married… With Children.

Adams started her acting career in 1977 when she played a small role in Exorcist II: The Heretic. Then in 1991, she appeared in the 100th episode of Married… With Children entitled “Top of the Heap.”

Her role as Mona Mullins on Married… With Children, led to a part in the show Vinnie & Bobby, a spinoff of Top of the Heap (where she also played Mona), which was itself a spinoff of MWC. Adams made two more appearances on the show as Cousin Effie in season six and Janie in season seven.

Then in 1997, Joey landed the role as Alyssa Jones on Chasing Amy, for which she later was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Then in 2019, she reprised her role in kevin Smith’s comedy film Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.

Traci Lords made her debut in the film industry when she landed the leading role in the 1988 remake of the sci-fi film Not of This Earth. She then went on to star alongside Johnny Depp in the teen comedy Cry-Baby in 1990.

Soon after, she got her first role on Married…With Children in season four, playing a dental assistant. Lords then returned to the series in season six, as a character in Al’s imagination.

Lords has played minor roles in many popular TV series including Roseanne, Melrose Place, Gilmore Girls, and Will & Grace. She also appeared in the films Skinner, Virtuosity, and Blade.

Her more recent roles include playing Vanessa on Eastsiders for eight episodes and she featured in the thriller film The Farm which is set to release this year. Lords also has a thriving career in music and has released an album entitled 1000 Fires and one E.P.

Ribisi started his acting career when he was young after starring in the 1980s sitcom My Two Dads. He went on to guest-star in several series including Highway to Heaven and The Twilight Zone.

When he was 11 years old, the bonafide child star appeared on Married With Children and played the part of Teddy. As he got older, he took on more serious roles but you may recognize Ribisi from his later recurring role as Frank Buffay Jr. in Friends.

Ribisi comes from a family of artists with his father being a musician and his mother a manager of actors and writers. Ribisi himself has had an impressive career appearing in over 100 roles.

You might also recognize the star from the films Lost in Translation, Avatar, and Seth MacFarlane’s Ted. Ribisi is currently working on the production of the Avatar sequels which plan to be released in 2022 and 2024.

Tia was scouted for her first film Aloha Summer, at the age of 17 while shopping at a grocery store. Her first major role came when she starred in the soap opera General Hospital from 1985 until 1987.

After her success on the show, she landed a few guest appearances on series such as Anything but Love and Married… With Children. On the show, Tia played the role of Kelly Bundy’s rival, Piper Bauman, who tried to steal a modeling job from her.

After MWC, Tia went on to appear in the action films Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and Showdown in Little Tokyo, which both released in 1991. She gained public recognition after being cast as Cassandra in the Wayne’s World films.

She also tried her hand at reality TV after participating in Dancing with the Stars and The Celebrity Apprentice. These days she mainly works in voice acting. Some of her prominent roles include voicing Nani in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Snookie in Aloha, Scooby-Do!

Juliet Tablak’s character on MWC made quite the splash when she was sent to live with Bundy’s neighbor Marcy, and then started up a relationship with Bud. While Tablak was only on the show for four episodes, she certainly made her mark.

Besides Married…With Children, she also featured in the shows Silk Stockings, In the Heat of the Night, and The Larry Sanders Show which was apparently her all-time favorite appearance.

After her time on Married… With Children, Tablak decided to retire from acting in 2000 after playing a scientist on Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. Although she very much enjoyed the craft of acting, she didn’t like the business side of it.

Today Juliet lives a happy life as a chiropractor and owns her own clinic in Los Gatos, California. While the change in career is surprising, it just goes to show the variety of talents Tablak has on offer.

Russel’s first on-screen appearance came when she was just 15 years old and starred as a cast member of the all-new Mickey Mouse Club variety show. She remained on the show for two seasons.

Then in 1993, she starred in the sitcom Boy Meets World before landing her small role on MWC in 1995. She played the adorable classmate of Bud, April Adams. While her role only lasted one episode, the show helped Keri become more well-known.

Today, Russel is regarded as a well-known actress in Hollywood. Her breakthrough role came when she played Felicity Porter on the WB drama series Felicity, where Russel scored a Golden Globe and a Teen Choice Award for her note-worthy performance. Then, from 2013 until 2018, she played agent Elizabeth Jennings on the FX thriller series The Americans.

In 2019, she featured in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Her latest role playing Julie Meadows in the supernatural horror film Antlers is expected to be released in 2021.

Theba’s first on-screen role came on the NBC pilot Death and Taxes. While the show was not picked up, it led to his role on The George Carlin Show. Then, Theba landed his role on MWC.

Interestingly, the actor shares a name with his character on the show but that is where the similarities end. While his fictional role is the owner of a seedy sports bar where Al Bundy and his crew frequent, his real-life self is an accomplished actor.

Theba has since featured on popular shows like Alias, Two and a Half Men, Roseanne, The West Wing, and Children’s Hospital. He even scored a recurring role in the ABC/CBS comedy sitcom Family Matters but his most noteworthy role came in 2009 when he was cast as Principal Figgins in the FOX series Glee.

Theba featured in 58 episodes until 2015 when the show came to an end. His latest role was as Kenneth in the 2020 sci-fi horror comedy film, Useless Humans.

Krista Allen starred in MWS as a university student hiding a big secret. Since her small role on the show, her acting career really took off but interestingly enough, Allen had a different profession in mind when she was younger.

She initially thought she wanted to become a teacher after receiving her degree from the University of Texas. However, after her first role in the series Emmanuelle in Space, she found her true passion.

After MWC, Krista joined the famous Baywatch cast in 2000. Since her role on the hit show, she has had parts on shows like Friends, Days of Our Lives, The X-Files, and Significant Mother.

Other popular shows you may recognize her from include Two and a Half Men, Smallville and Anger-Management. Her more recent roles came in 2020 when she starred in the film I Almost Killed a Serial Killer, and in 2021 when she played Meegan on an episode of 9-1-1.

In 1990, Pamela landed her first role on TV appearing as Yvette on an episode of MWC entitled “Al… with Kelly.” She ended up guest-starring in the show twice and both times, she played a character in Al’s female-crazed imagination. Except, in her second episode entitled “Route 666: Part 2”, her name was changed to Cashew.

After MWC, Anderson continued to guest-star in shows until she got a recurring role on Days of Our Lives in 1992, and finally, she scored her big break playing C.J. Parker on Baywatch.

Anderson starred in Baywatch from 1992 until 1997. The show cemented her place in Hollywood and she went on to star in many more series and films. Today, Anderson splits her time between being an actress and an animal rights activist.

In 2018, Anderson surprised audiences when she starred in the French version of Dancing With the Stars. Then in 2019, she played Jessica Fox in the French crime film Nicky Larson et le parfum de Cupidon.

In 1988, this beautiful Ukrainian-American actress made her film debut as Samantha Delongpre in the romantic thriller Two Moon Junction. That same year she appeared in the made-for-television film The Night Train to Kathmandu.

Then in 1989, she appeared as a mysterious French foreign exchange student for one episode on MCW. Her character butted heads with Kelly after she stole all the attention at school thanks to her good looks.

Jovovich gained international recognition at age 15 for her role in the 1991 romance film Return to the Blue Lagoon. Then, in 1997 she landed her breakthrough role starring in the French sci-fi action film, The Fifth Element. Between 2002 and 2016, Milla played Alice in the franchise Resident Evil.

The show had great success and became the highest-grossing film series based on a video game. Jovovich has also released two albums and owns her own production company.

Tiffany’s first role, playing Kelly Kapowski on NBC’s sitcom Saved by the Bell, helped the actress’s rise to fame. While on the show, Thiessen guest-starred in the series, Charles in Charge, Step by Step, and lastly, Married… With Children.

She played the role of Heather McCoy, where she was a mean girl at Bud’s high school. At the time, Thiessen was an up-and-coming actress after receiving Young Artist Award nominations for her role in Saved by the Bell.

Thiessen went on to star as Valerie Malone on Fox’s 90210 from 1994 until 1998. Then in 2002, she starred in Fastlane, and in 2007 she landed a role on ABC’s What About Brian, and USA Network’s White Collar.

From 2018 until 2020, she played Lori on Netflix’s Alexa and Katie. In 2020, she guest-starred in the highly-anticipated reboot of Saved by the Bell, and that same year, she was cast to play herself in the comedy clip show Deliciousness.