What Have the Original ‘thirtysomething’ Stars Been Up To? (PHOTOS)
THEN: Ken Olin as Michael Steadman
NOW: Ken Olin
Olin still acts occasionally—with roles in Alias, Brothers & Sisters, and Zoo—but is better known these days for his work behind the camera. He’s an executive producer of This Is Us, for example, and has directed 20 episodes of the NBC drama.
THEN: Patricia Wettig as Nancy Weston
NOW: Patricia Wettig
Like Olin, her husband, Wettig has appeared onscreen in Alias and Brothers & Sisters, starring as Holly Harper in the latter. She also played President Caroline Reynolds in Prison Break.
THEN: Timothy Busfield as Elliot Weston
NOW: Timothy Busfield
Post-thirtysomething, Busfield appeared in the Aaron Sorkin dramas The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and took roles in the shows Designated Survivor, The Loudest Voice, Almost Family, and For Life. He also reunited with Wettig last year in Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.
THEN: Mel Harris as Hope Murdoch
NOW: Mel Harris
In recent years, Harris has appeared in the TV shows Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Shut Eye, and Imposters.
THEN: Peter Horton as Gary Shepherd
NOW: Peter Horton
Horton still acts from time to time, but like many of his costars, he’s making a living behind the scenes. He earned three Emmy nominations for his work producing and directing Grey’s Anatomy, for instance, and now serves as a producer and director of New Amsterdam.
THEN: Melanie Mayron as Melissa Steadman
NOW: Melanie Mayron
Most recently, Mayron played Jane’s grad school advisor Marlene Davidson on Jane the Virgin. She also directed 17 episodes of the CW rom-com, along with installments of Dynasty, BH90210, Charmed, and GLOW.
THEN: Polly Draper as Ellyn Warren
NOW: Polly Draper
Draper is probably best known for creating Nickelodeon’s Naked Brothers Band franchise, which stars her sons, Paper Towns actor Nat Wolff and Hereditary actor Alex Wolff. The Naked Brothers movie also boasted cameos by all six of Draper’s thirtysomething costars.
OK, boomers, who remembers thirtysomething?
The Emmy-winning ABC drama, which followed the personal and professional lives of a gaggle of baby boomer Philadelphians for four seasons between 1987 and 1991, may be headed back to the small screen now that ABC has ordered a pilot of a sequel series titled thirtysomething(else).
Before we meet the new generation in the spinoff, let’s see what the original stars have been up to.
Check out the cast’s post-thirtysomething careers in the gallery above, starting with the four stars who are slated to reprise their roles in the new series.
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