‘Roseanne’ celebrates 35th anniversary: Cast then and now

The Righteous Gemstones’ star John Goodman won two American Comedy Awards as Dan Connor in ‘Roseanne’

When the show first premiered in October 1988, it quickly resonated with viewers across America and became one of the most popular sitcoms of its time. The show was celebrated for showing a more realistic version of what a working middle-class family looked like.

“Roseanne” also dealt with real-world issues and subjects considered more taboo at the time, such as abortion, homosexuality and birth control. The show continued to include controversial subjects when it was rebooted in March 2018 but was canceled after a scandal with lead actress Roseanne Barr. The cast, minus Barr, got a spinoff called “The Connors” that was recently renewed for a sixth season.

Here is what the show’s main cast has been up to since.

Cast of “Roseanne” in 1988


“Roseanne” was rebooted in 2018 but was canceled after only one season due to Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet. A spinoff, “The Connors,” is still airing. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

Roseanne Barr then and now split
Barr was asked to leave the “Roseanne” reboot after one season due to her racist tweet about a government official.

Roseanne Barr was a stand-up comedian before signing on to play Roseanne Connor in “Roseanne.” Throughout her time on the show, Barr won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and three American Comedy Awards.

While on the show, she also starred in “She-Devil,” “Look Who’s Talking Too” and “Meet Wally Sparks.” When the show came to an end, she returned to stand-up comedy, voiced characters in “Futurama,” “Home on the Range” and “A Dairy Tale,” and appeared in episodes of “The Office,” “Portlandia” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” She also hosted “The Roseanne Show” from 1997 to 2000.

In 2018, Barr announced she and the original cast of “Roseanne” would be returning for a new season of the show. While it was successful, the show was canceled after one season after a racist tweet by Barr insulted government official Valerie Jarrett.

Barr was married to Bill Pentland from 1974 to 1990, and they have three children — Jessica, Jennifer, and Jake. She was married to Tom Arnold from 1990 to 1994 and Ben Thomas from 1995 to 2002. Barr and Thomas have a son named Buck. She had a daughter at 18, Brandi Brown, whom she gave up for adoption and later reconnected with.

John Goodman then and now split
Goodman stars as Dr. Eli Gemstone on Max’s “The Righteous Gemstones.”

John Goodman was already a successful actor prior to landing the role of Dan Connor in “Roseanne.” Throughout his career, Goodman has been nominated for seven American Comedy Awards, 11 Emmy Awards, and five Golden Globes, with wins in all three groups.

While on the show, he also starred in “The Flintstones” and “The Big Lebowski,” and many Coen Brothers movies, including “Raising Arizona,” “Barton Fink,” “O Brother, Where Art Though” and “Inside Llewyn Lewis.” He also starred in “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Coyote Ugly,” “The Emperor’s New Groove,” “Storytelling,” “Monster’s Inc.,” “Beyond the Sea,” “Cars” and “Evan Almighty.”

Later, he appeared in “Speed Racer,” “Pope Joan,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “The Artist,” “Argo,” “Monster’s University,” “The Monuments Men,” “Trumbo” and “10 Cloverfield Lane.” He has been appearing on “The Connors” since 2018 and has been playing Dr. Eli Gemstone on “The Righteous Gemstones” since 2019.

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Goodman married Anna Beth Hartzog in 1989, and they have one child, Molly.

Laurie Metcalf then and now split
Metcalf was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in “Lady Bird.” (Getty Images)

Laurie Metcalf got her start in theater before getting cast in her most recognizable role, Jackie Harris, in “Roseanne.” As an actress, she has won four Emmy Awards with 12 nominations and two Tony Awards with four nominations, and she was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and three Golden Globes.

During her time on the show, she also starred in “Uncle Buck,” “JFK,” “Toy Story,” “Scream 2” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.” When the sitcom came to an end, she began starring in “Norm,” from 1999 to 2000, later appearing in “Treasure Planet,” “Fun with Dick and Jane,” “Meet the Robinsons” and “Georgia Rule.”

In the 2000s, she returned to the stage, on both Broadway and the West End, in plays such as “Three Tall Women” and “A Doll’s House, Part 2.” She also starred in “Easy Money,” “Toy Story 3,” “The McCarthys,” “Getting On,” “Lady Bird,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Toy Story 4” and “Somewhere in Queens.” She has been playing Jackie Harris on “The Connors,” since 2018.

Metcalf was married to Jeff Perry from 1983 to 1986, and they have a daughter named Zoe. She was married to Matt Roth from 1993 to 2014, and they had three children — Will, Mae, and Donovan.

Sara Gilbert
Sara Gilbert then and now split
Sara Gilbert hosted “The Talk” for nine seasons.

Sara Gilbert’s first big role was playing Darlene Connor on “Roseanne,” which earned her two Emmy Awards. Following her time on the show, Gilbert starred in “The Big Tease,” “High Fidelity,” “Welcome to New York” and “Riding in Cars with Boys.”

She continued to act when the show ended, appearing as a guest on a number of shows before starring in the short-lived sitcom “Twins” and appearing on “The Class” and “ER” in a number of episodes. Later, she appeared in episodes of “Web Therapy,” “Bad Teacher,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Atypical.”

From 2010 to 2019, Gilbert was a co-host on the CBS talk show, “The Talk,” which she also executive produced. She left the show after its ninth season. Most recently, she appeared in “80 for Brady” and as Darlene in “The Connors.”

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Gilbert dated her “Roseanne” co-star Johnny Galecki as a teenager. She was in a long-term relationship with TV producer Ali Adler from 2001 to 2011, and they had two children, Levi and Sawyer. Gilbert was married to Linda Perry from 2014 to 2019, and they have one son, Rhodes.

Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold then and now split
Arnold started out as a writer on the show before writing himself in. (Getty Images)

After starting as a writer on “Roseanne,” Tom Arnold wrote himself into the show in its second season after starting a relationship with Roseanne Barr. At the same time, he was on another sitcom, “The Jackie Thomas Show,” which lasted 18 episodes.

 

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