Some of the most extraordinary performances in movie or TV history have seen the actor completely disappear into a role, not only changing their appearance but also adopting a voice almost entirely different from their own. Take a look at some of the most impressive voice alterations that an actor took on to perfect their unique portrayal of a now iconic character (or characters).

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

One thing that makes the 1991 remake of Cape Fear one of the most amusing Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro collaborations is the actor's approach to playing Max Cady. The Academy Award-winning Italian-American dons a thick, over-the-top Southern accent but is still no less chilling as the sadistic, recently released convict seeking revenge on the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who put him away.

Lupita Nyong'o (Us)

One of the scariest modern horror movie villains is Red (Lupita Nyong'o) from writer and director Jordan Peele's 2019 sophomore feature, Us. The Academy Award winner brilliantly differentiates the vengeful, "tethered" person from her above-ground double, Adelaide, and gives her an even more unsettling presence, with a raspy voice inspired by a condition called spasmodic dysphonia, which inhibits airflow and is commonly a symptom of traumatic experiences.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

As he would with any other role, Daniel Day-Lewis went to great lengths to become the sixteenth President of the United States for his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic, Lincoln. He even made sure to match Honest Abe's voice, which was high-pitched and reedy (according to the Library of Congress), as opposed to the low bellow many previous portrayals mistakenly attempted.

Mel Blanc (Looney Tunes)

To this day, it is almost shocking to learn that most of the original Looney Tunes characters were brought to life by just one actor. Until he passed away in 1989, Mel Blanc provided the diverse voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and plenty more favorites under the Warner Bros. animation umbrella.

Austin Butler (Elvis)

The key to portraying Elvis Presley is nailing his distinct Southern drawl, which Austin Butler went to great lengths to perfect when he was cast as the influential musician in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic. The work he put into the voice seemed to have a lasting effect on the actor, whom audiences could not help but notice continued to speak in the same accent during public appearances.

Seth MacFarlane (Various)

In addition to being one of the creative forces behind two of TV's longest-running hit animated shows for grown-ups, Seth MacFarlane is also responsible for bringing many of their most important characters to life. He voices Peter, Stewie, and Quagmire on Family Guy and plays Stan and Roger on American Dad – all of whom require him to be completely unrecognizable, while Family Guy's Brian is no different from his real voice.

Catherine O’Hara (Schitt's Creek)

What makes Moira Rose (Catherine O'Hara) one of the funniest characters on Schitt's Creek is the way she pronounces certain words with her over-the-top, posh accent. Classic examples include "baby" (beh-beh) and "enchiladas" (ahn-chuh-lah-dahs).

Jim Carrey (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

It is still sometimes hard to believe that it is Jim Carrey playing the title role in Ron Howard's live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. Not only is he covered head-to-toe with green skin and matching fur in the Christmas movie classic but the comedic mastermind disguises his voice with an accent that earned comparisons to Sean Connery, as he told Entertainment Weekly.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

Eddie Murphy started a career staple of playing multiple roles in the same movie with 1988's Coming to America. He dons an African accent to play Prince Akeem and brings his voice to higher octaves as Randy Watson and Clarence, but he undergoes the most intensive alteration of both his appearance and voice when playing elderly barber shop patron, Saul.

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The Dark Knight is a superhero movie that won Oscars for Sound Editing and for Heath Ledger's astonishing, transformative performance as The Joker. No matter how many times you watch Christopher Nolan's acclaimed 2008 sequel to Batman Begins, it is always shocking to hear that wheezy, menacing voice coming from the late Australian actor.

Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons)

If you have ever seen any of comedian Dan Castellaneta's live-action acting credits, it might shock you to learn that his most famous role is Homer Simpson. However, the Simpsons cast member provides the voice of plenty more characters than the infantile, Duff-swilling family man, including Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and Groundskeeper Willie.

Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu)

Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to dramatically altering his appearance and his voice for the sake of scaring the living daylights out of audiences, having played Pennywise in back-to-back creepy clown movies, It and It Chapter Two. However, his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers' 2024 reimagining of Nosferatu was an even more challenging process, requiring a month-and-a-half of vocal training to perfect the vampire's dread-inducing growl.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix did all of his own singing when portraying Johnny Cash in James Mangold's acclaimed music biopic, 2005's Walk the Line. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien that year, the future Oscar winner told the late night talk show host that he worked with a dialect coach to replicate the Man in Black's deep baritone voice as authentically as possible.

Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

For her Emmy-winning performance on the Hulu original true crime miniseries, The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried had the challenge of imitating the infamous low voice of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent blood-testing company Theranos.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men)

Many have been shocked to learn that Hugh Jackman is an Australian as his most famous role is the Canadian-native, Adamantium-clawed mutant, Wolverine. Of course, the Tony winner does more than just drop his natural accent for the X-Men movies but also incorporates a deep, nigh-animalistic growl.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

When Stephanie Beatriz debuted in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she used her natural, higher-tone voice to play Det. Rosa Diaz. However, over time, the character's voice became progressively deeper until the actor settled on a low, more gruff tone that better suited the cop's hard-edged exterior.

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

To play the lead in Christopher Nolan's beloved live-action Batman movies, Christian Bale pulled double-duty on changing his voice. In addition to dropping his Welsh accent when appearing as Bruce Wayne, he adopted a gravelly, identity-concealing growl when patrolling Gotham as the Dark Knight.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Kristen Stewart did more to earn her Academy Award nomination for portraying Princess Diana in the 2021 biopic, Spencer, than donning a blonde hairdo and an English accent. The actor revealed to Howard Stern that she went so far as to dramatically evolve her vocal inflection by opening her mouth more widely than she normally would and, as a result, practically altered her physical appearance in the film.

Phil LaMarr (The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr, in addition to his transformative characters as a MADtv cast member, has made himself unrecognizable for countless iconic animated roles, such as John "Green Lantern" Stewart on Justice League or the title hero of Samurai Jack. However, no blip on his resume is nearly as surprising as the recurring role of foreign exchange student Bolbi Stroganofsky on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series)

There are two different kinds of Mark Hamill fans. There are those who know the actor as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies and then there are those who know him as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and many subsequent animated Batman movies. The voice he puts on for the role – a wonderful mix of comically over-the-top theatrics and scintillating intimidation – has been recognized as the definitive portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the eyes of many DC fans.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Robin Williams proved that he was the perfect choice to lead director Robert Altman's live-action adaptation of the Popeye comic strip. He matched the brave, spinach-swilling sailor's fast-paced growl, as originated by voice actor Billy Costello, to a tee in the 1980 film.

Maggie Wheeler (Friends)

Maggie Wheeler stole the show from the Friends cast with her recurring role as Janice Hosenstein, who was famous for her signature catchphrase, "Oh. My. GAWWWWWD!" What sold the character was her thick, nasally Brooklyn accent, which the actor came up with when she auditioned to play the character, as she revealed to Access Hollywood.

Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)

Idris Elba earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the Oscar-nominated 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Being raised by West African immigrants helped the English-born actor develop an appropriate dialect to play the influential South African President, as he revealed to Oprah Winfrey.

Mia Goth (X)

Mia Goth played dual roles in Ti West's acclaimed A24 horror movie, 2022's X – both of which required her to conceal her mousy English accent. She spoke with a raspy Southern drawl as young aspiring starlet Maxine Minx and sounded similar, but significantly aged up, when playing homicidal elder, Pearl.

Megan Mullally (Will & Grace)

Megan Mullally absolutely earned her two Emmy Award wins for her committed performance as Karen Walker on the classic TV sitcom, Will & Grace. The key to the spoiled socialite's scene-stealing presence was her ear-piercing voice, which truly sounds nothing like the actor in real life.

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Cuban-born actor Ana de Armas is known for having a strong accent, which she concealed in order to portray Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Her commitment to matching the Hollywood icon's dialect in the 2022 Netflix original biopic would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Billy West (Various)

Billy West could be called the Mel Blanc of his generation as he can claim to have played about as many memorable animated characters as the iconic voice actor behind much of the Looney Tunes line-up did. To list just a few of West's best-known credits, he was both of the title characters from The Ren & Stimpy Show, took over as Popeye at one time, led Futurama as Fry, and plenty more.

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Nicole Kidman's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lucille Ball in 2021's Being the Ricardos was achieved with more than just makeup. The actor shed her Australian accent and added a smokiness to match the I Love Lucy star's natural voice but was also challenged to imitate the more high-pitched tone of the comedy icon's onscreen alter ego.

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory)

Dr. Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz easily boasts one of the most impossibly high-pitched voices in sitcom history. However, The Big Bang Theory cast member Melissa Rauch actually sounds nothing like Howard Wolowitz's bride, yet maintained the façade convincingly for 10 seasons on the hit CBS comedy.

Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Despite making "total sense" to the directors of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of the original Nintendo video game series had some initial hesitation over Chris Pratt's casting as the older Mario brother. However, the actor wisely avoided the plumber's stereotypical Italian dialect from the games in favor of a Brooklyn accent that effectively masked his natural voice.

Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17)

Robert Pattinson plays the title role of Bong Joon-ho's 2024 sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 with an entirely unrecognizable and, admittedly, kind of goofy voice. According to IndieWire, the English actor based the voice for his "expendable" character and his many clones off of comedian Steve-O.

Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Say what you want about Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but you have to admit that Johnny Depp did try something amusing with the role of Willy Wonka. To play the eccentric chocolatier, he adopted a high-pitched wheeze that almost makes you question if it really is the same guy who played Capt. Jack Sparrow under that top hat.

The Parks and Rec cast by itself is legendary. Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott and more served as regulars on the series for years, and to this day their characters are beloved. However, what made this show even more special was its constant stream of guest stars played by living legends. Everyone from Bill Murray to Michelle Obama to Ben Schwartz appeared on the NBC classic, and today, we’re here to talk about them. 

Paul Rudd

Now, I know we love Paul Rudd for his movies, but we also need to appreciate his brilliant work as Bobby Newport on Parks and Rec. During Season 4, the actor joined the cast to play the man running against Leslie Knope for a city council position. Overall, Bobby is childish, not smart and spoiled, and Rudd plays this silly idiot brilliantly. 

Bill Murray

Obviously, Bill Murray’s funniest roles include iconic characters like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day and Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters. However, his guest spot on Parks and Rec was unexpected and incredibly memorable. I write this because, for one episode in Season 7, the Saturday Night Live legend played Walter Gunderson, the dead mayor of Pawnee. 

Kathryn Hahn

Playing the cutthroat campaign manager Jen Barkley, Kathryn Hahn made a glorious (and a smidge evil) impact on Parks and Rec. She played a cutthroat manager who worked for Bobby Newport at first, and across ten episodes she popped in from time to time to both help and harm Leslie’s political career. 

Ben Schwartz 

Arguably, Jean-Ralphio Saperstein is one of the best recurring guest stars in Parks and Rec history. The rich boy who is friends with Tom is ridiculous, scammy and he’s constantly trying to flirt with everyone and sing whenever he can. While he’s 100% the worst, he’s also totally not “the WORRRRRRSSSSSTTTT,” if you know what I mean.  

Jenny Slate

In a stroke of perfect casting, Jenny Slate popped into Parks and Rec to play Jean-Ralphio’s sister Mona Lisa Saperstein. The siblings truly are the most chaotic duo, however, they’re also the two of the funniest extra side characters the sitcom has to offer. Just don’t fall for it when they ask for “money please!”

Henry Winkler

After getting to know Jean-Ralphio and Mona Lisa, we meet their father, Lu Saperstein in Season 6. Played brilliantly by Henry Winkler, the patriarch of the Saperstein family is a successful doctor who is willing to go to any financial length to help his kids. 

Sam Elliott

In the later seasons of the show, we met the Eagleton Parks Department. Ironically, each member of that crew matched up with a member of the Parks and Rec cast, and when it came to picking someone to play Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson’s counterpart, they cast Sam Elliott as Ron Dunn. While they both have legendary mustaches and an appreciation for the outdoors, that’s where the similarities stop, and seeing Ron and Anti-Ron go head-to-head was hilarious. 

Joe Biden

Leslie loves her politicians and had a massive crush on then-Vice President Joe Biden. As an engagement gift, Ben decided to give her the perfect present and prove that he’s the ideal man, by coordinating a meet and greet between Leslie and Joe Biden.

Patton Oswalt

When Leslie tries to change Pawnee’s charter to get rid of some silly laws – like throwing a Ted into a lake – Garth Blundin makes his disapproval clear. Patton Oswalt plays the historian, and he challenges Amy Poehler’s character to a filibuster and a day of living like a colonial person. Ultimately, he and Leslie find common ground, and he joins forces with her to help preserve the laws…he also volunteers to get thrown in the lake.

Michelle Obama

As Leslie tries to figure out if she should take a job at the National Parks Department and leave Pawnee, Michelle Obama comes in to tell her about why she should take it. Let’s just say if I met the First Lady, I think I’d be just as star-struck as Leslie Knope. How could you not stumble over your words if you casually bumped into the First Lady of the United States?

Bo Burnham

Some of the funniest stand-up on Netflix comes from Bo Burnham, and in his special Make Happy, he sings a “Country Song” that pokes fun at the cliches in the genre and how some artists are masters at pandering to their audiences. On Parks and Rec, he worked with that idea as well by playing country singer Chipp McCapp who Leslie and Andy tried to hire for a performance at the Unity Concert. His songs like “Beautiful Like My Mom (Support the Troops)” were truly hilarious, and they complimented the stand-up comedian's sense of humor very well. 

John McCain

Parks and Rec knows how to do a political cameo, and one of the best ones came when Leslie didn’t even realize she’d just met John McCain in a coat closet. She was so distraught over interacting with #4 and #26 on Leslie’s list of amazing women, that she didn’t even notice she was speaking with the senator. 

Megan Mullally

You know chaos mode has been activated when Ron’s second ex-wife Tammy II enters the chat. She’s constantly trying to simultaneously take Ron down and get back together with her, and his efforts to avoid it are truly hilarious. However, what really makes this dynamic duo so hysterical and one of the best recurring inside jokes on Parks and Rec is the fact that Tammy II is played by Nick Offerman’s real-life wife Megan Mullally. 

Will Forte

Amy Poehler and Will Forte were both in some of SNL’s best casts, and it was such a treat to see them reunite on Parks and Rec. In his episode, Forte played Kelly, a man who really wants to get the Twilight books put in Pawnee’s town time capsule. When Leslie refuses and then agrees, it starts an outcry over what can and can’t go in the capsule via a chaotic town meeting. 

Jon Hamm

According to Leslie, Jon Hamm’s Ed is the “most incompetent person I’ve ever worked with.” He worked for our leading lady when she was at the National Parks Department, and he was swiftly fired by her not long after we met him. 

John Cena

In an epic episode of Andy’s show, the Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show, Burt Macklin, FBI, arrested John Cena – who was wearing so much of his own WWE merch – and took him to the dunk tank. Talk about a dream come true for Andy and viewers.

Keegan-Michael Key

There’s no question that all our hearts grew a few sizes when Donna married Keegan-Michael Key’s Joe. The comedian played the “Treat yo’ self’ queen’s boyfriend-turned-husband in Seasons 6 and 7, and it’s safe to say that we all adored this music teacher. 

Bradley Whitford

Considering Parks and Rec is a show about government and Rob Lowe is one of its stars, it made perfect sense for a West Wing cast member to pop into the sitcom. It was done perfectly too, because the team brought in Josh himself, as Bradley Whitford played Councilman Pillner, the man Leslie replaces on City Council and a model boat enthusiast. 

J.K. Simmons

Remember Ice Town? Well, Ben’s hometown of Partridge and J.K. Simmons’ Mayor Stice sure do. And that became clear as day when an episode of Parks went back to Adam Scott’s character’s hometown so he could get a key to the city, which ended up just being melted water in a box…because Ice Town. 

Patricia Clarkson

While Megan Mullally’s Tammy II is truly unhinged and chaotic, Tammy I is cold, calculated, and manipulative. She’s played by Patricia Clarkson, and she really adds to the hilarious chaos that is Ron Swanson’s love life. 

Andy Samberg

Back when Andy Samberg was still on Saturday Night Live and before he led his own sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he guest starred on Parks and Rec as the incredibly loud Park Ranger Carl. During Season 2, Leslie worked with Carl on a few issues of Parks security, and let's just say that she “might not be so confident, when [she has to] walk a mile in [Carl’s]  size sevens.” 

Rachel Dratch

In the final season of Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler’s Saturday Night Live co-star Rachel Dratch appeared as Roz Pinwheel, the nanny of Leslie and Ben’s triplets. While a small role, it was such a nice (and funny) nod to the two comedians' time together on the legendary sketch comedy show.

Nick Kroll

If you were looking to get humiliated on the radio look no further than "The Douche." This hilarious and terrible radio host was played by the mastermind behind one of the best animated shows, Big Mouth, Nick Kroll, and anytime he showed up to host a radio spot on the series, you knew something wild was about to go down.

Chelsea Peretti

While Leslie ran for City Council, April filled in for her one time, and during one of her seminars Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Chelsea Peretti showed up as one of the attendees, Zelda. Fun fact: before Peretti was part of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she actually wrote two episodes of Parks and Rec, which helps explain her lil cameo in the series. 

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell was quite literally the perfect person to play Leslie Knope’s Eagleton councilwoman counterpart, Ingrid de Forest. It turns out, Bell was born to thrive on a comedy like this, because after Parks and Rec, she went on to lead the cast of The Good Place, which was Michael Schur’s next show after Parks.  

Dax Shepard

When Tom decides to become Andy’s manager as he works on Johnny Karate, they have a run-in with Hank Muntak, a TV executive in Pawnee who is played by Dax Shepard. Before this guest spot, the actor had spent a lot of time on NBC as one of the stars of Parenthood, these days you can find him hosting his podcast Armchair Expert. 

Will Arnett

Before Leslie meets and falls in love with Ben, she goes on some wildly terrible dates, including one with MRI technician Chris. At the time, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett were actually married (they’re divorced now), making this blind date even funnier because they were a real-life couple too. 

Sean Hayes

Bobby Wood was Indianapolis’ best talk show host, and he was played by Sean Hayes. As television appearances tend to go for Leslie and co. her interview with him didn’t exactly go well, and both comedic actors were so funny in the moment. 

Fred Armisen

You can always count on Fred Armisen to play the wildest goofy guys, and he did exactly that on Parks and Recreation. In the episode “Sister City,” the SNL vet appeared as Raul Alejandro Bastilla Pedro de Veloso de Maldonado, the Venezuelan officer who came to represent his city on a trip to Pawnee. 

Tatiana Maslany

Tom Haverford’s love life was always a funny point of interest on Parks and Rec, especially because it was only brought up occasionally. For instance, in Season 6, he had a short-lived relationship with Tatiana Maslany’s Nadia Stasky, a doctor who eventually left Pawnee and moved to Rwanda.  

Parker Posey

Indie darling Parker Posey came on to Parks and Rec to play Lindsay Carlisle Shay. The character was Leslie’s counterpart from Eagleton, meaning she was the Deputy Parks Director in Pawnee’s fancy rival town. The twist here was that Lindsay was actually Leslie’s friend and went behind her back a long time ago to take the job in Eagleton. 

Jason Schwartzman

Jason Schwartzman’s role in Parks and Rec presented an interesting issue for Pawnee when he decided to turn his video rental store into an adult store. Watching Leslie flounder as she figured out how to help the character played by the Asteroid City star was so funny, and the character of Dennis was perfect for Schwartzman.  

Honestly, the guest stars from Parks and Rec are next level. From comedy geniuses to beloved dramatic actors, so many notable names took a quick trip to Pawnee, Indiana and I love that for them, this wonderful show and us. 

Some of the best talk show hosts have been celebrities, and vice versa, throughout the history of this celebrated medium. However, that doesn’t mean just anyone can hold the desk equally. Keep that in mind as you take in this list of famous celebs who tried to make a talk show happen, but just couldn’t hold their own.

Regis Philbin - The Regis Philbin Show - 1981 - 1982

Throughout the history of Regis Philbin's best movie appearances, as well as his career as a legendary talk show host, the man made a name for himself as someone who knew how to talk to people. But even with his resume of success bookending The Regis Philbin Show's 1981-1982 run, there was still room to learn as this short-lived endeavor proved.

Alan Thicke - Thicke Of The Night - 1983 - 1984

Could Alan Thicke have made Thicke of the Night last under more ideal circumstances? Maybe, but then again, any show that tried to take on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson kind of deserved to be put through the wringer. On the plus side, Thicke wasn’t too far off from starring in Growing Pains, where he’d show us his smile again.

Joan Rivers - The Late Show - 1986 - 1988

Joan Rivers’ “permanent guest host” status on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show was exactly why the comedy icon landed her own series, The Late Show. Directly competing with that NBC landmark in a live program for the Fox network, this albatross supposedly ended the long friendship between Rivers and Carson.

Pat Sajak - The Pat Sajak Show - 1989 - 1990

Being a game show host isn’t the same as being a talk show host. Just ask game show icon Pat Sajak, whose own attempts at crossover success with The Pat Sajak Show never landed. Low ratings took this show out of commission, with Sajak not even hosting the final episode of his own show. After which point the only gaffes Pat would witness were those made on Wheel of Fortune.

Dennis Miller - The Dennis Miller Show - 1992

Sometimes talk shows fail because of not playing to the right audience. In the case of SNL vet Dennis Miller, we would see him flourish through HBO’s Dennis Miller Live program between 1994 and 2002. However, the syndication market didn’t exactly pick up on the man’s unique vibe, which is more than likely why The Dennis Miller Show never made it out of 1992.

Chevy Chase - The Chevy Chase Show - 1993

One of the most infamous late-night flameouts of all time, The Chevy Chase Show saw the SNL comedy legend trying to compete in the late-night wars on behalf of the fledgling Fox network. Not only did Chase’s show fail, but it was the continuation of a long-standing curse that TV titan still encounters to this day.

Jon Stewart - The Jon Stewart Show - 1993 - 1995

"Cancellation should not be confused with failure." David Letterman imparted those words to Jon Stewart as The Jon Stewart Show was literally canceled the day of that very interview. An unsuccessful jump from MTV to syndication could be the major factor that was to blame, though Letterman’s words eventually rang true when Stewart went on to become The Daily Show’s longtime host in 1999. 

Charles Grodin - The Charles Grodin Show - 1995-1998

Charles Grodin’s expertise in playing a curmudgeon made him a popular guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. So one could think placing that energy behind the desk would be a recipe for success, and that’s what CNBC had hoped when debuting The Charles Grodin Show. Twenty-six episodes later, that assumption was tested, and proven false.

Keenen Ivory Wayans - The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show - 1997 - 1998

With the magnetism that propelled him to success in movies and with TV’s In Living Color, surely Keenen Ivory Wayans had the juice to turn late night on its head, right? Nope. Lasting only a few short months, The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show was out like a flash. Judging by Keenen’s claims that he wasn’t really given the free reign he’d expected with the series, it’s no surprise why.

Magic Johnson - The Magic Hour - 1998

Eight weeks was all it took for NBA legend Magic Johnson to flame out on the talk show circuit. The Magic Hour was anything but, with critics clearly not digging the man’s style when it came to holding court on TV. Save for an infamous episode with one of his staunchest critics, Howard Stern, there wasn’t much enchantment to be found here.

Martin Short - The Martin Short Show - 1999 - 2000

The bad news is that certified comedy legend Martin Short didn’t last very long as the host of The Martin Short Show. However, the silver lining to be had is the fact that this short engagement in the land of talk shows did give us one of his most memorable characters, as this was the launching pad for one Jiminy Glick. 

Queen Latifah - The Queen Latifah Show - 1999 - 2001/2013 - 2015

Sometimes it all comes down to timing and ratings, both of which seemed to be the death knell for The Queen Latifah Show in its two separate incarnations. The 1999-2001 run could be seen as ahead of its time, while the 2013-2015 run saw a promising start leading to declining ratings. 

Wayne Brady - The Wayne Brady Show - 2001 - 2004

It’s still hard to believe that the charming and quick-witted Wayne Brady couldn’t make it in daytime talk. Though the Let’s Make A Deal host is doing quite well for himself now, The Wayne Brady Show was a bit of a stumbling block on his career path. Luckily, right before the show went off the air, Wayne’s infamous Chappelle's Show sketch went to air, and it gave him a win that overshadowed the whole business.

Zach Galifianakis - Late World with Zach - 2002

Zach Galifianakis’ Late World with Zach on MTV is a particularly notable example of what happens when a talent like this Hangover star lands at the wrong time. All of the ingredients were there, as MTV let Zach be Zach; but people weren’t clued into the gag just yet, because many of Galifianakis' best movies weren't out yet. By the time Between Two Ferns kicked off though, the world was ready, and a confrontational legend was born.

Caroline Rhea - The Caroline Rhea Show - 2002 - 2003

When a notable talk show host leaves, there’s always the question of who carries on their legacy of schtick. As The Rosie O’Donnell Show came to a close, Caroline Rhea’s talk show, The Caroline Rhea Show, attempted to pass that torch to the Sabrina the Teenage Witch legend. The networks, and audiences, were not exactly supportive, and after 195 episodes, it was no more.

Sharon Osbourne - The Sharon Osbourne Show - 2003 - 2004

Before Sharon Osbourne's "embarrassing" departure from The Talk, she struck it out on her own to try and parlay some of her reality TV fame into a chat show. And yet, The Sharon Osbourne Show didn't last, as the show failed to land a following, leaving Sharon to let it die a quiet, un-renewed death. 

John McEnroe - McEnroe - 2004

Tennis is a grueling sport, but talk shows can be even more of a battlefield if you’re not careful. John McEnroe learned that the hard way during a handful of months in 2004, when his series McEnroe went from a critically panned debut to a critically panned finale. Even his most dedicated fans have probably overlooked it, with a mere mention of the series prompting many exclamations of, “You can’t be serious!”

Megan Mullally - The Megan Mullally Show - 2006 - 2007

Sometimes our preconceptions get the better of us, and shows like The Megan Mullally Show suffer as a result. As audiences were taken aback by Mullally failing to be her Will & Grace character in real life, there was nowhere to go but down for this daytime talk show.

George Lopez - Lopez Tonight - 2009 - 2011

If it wasn’t for Conan O’Brien, Lopez Tonight may have had a healthy run on TBS. Though it seemed his hiring could have boosted George Lopez’s show, the only shake-up it got was being moved into a later time slot, with weakened ratings. However, this all happened with O’Brien trying to avoid any sort of bad blood along the way, with the host even paying tribute to this slain series on its final night of air.

Wanda Sykes - The Wanda Sykes Show - 2009 - 2010

Following in the footsteps of Joan Rivers’ The Late Show and Chevy Chase’s The Chevy Chase Show, Fox really wanted to make late-night happen with comedian Wanda Sykes. Unfortunately for the network, The Wanda Sykes Show was such a disappointment that it hasn’t even tried to mount another original program in that later evening block since. 

Katie Couric - Katie - 2012 - 2014

A staple of NBC’s Today, seeing Katie Couric go to daytime talk felt like a lateral move. Moving to ABC to do so was certainly the most shocking turn of it all, at least until Katie was mutually canceled by its star and overseers. What started as a good run soon fell into a slump, leaving this enterprise grounded by 2014.

Bethenny Frankel - Bethenny - 2012 - 2014

How’s this for a story? The Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel tried to kickstart her talk show Bethenny, only for it to initially get shelved. Fate seemed to smile on the entrepreneur as the show was revived for a run between 2012 and 2014. Only 170 episodes would be produced before the hammer came down, freeing Frankel up for appearances on shows like Shark Tank. 

Kris Jenner - Kris - 2013

It wasn’t cancellation that ended Kris’ brief 2013 run, as the talk show fronted by Kris Jenner was only being tested when it aired. Coincidentally the most notable episode was its finale, which saw Kanye West showing off the first photos of her granddaughter North. Ratings spiked, but it couldn’t save this ship from sinking. 

Khloé Kardashian - Kocktails With Khloé - 2016

A TV show where the host drinks with their guests? Not a bad move, especially when someone with clout like Khloé Kardashian could get the concept greenlit for cable. Unfortunately for Kocktails with Khloé, the show struck out after 14 episodes; more than likely due to the perfect storm of airing on cable and audience feedback sounding rather disappointed with the overall product.

Harry Connick Jr. - Harry - 2016 - 2018

For someone as adept at conversation and shenanigans as Harry Connick Jr., to fail in the talk show landscape always feels like a waste. Harry capitalized on the former American Idol judge’s star power and charisma, but even then audiences weren’t buying as heavily as when he was a part of Fox’s former reality show fixture.

Sarah Silverman - I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman - 2017 - 2018

There still isn’t a clear answer as to why Hulu canceled I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman. A mashup of talk show and sketch show, Silverman took on the tough issues of our modern times with her trademark sense of humor. Twenty-one episodes still don’t seem like a long enough run, but that’s sadly where things ended.

Lilly Singh - A Little Late With Lilly Singh - 2019 - 2021

With Carson Daly giving up the throne of Last Call with Carson Daly, NBC made what seemed like a smart move. By tapping famous YouTuber Lilly Singh for her show A Little Late with Lilly Singh, the network was clearly trying to get the younger generation to tune into this tested timeslot. It didn’t work, even with some changes to the format in the second season, and with this show’s demise also came that of the 1:35 A.M. slot at NBC.

Kathy Griffin - Kathy - 2012 - 2013

Giving Kathy Griffin her own talk show, after years of being banned from shows like Ellen and The View, was probably a bit of a surprise. In fact, the only thing that would have been more surprising is if Kathy had actually lasted past its short spell of 24 episodes on Bravo.

ALF - Alf’s Hit Talk Show - 2004

ALF’s Hit Talk Show tried pretty hard in its extremely brief run to make TV Land viewers stay up a bit later. Not even guests like Merv Griffin and Doris Roberts, not to mention professional sidekick/Tonight Show legend Ed McMahon could push this affair past seven episodes. 

Russell Brand - Brand X With Russell Brand - 2012 - 2013

You’d think a talk show with Russell Brand at the helm would be something so controversial you’d have at least heard of it. That appears to not be the case, as FX failed to crack the same molds it had broken with shows like The Shield with its two-season run of Brand X with Russell Brand. 

Bonnie Hunt - The Bonnie Hunt Show - 2008 - 2010

Bonnie Hunt not only had the comedic chops and kindness to host something like The Bonnie Hunt Show, but she infused it with a creative spin. Thanks to guests being able to enter the set through various methods of excitement, like a firepole, there seemed to be some magic in giving the Cheaper by the Dozen star a daytime talk slot. Two seasons, and even a couple of award nominations later, it was lights out.

Fran Drescher - The Fran Drescher Tawk Show - 2010

For six seasons and 146 episodes, Fran Drescher charmed the world as Fran Fine on CBS’ The Nanny. Sadly, that sort of effortless affability didn’t help The Fran Drescher Tawk Show make it past 16 episodes in 2010. And yes, that did include a humorous reunion with her co-star Charles Shaughnessy. 

Even with the most pleasing personality, the best time slot, and a pedigree in the business, talk shows are a concept that can still present a gamble. Many celebrities have tried, and many more probably will in the future; because when you can make it as a talk show host, you can pretty much write your own ticket from that point on.

Dicks: The Musical got its start as a 30-minute stage show titled Fucking Identical Twins, and now Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson of the Upright Citizens Brigade have expanded their raunchy musical for the big screen. A24 has made a name for itself with its unique and often bizarre content, and from what critics are saying about Dicks: The Musical, the comedy seems to fit right in with the best A24 offerings. With the movie getting a wide release to theaters October 20, let’s take a look at the comedy that’s being touted as a meta masterpiece of humorous irreverence.

Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson reprise their roles as “identical twins” Craig and Trevor, but instead of the two-man version at UCB, they’re joined by some iconic co-stars in Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally and Bowen Yang as the narrator God. The plot has strong notes of The Parent Trap, but it’s so much more than that. CinemaBlend’s own Corey Chichizola calls it the “most unhinged” movie he’s ever seen, full of wild musical numbers that poke fun at the tropes of musical theater. He’s ready for a rewatch (or 12), writing: 

Michael Ordoña of the LA Times says to think The Parent Trap with loads of horny humor, deadpan jokes and a healthy dose of blasphemy. While Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally are a highlight, the movie overall lags a little in the middle. The critic continues: 

Glen Weldon of NPR marvels at how Dicks: The Musical could possibly be less subtle than its title. While its sustained absurdity isn’t really built for the long haul, the movie is a lot of dumb fun, Weldon says, with songs that mostly work. According to the critic: 

Ethan Anderton of SlashFilm rates it a 7 out of 10, despite writing that it goes off the rail (not necessarily in a good way) with its absurdity. To be absurd is the point, according to Anderton, who writes: 

I mean, who doesn’t love a good sing-along, right? Siddhant Adlakha of Polygon calls Dicks: The Musical a “meta comedy masterpiece” and says it has the potential to go down as one of the decade’s smartest and funniest comedies. The critic continues: 

Dicks: The Musical premiered at Toronto International Film Festival before seeing a limited theatrical release. It’s gotten mostly positive buzz so far, accumulating a 74% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 76 critics. If this absurdist humor sounds like it’s right up your alley, now is the time to hit the theater, with the movie seeing its wide release on Friday, October 20. Be sure to also check out our 2023 Movie Schedule to see what other new releases are coming soon. 

After a break of more than a decade, Party Down is finally back with a new season full of new adventures for the struggling actors and career caterers on the cult classic Starz comedy series. The new season, which picks up with the beloved Party Down Catering Company employees (and their pink bow-ties) for a hilarious reunion, brings with it some new characters to share the screen with Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, and the rest of the gang.

If you have watched the show’s return, or at least plan on doing so in the near future, you are probably wondering where you’ve seen the new additions to the Party Down Season 3 cast. Because it’s been so long since Party Down first aired, we’ve also included a little rundown of all those familiar faces who returned for the show’s third season.

Jennifer Garner (Evie)

Leading things off when it comes to Party Down newcomers is Jennifer Garner, who shows up in the show’s third season as Evie, a successful film producer who starts a new journey in life, one that includes dating Adam Scott’s Henry Pollard.

Garner, who was one of the first additions to the Party Down Season 3 cast reported on by Deadline in January 2022, is mostly known for roles in movies like 13 Going on 30, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Dallas Buyers Club, and most recently The Adam Project. However, Garner has long appeared on the small screen as well, including memorable performances on shows like Alias, Camping, and Upload.  

James Marsden (Jack Botty)

Next up for the Party Down Season 3 new additions is James Marsden, who shows up on the Starz original comedy series as Jack Botty, a big-time actor at the center of a massive superhero franchise.

Marsden joining the cast is the latest in a line of TV appearances for the actor who has popped up on The Stand, Mrs. America, Dead to Me, and Westworld in recent years, all while keeping up his film career. Over the years, Marsden has done everything from lead the X-Men movies to help make Sonic the Hedgehog one of the best video game adaptations of all time. He’s also shown up in movies like The Notebook, Superman Returns, Straw Dogs, and most recently, in the Disenchanted cast. 

Tyrel Jackson Williams (Sackson)

The first of two new additions to Party Down Catering Company is Tyrel Jackson Williams, who takes on the role of struggling internet personality Sackson on the revival.

If you were a fan of Disney Channel original shows from the past decade, then there’s a good chance you’ll recognize Williams from his portrayal of Leo Dooley on the Disney XD comedy series, Lab Rats. Williams also appeared in the 2014 Disney XD original movie, Pants on Fire.

Over the years, he has also had small roles on shows like Everybody Hates Chris, Modern Family, Community, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. His film roles to date include Failure to Launch, Thunder Force, and Hollywood Stargirl.

 Zoë Chao (Lucy) 

Also joining the Season 3 cast is Zoë Chao, who joins the catering team as aspiring celebrity chef, Lucy, who has to settle for the party circuit and a pink bow-tie for the time being.

This is the latest in a long line of TV shows for Chao, who continues to be one of the hardest working actresses around today. In the past half-decade, Chao has popped up on shows like Strangers, The OA, Living with Yourself, Love Life, and Modern Love. That also includes The Afterparty, the 2022 Apple TV+ original murder mystery comedy that will once again feature Chao when the show returns, according to Deadline.

Chao is also no stranger to the silver screen, as she has appeared in movies like Where’d You Go, Bernadette, Downhill, The High Note, Senior Year, and most recently, the 2023 Netflix original movie, Your Place or Mine. 

Quinta Brunson (Jaff) 

Last, but not least, when it comes to the cast newcomers is Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress and writer Quinta Brunson, who has become a household name in recent years thanks to her work on Abbott Elementary. Brunson shows up in a guest role as Jaff, Kyle Bradway’s (Ryan Hansen) agent, according to Variety.

Prior to finding success with Abbott Elementary in 2021, Brunson appeared on shows like A Black Lady Sketch Show, Big Mouth, Lazor Wulf, Miracle Workers, and multiple others. Her film appearances include An American Pickle, As of Yet, and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, in which she portrayed Oprah Winfrey. 

Party Down Returning Actors

Though Lizzy Caplan won’t be returning for Party Down Season 3, the rest of the major players from the show’s first two seasons will all be back. Here’s a quick refresher on who’s coming back and where you’ve seen them before.

Adam Scott (Henry Pollard)

As seen in the Party Down Season 3 trailer, Adam Scott will be returning as actor-turned-caterer Henry Pollard, who crosses paths with his old coworkers after more than a decade away.

Outside of saying “Are we having fun yet?” on the cult classic Starz comedy series, Scott is known for appearances on shows like Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, and most recently, Severance. 

Ken Marino (Ronald Wayne ‘Ron’ Donald)

Ken Marino also returns for the revival, once again playing Party Down Catering Company manager Ronald Wayne “Ron” Donald.

A comedy mainstay for more than 30 years, Marino has made a career out of playing over-the-top characters on The State, Childrens Hospital, and The Other Two, to name a few. His notable film work includes Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911!: Miami, and Role Models. 

Jane Lynch (Constance Carmell)

Jane Lynch is another Party Down alum returning for the revival season, once again playing Constance Carmell.

Outside of her work on this comedy, Lynch is known for iconic performances on shows like Glee, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Hollywood Game Night, all three of which have earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. 

Martin Starr (Roman DeBeers)

Martin Starr, who played the condescending screenwriter Roman DeBeers on the show’s first two seasons, is back once again for Season 3.

In the years since appearing in the Freaks and Geeks cast, Starr has continued to find success on the small screen (as well as in movies), especially as of late with great performances on Tulsa King and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. 

Megan Mullally (Lydia Dunfree)

Megan Mullally also shows up in the new season, once again playing the chronically optimistic Lydia Dunfree.

Mostly remembered for her award-winning portrayal of Karen Walker on Will & Grace, Mullally has also worked on shows like Childrens Hospital, Bob’s Burgers, and Parks and Recreation over the years, the last of which was alongside her husband, Nick Offerman. 

Ryan Hansen (Kyle Bradway)

And then there is Ryan Hansen, who is back once again as actor, model, and musician Kyle Bradway on Party Down.

Outside of slinging hors d'oeuvres on the Starz comedy series, Hansen has also appeared on 2 Broke Girls, Teachers, and A Million Little Things. 

You can see these faces (as well as some major guest stars) on Party Down, which airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz. If you want to know what other new and returning shows are coming to the airwaves this spring, check out our 2023 TV schedule.

Over a decade after the first attempt to adapt Rick Riordan’s Greek mythology-inspired story ended with an unfinished movie franchise, the trident for Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been passed to Disney+ for anew adaptation of The Lightning Thief. After years of development involving the author himself serving as co-creator and executive producer, the streaming series’ first season is here and is already set to continue with an upcoming Season 2.

The adaptation is much more aligned with the book than the 2010 film starring Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario as it reintroduces the demigod starting with the events of The Lightning Thief. As you watch the series’ debut season  with a Disney+ subscription and/or Hulu subscription, check out the cast behind the new Percy Jackson and the Olympians series below! 

Walker Scobell 

Leading the cast of the Percy Jackson series is Walker Scobell in the titular role of Percy, who finds out he is the son of Poseidon after living a pretty ordinary life. Scobell previously found his movie debut and breakthrough role with the Netflix hit The Adam Project. Scobell played a young version of Ryan Reynolds’ Adam in the 2021 movie, which also starred Zoe Saldaña, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner and Catherine Keener. During his audition for The Adam Project, Scobell dazzled Reynolds with his ability to quote the Deadpool movie word for word, swear words and all. Scobell was announced as Percy Jackson in April 2022 to major excitement from fans. The actor is the perfect age to start the demigod’s journey hopefully with Disney+ adapting all five books. For Percy Jackson, he even did some amazing stunts like speaking underwater! 

Leah Jeffries

Percy Jackson is just one-third of an adventurous trio that the series famously follows. Also among the trio is Annabeth Chase, who is a demigod like Percy, but rather than being the offspring of Poseidon, she is the daughter of Athena. Leah Jeffries plays Annabeth following an already impressive acting resume. Jeffries has previously appeared in multiple episodes of Fox series Empire and Rel. Additionally, the actress starred in 2022’s Beast as the daughter of Idris Elba’s leading character.  Jeffries told CinemaBlend that she has already been reading ahead in the Percy Jackson series ahead of returning for Season 2. 

Aryan Simhadri 

To round out Percy Jackson’s trio, the series of course needs a Grover Underwood. 16-year-old Aryan Simhadri playsthe satyr and best friend/guardian to Percy in the series. Simhadri had an extensive acting career ahead of the high-profile role, especially in being a Disney Channel star in originals such as Just Roll With It and Spin. The teen actor was also in 2022’s Cheaper By The Dozen remake alongside Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union and has done voice work in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, Mira, Royal Detective and Adventures in Wonder Park. 

Lance Reddick 

John Wick and The Wire actor Lance Reddick portrays Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Zeus. The Greek god is of course the King of Olympus and the youngest son of the Titans Kronos and Rhea, along with being the husband of the goddess, Hera. Zeus is central to the storyline of The Lightning Thief because the central conflict is his Master Bolt is stolen from him and he immediately blames Percy’s father, Poseidon, for the theft. Sadly, Reddick died at the age of 60 in March 2023, just a month after the production for Percy Jackson wrapped. 

Jay Duplass

And, playing the King of the Underworld is Transparent and The Chair actor, Jay Duplass. The actor/writer/producer plays Hades in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, reportedly inspired by his role in 2022 HBO drama, Industry, via Rick Riordan’s announcement of the casting. As fans of the book series know, Hades has a distinct role to play in The Lightning Thief And Duplass certainly successfully brings the god to life (or death, rather) later in the first season. 

Toby Stephens

The actor who plays  Percy Jackson’s father, Poseidon, in Season 1 isToby Stephens. You may recognize Stephens for playing John Robinson in Netflix’s Lost in Space TV show or from the STARZ series Black Sails, where he played the leading role of Captain Flint. The English actor portrays the Greek god of the sea, whom for a long time Percy didn’t know to be his parent. 

Virginia Kull

Percy Jackson’s mother Sally Jackson is played by Virginia Kull. Sally is a human woman who fell in love with Poseidon and had Percy with him. However,  his birth meant the god broke an oath and he was forced to return to sea. Sally spends her life trying to protect Percy from his lineage, but when he learns the truth within the series everything changesVirginia Kull is mainly a television actress who has played significant roles in Big Little Lies, The Looming Tower, Sneaky Pete and NOS4A2. 

Timm Sharp

Timm Sharp plays Percy Jackson’s despicable stepfather Gabriel "Gabe" Ugliano in the Disney+ series. In The Lightning Thief, Sally is married to Gabe, who is described to have a pungent odor, earning the secret nickname of "Smelly Gabe" and has a contentious relationship with both Sally and Percy. Sharp has held numerous roles over the years since getting his start in the early ‘00s. He is known most for his comedic roles such as in Fox series ‘Til Death, short-lived Showtime series Blunt Talk alongside Patrick Stewart and HBO’s Enlightened with Laura Dern. 

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Playing the role of the Greek god Hermes is Hamilton creator and original star, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Hermes is the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and in the Percy Jackson series along with being the father to a key character in The Lightning Thief, Luke Castellan. When CinemaBlend spoke to the series’ producers, they shared the sweet story behind getting the big star in the series. 

Charlie Bushnell

The actor playing demigod and son of Hermes, Luke Castellan, is Charlie Bushnell, who has so far been seen in Disney+ series, Diary of a Future President. Luke is an especially important character to The Lightning Thief because he trains Percy in sword combat, provides the moral support he needs as the new kid at Camp Half-Blood along with having an especially important storyline later on. When Percy Jackson was renewed he shared excitement for his Season 2 role. 

Jason Mantzoukas

Playing Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and ecstasy, in Percy Jackson is Jason Mantzoukas. In the Rick Riordan books, Dionysus is one of Zeus’ sons, is known as Mr. D and serves as a camp director at Camp Half-Blood. The character in the books is comical, making Mantzoukas a great fit for the role, along with the actor and comedian being of Greek descent himself. Jason Mantzoukas is a frequent character actor in the comedy genre, with memorable roles in The League, The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Additionally, he’s provided his voice in animated shows like Star Trek: Prodigy, Big Mouth and Invincible. 

Glynn Turman 

Glynn Turman plays another Camp Half-Blood director with the role of Chiron, an immortal centaur who is the son of Kronos, Oceanid Philyra and famously a trainer of heroes like Jason and Achilles. Early in The Lightning Thief, Chiron poses as a teacher at Percy’s human school of Yancy Academy as Mr. Brunner. Glynn Turman is a seasoned actor well known for his roles in Peyton Place in the ‘60s, NBC sitcom A Different World from the late 80s to 90s, in The Wire and House of Lies. The actor most recently starred in the Netflix movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.  

Adam Copeland 

Adam Copeland, who is also known under the ring name “Edge” for the WWE, plays Ares, the god of war in Percy Jackson. Copeland is a WWE hall of famer after a storied history as a professional wrestler, including his return to the Royal Rumble in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, Copeland guest starred in The Flash and played recurring roles in Vikings and Haven. Ares is a major villain in the Percy Jackson series. 

Dior Goodjohn

The actress cast as Clarissa LaRue, the daughter of Ares (the god of war) and the bully of Camp Half-Blood is Dior Goodjohn. Goodjohn is a 17-year-old American actress who starred in the 2021 HBO Max comedy series Head of the Class and Nickelodeon series Are You Afraid of the Dark? Clarissa is a key character throughout the Percy Jackson series.

Timothy Omundson

Timothy Omundson, who was most memorably Carlton Lassiter in Psych, makes a guest appearance in the role of Hephaestus in Percy Jackson and the Olympians in episode 5. The American actor will embody the God of Fire and son of Hera. While the character has a minor appearance in The Lightning Thief book, he does have a role in the larger storyline.    

Olivea Morton

Olivea Morton was cast as Percy Jackson’s nemesis at his mortal school of Yancy Academy, Nancy Bobofit. The character is not recurring in the entire book series, given Clarissa takes over the role of Percy’s bully, but she is important because she is the first trigger to the demigod using his powers for the first time. Percy Jackson is Morton’s debut major credit. 

Jessica Parker Kennedy 

During The Lightning Thief, Percy, Annabeth and Grover come across Medusa in episode 3. Jessica Parker Kennedy is the actress behind the head of snake hair. The actress also memorably played Nora West-Allen in The Flash along with having the role of Max in Starz’s Black Sails series. Although it’s a Season 1 guest role, but fans of the book know Medusa plays a vital role in the story. 

Megan Mullally

Will & Grace actress Megan Mullally plays Mrs. Dodds in the Disney+ series. In The Lightning Thief book, Mrs. Dodds is Percy’s pre-algebra teacher-turned-Fury at the start of his adventure. Mullally is well known for playing Karen Walker in sitcom Will & Grace, but she is also the voice of Gayle (among other characters) in Bob’s Burgers and Tammy Swanson II in Parks and Recreation. 

Suzanne Cryer

Percy Jackson is Silicon Valley’s Suzanne Cryer has the guest role in Episode 4 as Enchidna, aka the “mother of all monsters.” The character is one of many hurdles that Percy and his friends must face during their quest in The Lightning Thief book. Along with Cryer memorably playing Laurie Bream in Silicon Valley, she also guested on All Rise and The Fosters. 

All episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu and Season 2 is currently in production. We can’t wait to see what new actors are assembled for Season 2! 

Possibly one of the more awkward necessary evils of being an actor (or romantically involved with one) is the love scenes. It’s really just part of the job description, but when you’re asking people to tap into their emotions for their audience, it’s not exactly surprising that the actors’ real-life partners might have some jealousy creep in. Apparently this is even true for old pros like Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, who have been married since 2003, as the actor recalled his own unexpected feelings about seeing his wife with Rob Lowe.

Nick Offerman and Parks and Recollection podcast host Rob Lowe co-starred on the fabulous NBC comedy Parks and Recreation, but years before Ron Swanson and Chris Traeger shared the screen with their polar opposite demeanors, Lowe appeared in a 1986 movie called About Last Night, which also featured Megan Mullally. Offerman explained on the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend that even as a teenager, he’d learned that if he was confident in his own fidelity, he had no reason to be jealous, and that was the attitude he carried into his relationship with Mullally as the two actors exchanged what Offerman called their “butcher’s bills”:

Nick Offerman certainly has a mature take on the subject, but I’d really expect nothing less from two veteran actors regarding roles they’d previously played, especially for the jobs that came before they even met. Unfortunately, Offerman’s stance was good only in theory, because when Conan O’Brien questioned whether he’d had a “moment of jealousy,” Offerman admitted he wasn’t quite so confident when he came face-to-face with the About Last Night scene in question. Offerman continued:

Now, Rob Lowe is pretty easy on the eyes. For one, he never ages, and he’s got a confident smolder and gorgeous smile to boot. I bet there are few men out there who wouldn’t be intimidated seeing the 9-1-1: Lone Star actor with their woman. From Megan Mullally’s perspective, I can only imagine that Lowe was a pretty memorable “acting partner,” especially since she divulged the makeout sesh to Nick Offerman more than a decade after it happened. 

The Party Down actress made quite a few guest appearances as Ron Swanson’s ex-wife Tammy 2 on Parks and Recreation, so that must have been literally the most awkward situation for Nick Offerman. Not that Megan Mullally and Rob Lowe shared the screen all that often — most of the time Tammy 2 was either torturing Ron or seducing him (often both at the same time).

Either way, it was a pretty funny admission from the Making It star, and proof that even the most fascinating and manliest of men can be taken down a notch by Rob Lowe. You can relive all of the Parks and Recreation hilarity on streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. Also be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon!

It is no question that Seinfeld helped launch some great careers in entertainment. However, I am not necessarily referring to the main Seinfeld cast, but the guest stars who were not so well known at the time, such as a pre-Entourage cast Jeremy Piven. Also, you may remember Bryan Cranston’s recurring role, but may not realize he is not the only Breaking Bad cast member to appear on the sitcom, nor is Courteney Cox the only Friends cast member with a prominent guest role. When Seinfeld hits Netflix on October 1, 2021, see if you can spot any of the following as soon-to-be stars, starting with another groundbreaking comedian.

Sarah Silverman (Emily)

With a short stint on Saturday Night Live and a couple of years on HBO’s Mr. Show with Bob and David, Emmy-winning comedian and actress Sarah Silverman was still an up-and-comer when she appeared on the Seinfeld Season 8 episode, “The Money.” She plays Kramer’s girlfriend, Emily, whom Michael Richards’ character claims is great in bed, but not fun to share a bed with when it comes to getting shut-eye afterward.

Bob Odenkirk (Ben)

Also known for Mr. Show with Bob and David as the “Bob” from the title, Bob Odenkirk, who played a medical student Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) dates in the hope of eventually achieving her dream of dating a doctor in another Seinfeld Season 8 episode, “The Abstinence.” The former Saturday Night Live writer went on to lead a hit action movie called Nobody and, of course, earn Emmy nominations as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and the prequel spin-off Better Call Saul.

Anna Gunn (Amy)

Another Breaking Bad alum who appeared on Seinfeld earlier in her career is two-time Emmy winner Anna Gunn (Walter White’s wife, Skyler), who played a girlfriend of Jerry’s whom George (Jason Alexander) is convinced he saw smooching with Jerry’s cousin after losing his glasses in Season 5’s “The Glasses.” I could actually make a whole list of Breaking Bad actors who have appeared on Seinfeld, but let’s move on to another cable drama star for now.

Michael Chiklis (Steve Pocatello)

Michael Chiklis rose to fame as the Emmy-winning lead of FX’s The Shield, as The Thing in two Fantastic Four movies, and as part of the American Horror Story cast in Season 4. Years earlier, he was on Seinfeld Season 3 as a party host who ends up hosting Jerry and Elaine longer than anticipated, after their ride (George) leaves early for a one night stand, and later causes Jerry trouble when he appears at his building unexpected.

Daniel Dae Kim (Student #1)

Another star of a popular TV crime drama is former Hawaii Five-0 cast member Daniel Dae Kim, who is also well known from the Lost cast as Jin-Soo Kwon. On Seinfeld’s final season, Kramer and his friend Mickey (Danny Woodburn) were hired to pretend they had symptoms of certain diseases for medical students to guess, and the actor plays the student who correctly diagnoses Kramer with gonorrhea.

Mariska Hargitay (Melissa)

One of TV’s top crime procedural stars is Law and Order: Special Victims Unit cast member Mariska Hargitay, who has earned several Emmy nominations and one win during her two decades playing Olivia Benson. She probably would have earned some awards recognition for playing a fictionalized version of Elaine on the sitcom-within-a-sitcom, Jerry, if George had not cut off her audition (and if the show hadn’t been cancelled, too) in the Seinfeld Season 4 finale, “The Pilot.”

Jeremy Piven (Michael Barth / TV George)

Also in the Seinfeld Season 4 finale, Michael Barth does an unmistakable imitation of George Costanza when trying out for the role based on Jason Alexander’s character, which he ends up landing. However, you could have mistaken Barth for someone other than Jeremy Piven, who looks nothing like his Emmy-winning Entourage character, Ari Gold, in the episode.

Brad Garrett (Tony Abado)

Another Emmy-winning sitcom star who once guest starred on Seinfeld is Brad Garrett, who made his Season 7 appearance mere months before debuting on Everybody Love Raymond as Robert Barone. He plays a mechanic so overly protective of Jerry’s car that he steals it for himself, unaware that he is carrying a set golf clubs once used by President John F. Kennedy.

Megan Mullally (Betsy)

A winner of two Emmys as Will & Grace’s Karen Walker (and who should have been nominated for playing the ex-wife of her real-life husband, Nick Offerman's, character on Parks and Recreation) is Megan Mullally. One of her earliest sitcom appearances was on a classic Seinfeld Season 4 episode (“The Implant”) as a woman dating George, who accompanies her to the funeral of a loved one where he is accosted for “double-dipping” a chip.

Jennifer Coolidge (Jodi)

Seinfeld also marked the acting debut of Jennifer Coolidge, who later played Stiffler’s Mom in American Pie, Paulette in Legally Blonde, and joined the 2 Broke Girls cast as Sophie Kachinsky. The White Lotus cast member appeared in Season 5 as a masseuse dating Jerry, whom he can’t seem to get to give him a massage. Not to mention, she hates George so much, he starts to become obsessed with her.

Courteney Cox (Meryl)

Jennifer Coolidge has also guest starred on Friends, which, of course, made a star out of Courteney Cox just months after her Seinfeld appearance. She also appeared in Season 5 as a girlfriend of Jerry’s who pretends to be his wife so they can both get a discount at their local dry cleaners.

Debra Jo Rupp (Katie)

You may remember that Debra Jo Rupp had a recurring spot on Friends as Phoebe’s sister-in-law, Alice, before she played Kitty in the That ‘70s Show cast and, even later, had a role on WandaVision. However, she also had a recurring role on Seinfeld, appearing in two episodes as Jerry’s loyal, but extremely incompetent, agent, Katie.

Maggie Wheeler (Cynthia)

Probably the funniest and most memorable recurring role on Friends was Janice, played by Maggie Wheeler, who also had an earlier role on Seinfeld. In Season 3’s “The Fix Up,” Jerry and Elaine crack a scheme to pair the romantically challenged George with Elaine’s romantically fed-up friend Cynthia (Wheeler), which, expectedly, has its ups and downs.

Jon Favreau (Eric The Clown)

Another actor who landed a recurring role on Friends was Jon Favreau, before he became one of the most successful filmmakers working today as the director of Iron Man and the creator of the Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian, to name a few achievements. I bet you had no idea that he was the birthday clown who told George to get over his predilection for Bozo in the Seinfeld Season 5 classic “The Fire.”

Tobin Bell (Ron)

Speaking of clowns, one of the creepiest clowns in horror movies is Billy, the puppet whom Jigsaw often talks through in the Saw movies. I bet you didn’t realize that the man who played Jigsaw, Tobin Bell, appeared on a Seinfeld Season 4 episode (“The Old Man”) as a record store owner who offers Kramer and Newman an unjustly low price for some used vinyl, including a Frank Sinatra album in mint condition.

James Spader (Jason Hanky)

Also known for playing great villains (such as Raymond “Red” Reddington on The Blacklist or the AI enemy of 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron) is James Spader. The three-time Emmy-winner actually channels some of that same signature sinister energy to play Jason Hanky, who refuses to apologize to George for a past insult despite being required to make amends as part of a 12-step program, on a Seinfeld Season 9 episode.

Patton Oswalt (Video Store Clerk)

Also known for playing a Marvel villain (voice of the title character in the animated series M.O.D.O.K.) is Patton Oswalt, a popular comedian even better known for sitcoms like The King of Queens and movies like Ratatouille. One of his very first acting appearances was on Seinfeld as an employee at a video store from which George tries to rent Breakfast at Tiffany’s so he does not have to read the book.

Catherine Keener (Nina West)

A Scream Queen in her own right (mostly for appearing in one of the best horror movies in recent memory, Get Out) is Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener, who also had an early Seinfeld appearance. In Season 3, she plays the painter of Kramer’s iconic portrait and a girlfriend of Jerry’s who toys with his head with a letter she plagiarizes from a Neil Simon movie.

Stephen Tobolowsky (Tor Eckman)

A character whose methods to cure George’s inflamed tonsils remind me of Catherine Keener role in Get Out is Tor Eckman in the Season 2 episode, “The Heart Attack.” The holistic specialist is played to ridiculous perfection on Seinfeld by actor Stephen Tobolowsky, whom many will recognize from Groundhog Day, his recurring role in the Silicon Valley cast, and as Sammy Jankis in Christopher Nolan’s Memento.

Lauren Graham (Valerie)

Another acclaimed star of TV (like from being in the Gilmore Girls cast) and movies (such as Bad Santa) is Lauren Graham, who played the other half of one of Jerry’s most overly complicated romantic relationships on Seinfeld. When Valerie (Graham) puts Jerry on her speed dial, her stepmother (Louan Gideon) is initially furious, until she begins to take a liking to him and wants to put him on her speed dial, which threatens Jerry’s position on Valerie’s list!

I am not even sure if that is the weirdest relationship Jerry has ever been in, nor am I convinced that we have covered all the best Seinfeld characters with this list. However, what I do know is that you may never watch the hit sitcom the same way again, knowing that it was once a big break (or an obscure highlight) for some of your favorite celebrities.

Party Down, the Starz comedy about a catering company in Hollywood, was an instant classic, boasting series regulars like Adam Scott and Martin Starr in its group of lovable losers moonlighting as caterers who are trying to break through to stardom. It’s been over a decade since we’ve seen the Party Down gang slinging d’oeuvres under the incapable leadership of Ron Donald (Ken Marino). When it was announced recently that the Starz underground hit would be rebooted, fans raised their beers to a collective cheer of “Are we having fun yet?” So as we plan to reunite with our favorite disgruntled waiters — and wonder what astonishing A-list guest stars might grace our screens in this reboot — let’s take a look at what the Party Down cast has been up to since the series last aired in 2010.

Ken Marino (Ron Donald)

Ken Marino, who played the most unlikely candidate for responsibility possible in Party Down’s Ron Donald, is seemingly the exact opposite off-screen, as Marino has stayed busy both in front of and behind the camera. He reprised his role as rival private investigator Vinnie Van Lowe in the long-awaited new season of Veronica Mars in 2019, and also had recurring roles on such shows as Fresh Off the Boat, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and most recently, the Showtime dark comedy Black Monday. He’s taken his turn behind the camera directing the web series Burning Love, a hilarious satire of the Bachelor franchise, and a handful of episodes of Adult Swim’s Children’s Hospital — acting in both shows as well.

Ken Marino has two movie director credits, with How to Be a Latin Lover and Dog Days, and if that’s not enough, he wrote Wanderlust, co-starring Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd and the bewitching Kathryn Hahn. Marino also had a hand in the screenplay for Role Models. In 2020, Marino reunited with the cast that started it all — MTV’s sketch comedy The State — to raise funds for the NAACP and the California Immigrant Resilience Fund, which helps undocumented California residents affected by the COVID pandemic. I mean, these credits are good, but how do they stand up next to running a Soup R’ Crackers?

Adam Scott (Henry Pollard)

Adam Scott’s Henry Pollard was a one-hit wonder on Party Down, finding 15 minutes of fame on a beer commercial with a memorable tagline before flaming out and quitting acting. Scott’s career as an actor has thankfully gone the other direction, and he’s stayed pretty busy since his fictional catering days. We liked him and we loved him as Ben Wyatt on Parks and Recreation, and he also had recurring television roles in hits such as The Good Place and Big Little Lies. Many of these actors run in the same circles (see Veronica Mars), and Scott reunited with Ken Marino for Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later and the web series Burning Love. On the big screen, he and Lizzy Caplan reignited their red-hot chemistry to again play lovers in Bachelorette. Other movie credits include The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Krampus and Sleeping with Other People.

Adam Scott has also found success in the world of podcasts. His initial project, U Talkin’ U2 to Me?, dissected his love for the iconic band U2. That led to R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE: ME?, a similar show about REM, and in 2020 launched U Talkin’ Talking Heads 2 My Talking Heads. Next up he’s slated to star in the Ben Stiller-directed workplace thriller Severance on Apple TV+, which is currently filming and set to air sometime this year.

Lizzy Caplan (Casey Klein)

Lizzy Caplan was wonderful as sarcastic aspiring comedian Casey Klein, but much of her post-Party Down career has skewed away from comedy. Caplan picked up nominations for a Primetime Emmy, two Satellite Awards and a Critics’ Choice Award for her portrayal of Virginia Johnson in the Showtime series Masters of Sex. Most recently Caplan was in the Apple TV+ thriller series Truth Be Told with Octavia Spencer and played Annie Wilkes in the Season 2 of the Stephen King-inspired Castle Rock. Caplan’s next project stays in the horror realm, with Cobweb, starring opposite The Boys’ Antony Starr. The movie, which filmed in Bulgaria in late 2020, is in post-production.

It hasn’t been all horror and thriller for Lizzy Caplan, however, as the Mean Girls alum has also had recurring roles in New Girl, The League and Children’s Hospital. Movie credits include The Interview from James Franco and Seth Rogan, as well as the sci-fi thriller Extinction, (no word from Party Down’s Roman on if that counts as “hard sci-fi”).

Martin Starr (Roman DeBeers)

We fell in love with Martin Starr as a lovable nerd on Freaks and Geeks, and aspiring sci-fi author Roman DeBeers could certainly be an older version of Bill Haverchuck — albeit more cynical and beaten down by life. Hopefully Starr’s acting career is slightly less frustrating than trying to make it in the world of hard sci-fi. Starr co-starred as the fantastically named Bertram Gilfoyle on all six seasons of HBO’s five-time Emmy nominee Silicon Valley. Starr also had small roles in the CBS comedy series Life in Pieces and Hawaii Five-O and played multiple characters on Comedy Central’s Drunk History.

Martin Starr’s been no stranger to the big screen either, playing Daniel in Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead, and teaming up with his Apatow buddies in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's apocalyptic comedy This is the End. And speaking of old buddies, Starr had a couple of projects with Party Down guest star Kristen Bell, playing Stu Cobbler in Veronica Mars and Bell’s friend Todd in the uncomfortable drama The Lifeguard. Starr has also joined the MCU, playing Mr. Harrington, the teacher with the unenviable task of keeping tabs on teens like Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Far from Home and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Up next for Starr is a supporting role in the dark superhero film Samaritan, starring Sylvester Stallone and set for a June 4 release.

Ryan Hansen (Kyle Bradway)

As previously noted, the cast of Party Down is strongly connected to Veronica Mars, and none more than Ryan Hansen, who played the douchey Dick Casablancas on the smart mystery series. Hansen and Kristen Bell became best friends, and his resume boasts numerous projects with The Good Place star, including Burning Love and Hansen’s YouTube Red series Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television. Hansen had a hilariously awkward guest role as Bell’s lover on her Showtime series House of Lies. He also played a part in the movie Hit & Run with Bell, which Bell’s husband Dax Shepard wrote, directed and starred in.

That doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of his work either, but some of Ryan Hansen’s projects have failed to find critical acclaim. Hansen took a couple of swings on NBC comedies, playing the lover of Kate Walsh’s Rebecca Wright in the lone season of Bad Judge and starring as Ben Lewis on the short-lived comedy Friends with Benefits, but Hansen’s bread and butter seems to lie in guest roles and recurring spots. He’s made appearances on Key and Peele, Parenthood, The Mindy Project and Santa Clarita Diet. He had a recurring role as Andy in Season 2 of 2 Broke Girls, played Doug Weiner in the Hulu series Resident Advisors and played Brent in the TV Land series Teachers. Hansen had roles in three movies that came out in 2020: Friendsgiving, Fantasy Island and Like a Boss, all of which were panned by critics.

Megan Mullally (Lydia Dunfree)

Megan Mullally joined the Party Down crew in Season 2 as the well-meaning but desperately lonely Lydia Dunfree. While Lydia struggled as momager for thankless daughter Escapade, Mullally’s path couldn’t be further from her character’s, as she was a force to be reckoned with both before and after Party Down on pretty much any platform she chose in entertainment. Most recently, on top of reprising her role as Karen Walker on Will & Grace, the actor has lent her voice to a number of animated projects including Bob’s Burgers and The Great North. In 2015 her voice acting led to a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for her work on Sofia the First: The Enchanted Feast.

Mullally was also a series regular on Children’s Hospital and had a memorable recurring role as the second ex-wife of Ron Swanson (played by real-life husband Nick Offerman) Tammy Two in Parks and Recreation. In 2014 she starred in Annapurna off-Broadway with Offerman and on Broadway in It’s Only a Play alongside Matthew Broderick, Stockard Channing, Nathan Lane and more. In 2021 she is slated to play Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes at the Barbican Theatre in London. And don’t forget to add “author” to the multi-hyphenate’s resume. In 2018 she and Offerman published The Greatest Love Story Ever Told about their “epic” romance.

Jane Lynch (Constance Carmell)

No personal business on company pond for this hard worker. Constance Carmell’s optimistic attitude always had her willing to go the extra mile to hone her craft. (Have you seen her cow? “Are you milking me for information, Old MacDonald? I’m not in the mooooood.”) And if that’s the effort Jane Lynch puts into her real-life acting career, it’s working. Unfortunately Lynch had to leave the catering company after Season 1 because of a contractual obligation to Glee for her brilliant role as Sue Sylvester, but that worked out in her favor, if not ours, as it led to five Primetime Emmy Awards from twelve nods, two SAG Awards from six nominations and one Golden Glove from two nominations.

Lynch has had recurring TV roles on numerous shows, such as Criminal Minds and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She’s leant her voice to animated TV and movies alike in The Simpsons, Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet and UglyDolls. She’s hosted game shows, such as the reboot of Weakest Link and Hollywood Game Night. Lynch even has her own record label, KitschTone Records, on which she released a Christmas album with her cabaret group See Jane Sing.

Lynch has also tried her hand at theater, making her Broadway debut as Miss Hannigan in Annie in 2013. She’s also done a ton of charity work, most notably to support equal rights in the LBGTQ community. In 2013, Lynch was honored by The Trevor Project for her advocacy of marriage equality. In 2020 she co-hosted the live telethon Love in Action to help raise funds for the Los Angeles LGBT Center during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Party Down fans, myself included, are eager to see our favorite caterers don their pink bowties again and reveal if the last 10 years has brought them any of the same success as the actors who portray them (assuming not, if they are in fact still catering). Be sure to check back for more information on the reboot, and find something else to stream on Starz in the meantime.

While we’re going to have to wait a little longer to see the Bob’s Burgers movie head to theaters, as Bob’s Burgers: The Movie has found itself pushed to opening on April 9, 2021. It’s a bummer for sure, but there’s two things we’ll be able to pass the time with until then: show creator Loren Bouchard’s new Apple TV+ series Central Park, and making lists of actors we hope will appear in the new film.

As there’s such a rich tapestry of supporting characters that don’t appear in every episode, and out of that deep bench of Wonder Wharf denizens, there’s a handful we hope show up in time for their cinematic debut. Bob’s Burgers: The Movie may be a little under a year away, but that means there’s hopefully plenty of time to add in one or two of these fine folks into the cast.

Kevin Kline (Mr. Fischoeder)

An important piece of the Bob’s Burgers puzzle, eccentric landlord/millionaire Mr. Fischoeder is never a guaranteed presence. But, Kevin Kline’s insanely entertaining character does show up quite a bit throughout the run of the series, as a recurring “special guest star” of sorts. He’s left an impression throughout the 10 years of the series so far, and to not have Mr. Fischoeder in Bob’s Burgers: The Movie would be the greatest shame that’d befall a film of this sort.

Megan Mullally (Gayle)

Gayle, Linda’s sister and occasional source of headaches for the family at large, is one of those characters you kind of need when it comes to a big film like Bob’s Burgers: The Movie. Whether it’s putting up a fuss with eye drops, or taking an accidental kiss from Bob as an invitation for romantic overtures, if she can throw a comedic wrench into the family’s adventures, she does. Which means that Megan Mullally’s comedic chops would play like gangbusters when expanded into a would-be blockbuster’s story.

Sam Seder (Hugo)

Big screen movies usually come with big screen stakes, and Bob’s Burgers: The Movie feels like it’s got the perfect chance to bring some important fixtures back for some serious payback. And there’s certainly no shortage of Bob’s Burgers antagonists to push things to the edge; much like Sam Seder’s Hugo is likely to do. The disgruntled health inspector who lost Linda’s hand in marriage to Bob, he’s always had it out for the burger shop down the street from Wonder Wharf, and a major motion picture is a great opportunity for Hugo to threaten the restaurant once and for all.

Jenny Slate (Tammy Larsen)

If you look at the list of episodes that Tammy Larsen’s antagonistic presence has popped up throughout, Jenny Slate’s Wagstaff School student with attitude has fast become a pretty integral part to the growth of Tina Belcher herself. She’s also become one of the gang in the Bob’s Burgers universe, so her inclusion in Bob’s Burgers: The Movie feels like a pretty important step that a movie theater adventure should take.

Molly Shannon (Millie Frock)

Much as Tina has a nemesis in Tammy, Louise Belcher has started developing an adversarial relationship of her own with the unhinged Millie Frock. We haven’t seen Molly Shannon’s character since “The Silence of the Louise”, where Millie played the Hannibal to Louise’s Clarice. With an absence of two seasons, Bob’s Burgers: The Movie could be the perfect sequel to reunite these two opposing forces, in the name of the chaos that only a feature length film could provide.

Gary Cole (Sgt. Bosco)

Crime runs semi-rampant in the Wonder Wharf area, and Bob’s Burgers has a watchful protector, and a very awkward knight in Gary Cole’s Sgt. Bosco. Listening to Cole riff with the regular series cast is always a treat, so Bob’s Burgers: The Movie could only pile on the soft serve with criminal villainy potentially running rampant. With Sgt. Bosco being included in the film’s course of events, there’s no telling what could happen. Quite possibly, this adventure could even see the good sergeant turning to a live of vigilantism, costuming himself in the name of the law.

Sharon Horgan (Kathleen)

A recent addition to the Bob’s Burgers family, Kathleen has become a promising character in the realm of recurring returns. With Catastrophe’s Sharon Horgan voicing the woman who may or may not be the one for Belcher family friend Teddy, Bob’s Burgers: The Movie would be a perfect time to either cement her relationship with the loyal handyman or break them apart for good. In either case, there’s an opportunity for a beautiful song to be added to the rich catalog of tunes the series already has.

Robert Smigel (Yuli The Security Guard)

In the world of a comedic ensemble like Bob’s Burgers, everyone adds their own unique flavor to the sandbox they all join in. Robert Smigel’s Yuli the Security Guard is a perfect example of someone who, while playing a secondary role in the fabric, always livens up the episode. Bob’s Burgers: The Movie is a prime time for Yuli to step up into the big leagues, with Smigel’s iconic voice bringing even more laughter to the series table than ever before.

Jillian Bell (Nat Kinkle)

While the Belcher family has already done the whole road trip thing recently in the episode “Just The Trip”, that doesn’t mean a journey to somewhere nice and unknown can’t happen in Bob’s Burgers: The Movie. And if it’s anything like that last adventure, the Belchers will definitely want limo driver/all around sweetheart Nat Kinkle along for the ride. Though if Jillian Bell’s character isn’t needed for her driving skills in this film’s storyline, at the very least Nat should be around to provide some sage wisdom, as well as show off her pet Komodo Dragon.

There’s no telling who can or will show up in a Bob’s Burgers movie, which is part of where the fun lies. Even if none of these characters happen to appear, the madcap fun and unpredictable humor of Bob’s Burgers The Movie will surely be welcome in a time where, hopefully, we’ll be back at the movies for a chance to escape into a colorful, musical world of burgers, butts, and everything else this long running series has offered its fanbase.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie debuts on April 9, 2021, just in time for some lucky restaurant to unveil their Deglazed Opening Burger, topped with a red wine and balsamic vinaigrette reduction, fresh Jersey tomatoes, and crumbled bleu cheese. You can have that one, Fox; just be sure to credit us.

In 2005, Will & Grace ended its run. For the first time, at least. 12 years later, the popular NBC sitcom returned for its much-hyped revival. All its principle stars, including Eric McCormack and Debra Messing in the title roles, as well as Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes as their trusted on-screen friends, came back, as did many others involved with the show's original run. Alas, it wasn't meant to last. This month, Will & Grace reaches its end once more with its 11th season finale. Now that the sitcom comes to another close, the Will & Grace cast will, once again, move on to other projects. What they will do next? While there are questions still unanswered, we have a few ideas what these TV stars will be doing after this month's final bow.

Eric McCormack (Will Truman)

As Will Truman, a lawyer who lives in the Upper West Side with his best friend, Grace Adler, Eric McCormack served as one half of the title duo in Will & Grace. Prior to his role in Will & Grace, McCormack was seen in Giant Steps and Lonesome Dove: The Series. He has also appeared on Dead Like Me, Trust Me, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Perception. He also worked on Netflix's Travelers (which he also helped direct) and Atypical as Will & Grace continued with its revival. Up next, McCormack is expected to star in the adventure film, Queen Bee.

Debra Messing (Grace Adler)

As Grace Adler, an interior designer who lives with Will Truman, her gay best friend, Debra Messing plays the other half of the title duo. As an actress, Messing was seen in shows like NYPD Blue and Ned and Stacey before she landed one of the lead roles in Will & Grace. Since the show's success, Messing has appeared in films like Hollywood Ending, The Wedding Date, Open Season, Lucky You, The Women, Searching, and Garfield: The Movie. Prior to Will & Grace's return to television, Messing also appeared on Smash, The Mysteries of Laura and a TV remake of Dirty Dancing. Next, Messing will be seen in the adventure dramedy The Dark Divide alongside David Cross and Jon Stewart's new movie, Irresistible, with Steve Carrell. Additionally, in the fall, Messing will star in the new Broadway production, Birthday Candles, with Andre Braugher and Enrico Colantoni.

Megan Mullally (Karen Walker)

As Karen Walker, Grace's rich assistant who constantly makes a presence throughout the program (even though her husband doesn't), Megan Mullally plays a memorable role on Will & Grace. As an actress, Mullally appeared in Seinfeld and Risky Business before she made a splash on Will & Grace. Since then, Mullally has appeared in The Megan Mullally Show, Bee Movie, The Kings of Summer, Hotel Transylvania 2, Why Him?, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Children's Hospital, Boston Legal, and Where'd You Go Bernadette. In addition to Will & Grace, she can be heard on Bob's Burgers. Beyond her acting work, Mullally is also a musician. She's in the band Nancy & Beth with fellow actress Stephanie Hunt. She also co-wrote the 2018 book The Greatest Love Story Ever Told with her husband, Nick Offerman. Next, she lends her voice to the animated show, The Great North.

Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland)

As Jack McFarland, the struggling actor best friend of Will Truman who constantly bounces between jobs, Sean Hayes served as a scene-stealing cast member on the sitcom. The popularity of the program lead to Hayes getting roles in The Cat in the Hat, Cats & Dogs, The Bucket List, Sean Saves The World, The Three Stooges, and Monsters University, among other projects. In addition to his work on Will & Grace, Hayes can also be heard in Tangled: The Series. Most recently, Hayes co-wrote and starred in Lazy Susan, a new indie comedy which came out earlier this month. It's currently available on VOD. Outside of his acting work, Sean Hayes and his husband, Scott Icenogle, wrote a children's book called Plum, which was published in 2018. At the moment, Hayes doesn't have an upcoming projects announced yet, besides reports of a potential Three Stooges sequel.

Leslie Jordan (Beverley Leslie)

As the socialite frenemy of Karen Walker, Leslie Jordan plays a reoccurring role on Will & Grace and is periodically seen in the revival. A veteran actor of both the stage and screen with over a hundred credits to his name, Jordan remains a persistently hard-working actor. Some of the biggest titles to his name include, but aren't limited to, The Help, American Horror Story, Boston Legal, Ally McBeal, Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday, and more. Next, Jordan will be seen in the romantic film, Until We Meet Again, and the comedy, Strangers in a Strange Land. He's also making a series of funny videos.

Tim Bagley (Larry)

As Larry, a long-time friend of Will and Jack, Tim Bagley has made several appearances on Will & Grace, including in the newer seasons. An actor with several film and television credits to his name, including Monk, Grace and Frankie, Knocked Up, Web Therapy, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, The King of Queens, 7th Heaven, The Day After Tomorrow, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, This is 40, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more, Bagley has popped up in a variety of different titles. He was most recently seen in Netflix's AJ and the Queen. Additionally, Bagley is a regular contributor to the LA alternative comedy scene, as it is noted on his website.

Blythe Danner (Marilyn Truman)

As Marilyn Truman, Will's mother and eventually Grace's stepmother, Blythe Danner has guest starred in several episodes of Will & Grace, new and old. The accomplished actress of both the stage and screen, Danner has starred in several movies and shows over the years, notably winning two Emmys for Huff and a Tony award for her performance in Butterflies Are Free. Recently, Danner appeared in last year's The Tomorrow Man and Strange But True. She will next be seen in Home Cookin: 5.17.18 and she'll also star in the third season of American Gods.

After more than 200 episodes on television, several accolades, and syndication spots, Will & Grace has decided to end once more. It should be noted that the original revival was only meant to last 10 episodes before it renewed a regular spot on NBC's nightly rotation. Alas, the time has come once more to say goodbye to Will & Grace. You can tune in to watch the series finale of Will & Grace when it airs on April 23rd on NBC. From there, it looks like some of the actors are keeping busy, while others are keeping themselves open. When new developments arrive, you can check back with CinemaBlend for more information and updates.

Will and Grace’s Shelley Morrison died of heart failure on Sunday, December 1, in Los Angeles. The actress, best known for playing the role of Rosario Salazar during the original run of the popular NBC series, was 83 years old. To be expected, Morrison’s Will and Grace co-stars shared some of their heartfelt reactions following news of her death.

Although Shelley Morrison did not reprise her role in the Will and Grace revival, due in part to medical issues, her former co-stars shared some sweet messages on social media. Megan Mullally, who played Rosario’s boss Karen Walker and who will miss some Will and Grace episodes herself, took to Twitter to share her sadness.

Will and Grace’s Eric McCormack also shared his condolences, posting a sweet message to Twitter about the actress and her performance as Rosario. Without Shelley Morrison, the original run of the show may not have been as funny.

Debra Messing, the titular Grace of the NBC hit, also paid tribute to Shelley Morrison, acknowledging her decades-long career and adding that she’ll always be remembered most as Will and Grace’s Rosario. In her Instagram post, Messing shared a brief clip of Morrison’s character. You can watch the video below.

Sean Hayes posted a nice photo of Shelley Morrison as Rosario to his Instagram, saying she was “absolutely hilarious” and had the “biggest heart.”

Shelley Morrison’s Rosario, a maid from El Salvador, was originally meant to appear in one episode of Will and Grace. However, the audience and writers liked her so much that her character stayed on for all eight seasons of the show, appearing in 68 episodes throughout the series.

In a statement (via The Washington Post), Shelley Morrison’s husband, Walter Dominguez, mentioned how much the actress loved getting to play Rosario on Will and Grace.

Prior to Will and Grace, Shelley Morrison played Sister Sixto on The Flying Nun. She appeared in 56 episodes from 1967-1970 alongside Sally Field. The actress appeared on several other TV shows, including L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote, Love, Lies and Murder, My Name is Earl, Home Improvement, and Disney’s Handy Manny.

We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of Shelley Morrison in this time of mourning.

The final run of Will & Grace began this week with the bumped-up premiere of its eleventh and last season on NBC, but it turns out that the fab four stars of the series won't all be on board for all of the remaining episodes. Megan Mullally, who of course has played Karen Walker ever since the Will & Grace pilot aired way back in 1998, will be missing from a couple installments. But why?

Let's break it down. Megan Mullally took a temporary leave of absence from Will & Grace's final season, according to TVLine, which means no Karen in two episodes. Fans should expect to see the two episodes airing without Karen to hit the airwaves later this season, so there's presumably no reason to fear that she'll be missing from the next couple of episodes, considering Season 11 (the third season of the revival) only just began.

Megan Mullally hasn't shared anything on social media about her leave of absence. Her latest posts on Twitter and Instagram are actually hyping the bumped-up premiere of Season 11, and she looks like she was in the middle of filming when she recorded her Twitter video. NBC hasn't shared any official comment at the time of writing either, but there are reasons to wonder if behind-the-scenes tension could have led to Mullally taking a break.

Will And Grace Cast Explains Why The NBC Revival Is Ending

Rumors of drama on set began to circulate earlier this year when Megan Mullally and costar Debra Messing stopped following each other on Instagram, as noted by fans, and they've seemingly appeared in photos together much more rarely than in the past. Was the unfollowing on Instagram a sign that something is wrong between the two actresses, or could it have happened for some other reason?

It's worth noting that Megan Mullally seems to have stopped following Sean Hayes on Instragram as well, and Hayes and Mullally are pair for a lot of scenes as Jack and Karen, but the rumors about drama between Mullally and Debra Messing have been persistent and lasted for months.

The buzz around the alleged feud grew so much that Will & Grace actor Eric McCormack was called upon by Us Weekly to weigh in on what was happening. For his part, McCormack did his best to debunk the rumors, saying this:

Karen fans will undoubtedly be bummed to hear that Megan Mullally will be missing from two episodes of what will almost certainly be the last season, as a second revival or even spinoff a la The Conners seems pretty unlikely at this point, but the good news is that Will & Grace got a pretty hefty order for Season 11. The final season of the series will run for 18 episodes, and there's no indication that either of these two episodes will be the finale.

Tune in to NBC on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET to catch new episodes of Will & Grace's final season, with none other than Billie Lourd making an appearance in the perfect role, and swing by our fall TV premiere schedule to find out what still hasn't hit the airwaves.

The Parks And Recreation cast has become legendary since it started its run on NBC a decade ago -- yes a decade -- in 2009. Not only did the show produce some of the biggest stars in Hollywood today, like Chris Pratt and Aziz Ansari, but its endless parade of guest stars and cameos is also amazing.

Parks & Rec had an amazing ensemble cast, each of whom brought some unique and hilarious to the project. Characters like Tom Haverford and Ron Swanson have broken free of being mere sitcom characters and have become cultural icons. The actors who played them are still some of the funniest people in Hollywood and have continued to make audiences laugh long after the show wrapped up its final episode in 2015.

But which are the funniest? In a cast that includes Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, and Rob Lowe, not to mention smaller cameos and guests starring roles from the likes of Bill Murray, Andy Samberg, Dan Castellaneta, Patricia Clarkson, Henry Winkler, and so many more legends, how do you rank them? Well, let's take a shot here.

10. Rashida Jones (Ann Perkins)

On Parks And Recreation, Rashida Jones plays the kind and loving nurse and best friend to Leslie, Ann Perkins. While Ann is generally positive and bubbly, she has a dark streak in her too. Her low-key, measured and often deadpan reactions to the chaos that her co-stars create on Park & Rec are fantastic as she often seems to be the only sane person in Pawnee, Indiana.

Rashida Jones herself is Hollywood royalty, as the daughter of Golden Globe-winning actress Peggy Lipton and legendary music producer Quincy Jones. She first hit the big time when she starred as Karen on The Office. Jones is also a writer and a producer and was involved early on as the co-writer on Toy Story 4, and she has also written or co-written an episode of Black Mirror and the underrated rom-com Celeste & Jesse Forever (in which she also starred alongside Andy Samberg).

9. Adam Scott (Ben Wyatt)

Sir Ben Wyatt is the both hapless and brilliant love interest of Leslie Knope. Wyatt is basically a socially inept, awkward nerd who comes to town with a truckload of political baggage thanks to his ill-fated term as the youngest mayor in America in his hometown of Partridge, MN. He also holds a knighthood from the Queen of England and owns his very own Iron Throne from Game Of Thrones.

Adam Scott is a brilliant comedic actor who effortlessly plays understated characters and who brings humor in subtle and unexpected ways, well, except for his over-the-top and ridiculous coke-fueled character in Eastbound & Down. Even still, his character is like a more understated version of Kenny Powers, with a filthy mouth and messed up sense of humor.

8. Billy Eichner (Craig Middlebrooks)

Billy Eichner was a late addition to the Parks and Recreation cast, joining the show in Season 6 when Pawnee merged with Eagleton and he transferred to the parks department. His loud, overly enthusiastic and fairly angry character was a completely new voice for the show.

Since his stint on Parks & Recreation ended, it sure seems like Billy Eichner is everywhere these days, usually playing himself or some version of himself, screaming and carry on wherever he pops up, from late night talk shows to The Simpsons and everywhere else. He’s even got a part in the upcoming Lion King remake. His loud, brash humor is as hilarious as it is uncomfortable.

7. Rob Lowe (Chris Traeger)

When Rob Lowe joined the cast in Season 2, it was only supposed to be for a quick run as a guest star, but the character was so popular and Lowe liked it so much, he soon joined the cast full time as State Auditor and uncompromising health enthusiast Chris Traeger. Chris Traeger is literally one of the funniest characters Rob Lowe has ever played.

By the time he joined Parks & Rec, Rob Lowe was obviously already a huge star, going back to his “Brat Pack” days in the '80s when he starred in movies like St. Elmo’s Fire, and About Last Night, not to mention his hilarious roles in Tommy Boy and Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery. While Rob Lowe has also played serious, dramatic roles, most notably as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing, his charm and humor have always shined through, no matter the role. He also hasn't doesn't take himself too seriously, popping up in cameos all over the place, or starring in movies like Sex Tape, having been one of the original celebrities to deal with the release of one way back in the late '80s.

6. Aubrey Plaza (April Ludgate)

Aubrey Plaza’s April Ludgate was such an underused character at the beginning of the Parks and Recreation run. It took some time for the character to properly develop but once she did, it was spectacular. Her unpromisingly dark and nihilistic attitude is the direct foil to her unfailingly positive boyfriend/husband Andy Dwyer and together they are one of the funniest couples in sitcom history.

For her part, Aubrey Plaza has become a huge star since the show, starring usually as a similarly dark character in movies like Dirty Grandpa with Robert De Niro and Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates, not to mention the upcoming reboot of Child's Play. But her best post-Parks & Recreation role may just be as Aaron Burr in the Hamilton episode of Drunk History. It is seriously funny.

5. Megan Mullally (Tammy Swanson – Tammy II)

Tammy II is Ron Swanson’s second wife and the bane of his existence. She is also the director of the Pawnee Public Library and the bane of Leslie’s existence. She is manipulative with both characters and serves as a unifying force for both characters to team up against.

Tammy II is played, of course, by the fantastic Megan Mullally, the real-life wife of Nick Offerman and now an often comedic partner with her husband. For 20 years she has been one of the funniest people in Hollywood, first making a big name for herself in her Emmy-winning performance as Karen Walker on Will & Grace starting in the late '90s. Since then, she’s has shown up in a string of hits, like Boston Legal, 30 Rock, The New Adventures Of Old Christine, and many more, including her current portrayal as Nick Offerman’s sleazy wife in the Sling Box commercials that make commercial breaks worth watching.

4. Chris Pratt (Andy Dwyer)

It’s hard to argue that by far the biggest breakout star from Parks And Recreation is Chris Pratt. His character Andy Dwyer started as more or less a side character, a failed musician and deadbeat boyfriend of Ann Perkins who falls into the hole behind their house and ends up working for the Parks Department after marrying April.

As for Chris Pratt, he is now one of the biggest stars in the world, starring in three of the biggest franchises in Hollywood. First as Emmet in The Lego Movie, then as Star-Lord in Guardians Of The Galaxy, and also as the dinosaur handler Owen Grady in Jurassic World and its follow-up, Jurassic Word: Fallen Kingdom, with another Jurassic World movie expected in 2021.

3. Aziz Ansari (Tom Haverford)

Tom Haverford has, by far, the most laugh-out-loud lines in Parks And Recreation. His ridiculously bougie aspirations keep the laughs coming from the first episode until the last. He was an early highlight on a show that was notoriously slow to find its footing in the first season. Luckily, once the comedy picked up speed, his character never lost the funny.

Aziz Ansari was another huge breakout star of the show. His multiple stand up specials and his Netflix show Master Of None have been huge hits and Ansari is one of only a handful of stand-up comedians to sell out Madison Square Garden in New York. That tells you everything you need to know about how funny he is.

2. Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope)

The star of Parks And Recreation and one of the funniest people in Hollywood, Amy Poehler has become a legend. Her character, Leslie Knope is a brilliant “every man (or woman),” determined to do good and make the world, or her small part of it, better. Her aspirations should be the aspirations of everyone, except for maybe the obnoxious (but hilarious) enthusiasm for everything. Literally everything.

Poehler got her first big break as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, during one of its most creative and funniest periods, alongside fellow cast members Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, and Tracy Morgan. Amy Poehler has written and starred in countless movies, often with her fellow SNL alum Tina Fey and has been praised for hosting both SNL and The Golden Globes, winning an Emmy for the former. Her latest project, Wine Country, can be found on Netflix.

1. Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson)

Ron Swanson is the undisputed king of Parks And Recreation. As the ornery “man’s man” who heads the department with an attitude that since government is inherently bad, the best way to do a government job is to barely do anything at all, Ron Swanson is great at doing very little at work. He balances his lack of hard work on the job with a slew of “manly” hobbies, like fishing, hunting, woodworking, lounge singing, meat eating, and ex-wives named Tammy.

Nick Offerman’s performance as Ron Swanson puts him in the upper echelon of all-time great sitcom characters, up there with George Costanza, Michael Scott, Liz Lemon, Norm Peterson, and any other great you can think of. In the years since Parks & Rec he has starred in stand-up specials, movies and TV shows like The Lego Movie, The Founder, Fargo and most recently in Amazon Prime’s Good Omens. It’s hard to image how funny life must be at home for two people like Offerman and his wife Megan Mullally.

Of course, there are characters and actors we’ve left off that hurt a lot to leave off, like both Saperstein siblings, Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa, or their father Dr. Saperstein, played by Henry Winkler. There are three Tammys and only one made the list but all three are amazing.

By far the hardest to leave off are the other two full time employees of the Pawnee Parks Department, Donna, played by Retta and Jerry/Garry/Larry/Terry played by Jim O’Heir. They deserve better, as they are amazing too. But a ranked list is a ranked list and this time they didn't quite make the cut. Although if we were ranking by best one-liners, "treat yourself" would have to be on there.

With nostalgia proving to be an extremely profitable trend on entertainment, there have been a ton of long awaited sequels and TV revivals arriving in the past two years. On the TV side of things, perhaps no revival has been quite as successful as NBC's new season of Will and Grace. Will and Grace was one of the most popular shows on TV this fall, bringing back the original cast and picking up exactly where they left off. The new season has also had its fair amount of emotional moments, and now it looks like a future episode will explore the background of everyone's favorite drug enthusiast, Karen Walker.

This news comes to us from TV Guide, which reports that Will and Grace will soon delve into the past of Megan Mullally's signature character. Karen's history is almost cartoonish, and has taken many forms during the show's original eight season run. The show alternates between being sincere about Karen's past, and making Karen into an ageless creature that has been essentially embalmed from her drug and liquor use. But considering how sincere the current season has been, smart money says Karen will show her softer side when exploring her colorful past.

Karen's history is one of the most inconsistent aspects of Will and Grace, which also makes it one of the most hilarious. Karen has made references to various cultural events throughout history, making her true age a mystery. And with access to botox and other ways to stay ageless, she doesn't even change physically throughout the years. We even saw this in the former series finale, during the time jump forward. While Will, Grace, and Jack aged normally, Karen looked exactly the same as she had throughout the series' run.

But Karen has also shown vulnerability plenty of times throughout the series, usually coming as as surprise and hitting the audience like a ton of bricks. We saw that this season with the episode "Rosario's Quinceanera", where Karen broke down during her beloved maid's funeral. Karen was also shown to be surprisingly vulnerable when it comes to Grace, being deeply hurt when her friend and boss wrongs her. She's also got serious problems related to her mother's neglect, as well as her trust issues with Stan.

Overall, there is a ton to look forward to once Will and Grace returns from winter hiatus. In addition to Karen's past, the upcoming episodes will feature the return of cast members like Molly Shannon and Bobby Cannavale as Val and Vince. Val is a crazy woman who lives in Will and Grace's building, while Vince is who many believe to be Will's true love on the show.

Will and Grace will return on January 4, 2018. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch, and our cancellation list to see if your favorite show got the chop.

Spoilers for the most recent episode of Will and Grace.

Last night's new Will and Grace was a doozy. Because while the episode contained tons of laughs and cartoonish physical comedy, "Rosario's Quinceanera" also gave Megan Mullally's Karen Walker the chance to show some vulnerability. Her maid and life partner Rosario has been noticeably missing from the new season, and now Will and Grace has found a way to write her off. You guessed it: Rosario got killed off, breaking all of our hearts in the process. Creator Max Mutchnick has since revealed how Shelley Morrison's retirement helped inspire the writers room to explore this plot line.

Shelley Morrison is just about the only original Will and Grace star who isn't set to reprise her role in the new season. And according to Max Mutchnick's comments to THR, the writers took this as a chance to craft an interesting story. While Morrison had a cut role in the group's internet short in 2016, she is now into her 80s and has retired from the business known as show. And considering what a major force she was in the original series, Will and Grace needed to address why she and Karen weren't trading insults in the new season.

Prior to Rosie's offscreen death in the last episode, she was briefly mentioned in an earlier episode. In the second episode, Karen's new Irish maid mentioned that Rosario didn't feel like climbing up the stairs to help Karen in her bedroom. This confirmed she was a live and well, which made the gut punch of her sudden death feel all the more dramatic. It should be interesting to see if the Irish maid ends up being a larger role in the series moving forward. Because if Karen isn't terrorizing her staff, is she even Karen at all?

While Shelley Morrison wasn't present in Rosario's final episode, there were two surprise returns. The most obvious was Minnie Driver, who reprised her role as Lorraine Finster at Rosario's funeral services. But the second guest was a bit more subtle for the more hardcore Will and Grace fans. Because when Karen fled Rosie's services to drink her feelings away, she was waited on by her regular bartender Smitty. Smitty made six appearances during the show's original run, attempting to give Karen some context about her first world problems by telling her a harrowing story from his past... which usually makes Karen crack up.

Rosario's surprise death also gave Megan Mullally the chance to do some dramatic acting in the episode. Karen's vulnerability is shown few and far between, but it always packs an emotional punch when it happens. Seeing Karen say goodbye to Rosie was an emotional experience, although there is comfort is knowing that Shelley Morrison is alive and well IRL.

Will and Grace airs new episodes Thursdays on NBC. Check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

With the trend of nostalgia ruling TV and film production, it seems like just about every property and franchise could return for new installments. And NBC is doing just that with its beloved and acclaimed sitcom Will and Grace. The series has just returned after 11 years, and its brand new Season 9 feels exactly like the first eight: irreverent, self-aware, and appropriately bonkers.

Will and Grace's first new episode jumped in with one of the duo's favorite activities: game night. The roommates and best friends are able to practically read each other's minds as they describe celebrities, which brought the series into the modern timeline through topical pop culture references, including a jab at Caitlyn Jenner.

The opening sequence also hilarious crams in exposition, courtesy of Megan Mullally's Karen Walker. She's apparently been out of it since the series ended, so Will and Grace used this device to quickly catch us up on the characters. Will and Grace have gotten divorced from Leo and Vince respectively, Jack is still aimless, and Karen is still rich and married to none other than the unseen Stanley Walker.

While Will and Grace had never shied away from political subject matter in its original run, the season premiere was a bit more on the nose and aggressive than the past episodes. Karen continuously gloats about President Donald Trump's win in the election, while Will and Grace furiously contact their representatives in an act of rebellion. But the roommates' views are quickly put into question. It turns out that Will's rep is actually a handsome and charming gay man, they just happen to fundamentally disagree on just about every issue. And when Karen gets Grace a job redecorating President Trump's oval office (she's besties with Milania), Grace has to decide whether or not to compromise her political beliefs for the amazing opportunity. These plot points end up taking the four stars to none other than the White House for the second half of the premiere.

It should be interesting to see how this choice in plot points affects Will and Grace's viewership. While the hardcore fans were no doubt delighted, opening the new season with an episode chock full of digs at President Trump has the potential to alienate viewers. In addition to turning off Trump supporters, there are probably plenty of fans who are sick of constantly being reminded about the country's political landscape, and just wanted to escape and laugh for 30 minutes.

But those unbothered by the subject matter are going to be very happy. Will and Grace's new season feels just like the original series, mostly due to the cast and writers quickly jumping back into their roles. The short video "Vote, Honey" was a test, and they all passed in a big way. Many younger Will and Grace fans have only watched the show on syndication, so this premiere marks the first time many have seen a new episode on TV.

Will and Grace airs Thursdays on NBC. Be sure to check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

Michael J. Fox was the golden boy on every girl's radar back in the '80s, and apparently that included Megan Mullally! The actress and comedian opened up about about going on a few dates with Fox in the mid-'80s.

Megan Mullally spilled the details on her short relationship with Michael J. Fox on Watch What Happens Live Thursday night. After a caller pressed her for info about their reported fling, Mullally said that she went out with him a few times around the time of his iconic film role in Back to the Future, which came out in 1985. She recalled going on a go-kart racing date with Fox, and joked that their relationship ended because she beat him to the finish line.

Check out Megan Mullally's story for yourself below.

Although Megan Mullally is a recognized name, in 1985 she was far from being the celebrity she is now, whereas Michael J. Fox was arguably at the height of his fame after starring in the long-running sitcom Family Ties and kicking off the now-iconic Back to the Future franchise. In fact, Mullally would have just shown up in Los Angeles in '85 after moving from Chicago in search of more acting work. A few dates with Michael J. Fox is quite the welcome-to-L.A. gift, huh!?

Of course, Megan Mullally did find the fulfilling acting career that she was searching for after appearing in small supporting TV and movie roles throughout the late '80s and early '90s. In 1998, she landed her career-making role as the brash and boozy socialite Karen Walker in Will & Grace. Michael J. Fox joined Mullally in finding late-'90s sitcom success by leading Spin City, and has remained a respected actor decades past his teen stardom, though most recently he's had to slow down on his roles due to symptoms of his early-onset Parkinson's disease.

In terms of their own romantic lives, Megan Mullally and Michael J. Fox didn't have to wait long to find love following their breakup. Fox married his Family Ties costar Tracy Pollan just a few years later in 1988. They are still married today and have had four children together. Mullally went on to marry talent manager Michale Katcher in the mid-'90s, and then married her current husband Nick Offerman in 2003.

And though Megan and Michael are happily married to other people now, they'll always have that '80s go-kart track.

The cast from Will & Grace recently gave the show the kind of social media frenzy that couldn't happen much when the show was still on the air. By posting excellent pictures and other things, the actors gave rise to the hopes that a full-blown Will & Grace reunion was on the way, and those hopes have been answered, sort of. Below you'll find a brand new 10-minute scene from Will & Grace that hits upon some particularly topical subject matter, the election, and it's like it never left. Check it out, and be warned that it's mildly NSFW.

There are many reasons why the cast for a popular TV show will agree to return to that show's universe, but it usually involves a lot of money resulting from a network ordering up a new season. Will & Grace's Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes chose to make their reprisals for a "Vote Honey" political statement, or rather a bunch of political statements, many of which were quite hilarious. It's not coincidental in the least that this new "scene" was released to coincide with the night of the debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

The overwhelming tone of the scene is undeniably pro-Clinton, and does get kind of preachy when Grace is trying to convince Jack to vote for her. For the most part, though, the touchy subject matter is handled with the proper tone and delivery that one would expect from this bunch, and there's no immediately discernable difference between this and a random scene from a repeat on cable. Plus, it makes perfect sense to have Karen representing Trump, since her life offered up the biggest connections.

Honestly, the jokes that worked the best were the ones that had nothing to do with the election, since most of those were just direct references. (Such as Rosario's "basket of deplorables" comment in the end.) I'm a sucker for a meta joke, and they don't get much better than Jack commenting that the food in the fridge looking like it's been in there for 10 years. Plus, we got a callback to "Just Jack," only with Messing doing the face-framing.

Sadly, this is the part where I'd love to say that Will & Grace will be back on our TVs at some point soon, but unless this reunion stoked the flames for all involved to get behind a similar return in some other format, we might just have this for another ten years. In the meantime, lots of other shows are hitting the airwaves and many of them might be as funny as the former NBC hit. Check them all out in our fall premiere schedule.

This fall, Dracula, Frankenstein and the rest of the gang are back in Hotel Transylvania 2, and the movie promises all kinds of monster hijinks, as well as some brand new and exciting characters and locations. We got our first look at the film back in March, but now the full theatrical trailer is online and ready to entertain you:

Sony Pictures Animation launched this brand new trailer on their YouTube channel today, and it does a solid job of not only setting up the film's plot, but also introducing a few characters whom we're very excited to see join the ensemble. Without question, our most anticipated new addition is Mel Brooks as Vlad, who gets a dark, weird intro in this new spot as the father of Adam Sandler's Dracula...

But weirdly enough it's actually a pair of human characters we glimpse in the trailer that also ups our interest level in the animated sequel. In the movie, Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally (who are actually married in real life) are teamed up to play the parents of Andy Samberg's character Jonathan, Mike and Linda, and they're drawn into the story because they're also brand new grandparents of the child that Jonathan had with Selina Gomez's Mavis.

Based on a script by Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel, and picking up after the events of the first movie, Hotel Transylvania 2 picks up with Dracula being concerned that his new grandson isn't showing any signs of becoming a vampire, and is afraid that this fact is going to drive his daughter away from home. In trying to fix this problem, he decides to once again team up with Frank (Kevin James), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key), Wayne (Steve Buscemi) and Griffin (David Spade) to try and put the young child through early monster training.

In addition to all of the names mentioned above, the film will also feature the return of Fran Drescher as Eunice, the Bride of Frankenstein, and Chris Kattan, who is credited as playing a character named "Cakie." Sony Pictures will be releasing the film on September 25th. Following the release of this trailer, would you say that your ticket is already sold?

Cedar Rapids and Youth in Revolt director Miguel Arteta has officially begun production on his live-action adaptation of the beloved children’s novel Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in Los Angeles, and to mark the event the full cast he has recruited for this 2014 release has been announced.

As we previously reported, relative newcomer Ed Oxenbould – a 12-year-old Australian native who’s primarily known for the television program Puberty Blues -- will be playing Alexander. His parents will be played by Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner. Their children, Alexander’s siblings, will be played by 16-year-old Dylan Minnette (Lost, the upcoming Prisoners) as Alexander’s older brother Anthony, and 15-year-old Kerris Dorsey (Moneyball) as the titular character's sister Emily.

The official synopsis has also been revealed by the studio, reads as such:

On the surface, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day sounds like it is going after the Wimpy Kid audience - which is fine. Those movies are solid adaptations of a winning kid-lit series, and when those kinds of movies are done properly they can lead to entertaining movies that the whole family can enjoy.

When done horribly, we get Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer. Egad.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day will have a great support cast to back up Carell and Garner as well. They will be joined by Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), Jennifer Coolidge (the American Pie movies) and Disney Channel sensation Bella Thorne (Shake It Up!). Carell’s Date Night director Shawn Levy will produce, while newcomer Rob Lieber is handling screenwriting duties.

Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz’s book was published back in 1972, winning multiple awards while publishing more than 2 million copies over the years. Viorst wrote two sequels, which could end up being used as source material for additional movies: Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday (1978) and Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move (1995).

This actually won't be the first adaptation of the children's book either. In 1990, it was produced as an animated short film for HBO, and in 1998 it was made into a stage musical at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. You can watch the HBO show below, and the new movie will be in theaters on October 10, 2014.

The fifth season of Parks and Recreation only started a few weeks ago and we’ve already seen Ron Swanson grow a little smitten. That's probably not the right word to use for his character, but the government employee (he wouldn't like that either) seems to have found something special with Lucy Lawless' Diane Lewis. And we should have known it was only a matter of time before (at least) one of the Tammys stuck their nose in Ron's most recent relationship.

It's probably not too surprising that the Tammy coming back to Parks and Recreation is Megan Mullally's '2,' since the actress is married to Ron Swanson (also known as Nick Offerman) in real life. TVGuide reports that the actress is returning to the show for the ninth episode of the season and, with a title like "Ron and Diane," I'd definitely expect some attempted relationship sabotage on behalf of the crazy ex-wife. Mullally is always great (I miss Party Down), so her return to the show as the former Mrs. Swanson couldn't be better news for me.

Speaking of spouses, we're finally going to get to meet Mrs. Gergich. Parks and Recreation has cast an actress to appear as Jerry's wife. And, if you hadn't already seen the above photo, you wouldn't believe who NBC has brought in to play the better half of Jim O'Heir's character. I mean, there couldn't be a worse half than Jerry, right? But Christie Brinkley? Come on! According to EW's Inside TV, the former supermodel (who I mostly associated with her two National Lampoon's Vacation movie cameos) will be playing the now infamous Gayle and, as the article notes, it certainly explains a lot when it comes to how Jerry fathered a daughter as hot as Millicent. So how did he land her? I refuse to speculate.

Parks and Recreation airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Few sitcoms in recent years have been as absurd and satisfying as Starz's short-lived Party Down. Centering on a motley crew of caterers who all dream of bigger things—be it cinematic stardom or their own soup-selling franchise—the blisteringly hilarious series brought together an eclectic comic cast that included Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Ryan Hansen, Martin Star, Lizzy Caplan, Jane Lynch, and Megan Mullally, which clicked perfectly and offered a unique and sharp sense of humor. So, it's little wonder that the cast has been plagued with questions about a possible reunion movie ever since the series' cancellation.

So far Marino, Caplan and Mullally have made mention of an unfinished screenplay for a Party Down movie, giving fans hope—especially in light of Arrested Development's recent resurrection. Now The Film Stage reports Mullally revealed an update on the latest episode of Scott Aukerman's Comedy Bang Bang podcast that if the script is approved, the film should have its financing secured. After that, it's a question of when the far-flung cast can sync their schedules.

However, this could prove tricky. Scott is now a series regular on Parks and Recreation. Marino and Mullally star on the Adult Swim series Children's Hospital; Lynch has Glee, and Caplan has a burgeoning film career with movies like Save the Date, Bachelorette, and 3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom on the horizon as well as a lead role in Showtime's latest sultry series Masters of Sex. Still, Mullally claims they're looking to regroup and shoot in the spring or summer of 2013 when most are expected to be on production hiatus. So, fans, remember Henry's plagiarized pep talk to Ron: "Don't stop believing."

When the Emmy announcements were made earlier this month, there was an outcry across the web that Parks and Recreations's Nick Offerman was snubbed despite offering another season of impeccable comedy as mustachioed libertarian and puzzle-lover Ron Swanson. I'd argue the brand of humor Offerman does so brilliantly is too sly for Emmy folk to grasp. But while Jon Cryer of Two and Half Men got his 6th Emmy nod this year, he's never won the honor of a paper doll in his image.

This is the brand of bizarre fandom Offerman inspires, so it's fitting that he's opted to go an offbeat route in announcing the release of a comedy he produced called Somebody Up There Likes Me. In the video below he, Community star Alison Brie, and Offerman's wife and frequent co-star Megan Mullally (Party Down) share the good news about the film securing distribution, and when you can expect to see it, all while hitting their own individual bongs.

While Brie does co-star with Hollywood's wackiest weed-lovin' celebrity couple in the recently wrapped comedy Toy's House, she does not appear to have anything to do with Somebody Up There Likes Me. Still, her Community cache should help score the above vid some more views, and corresponding Facebook likes. If you "do" Facebook, you can "like" the comedy HERE.

As Offerman mumbles above, Tribeca Films has acquired the feature that premiered at the SXSW Festival earlier this year. Bob Byington, who made the controversial comedy Registered Sex Offender, wrote and directed Somebody Up There Likes Me, which centers on an awkward love triangle made up of Offerman, Keith Poulson, and Jess Weixler. Mullally and Kevin Corrigan co-star.

Somebody Up There Likes Me is coming to theaters and VOD in March 2013. Check out its festival trailer below:

When it comes to celebrity couples you typically couldn't pay me to give half a shit, but I make an exception for Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. In addition to being married in real life, the pair plays an epically toxic divorced couple on NBC's Parks and Recreation and they are absolutely hysterical together. Now they'll be bringing that chemistry to the big screen.

Variety has learned that Offerman and Mullally have both joined the cast of Gay Dude, a new comedy from Lionsgate. A strange twist on the plot from American Pie, two best friends, Michael (Nicholas Braun) and Matty (Hunter Cope), who vow to help each other get laid before senior prom. The situation changes when Matty reveals that he's gay. The film is already set to co-star Gary Cole, who will play Matty's extremely conservative father, Brian Geraghty, Dakota Johnson, Dreama Walker and Sarah Hyland. Offerman will be playing Michael's father, who couldn't be more supportive of Matty, while Mullally will be Matty's mother. Alan Yang, who has experience writing for Offerman and Mullally on Parks and Rec, wrote the script and Chris Nelson will direct.

The most upsetting part of this news is that it sounds as though Offerman and Mullally might not get to spend that much on-screen time together, but I'm going to continue to look on the bright side. While the pair is a force to be reckoned with when put together, they are more than capable by on their own. Hell, Mullally has only appeared in three episodes of the NBC show and Offerman's Ron Swanson is easily one of the best characters on television right now. Any scene they share together would just be icing on the cake.

I'll be the first to admit that Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) was one of the main reasons to watch Will & Grace. Especially when it evolved into a turnstile of celebrity guests during those latter years. In fact, it became pretty widely established that it was Karen and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) that stole the show every week.

A lot of that was because they weren't the title characters. As supporting cast members they could be as outrageous as they wanted, and they always were. I'm not sure if it would have succeeded if it were Jack & Karen. It needed the grounding that Will (Eric McCormack) and Grace (Debra Messin) provided.

Which is why I'm a little worried when I read that Megan Mullally is taking the Karen Walker character to the stage. I have full faith in Mullally's abilities as a stage performer, it's more a concern that Karen: The Musical might not be able to sustain itself. Is she full developed and sympathetic enough? And how will she work without Will or Jack or Grace to bounce off of.

Mullally has secured the rights to the character from NBC, and has backing from Fox Theatricals to move forward with the project, so at this point it's a matter of when and not if. On Will & Grace, Mullally brought a lot to the role of Karen throughout the eight-year span she played the character, but the character was ultimately someone else's. This time, it would be her show and so the vision of who Karen Walker is will fall fully on Mullally's lap.

While there's no word on any of the other three main characters showing up, her diminutive rival Beverley Leslie (Leslie Jordan) is already on board. Now she just needs to find a writer to bring her most famous role to life once again. Hey, I can do snotty rich woman ... just write everything that's not me.