Where Are They Now: The “Will & Grace” Edition

On September 21, 1998, an American sitcom called Will & Grace premiered on NBC, which would grow to become one of television’s most successful series with gay principal characters. Created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, the show revolved around the relationship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra Messing), a straight interior designer, as well as their friends Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes), a flamboyantly gay aspiring actor, and Karen Walker (Megan Mullally), a sarcastic socialite. Throughout its eight season run, the show was nominated for a total of eighty-three Emmy awards, winning sixteen of them, on account of its smart writing and stellar cast. From 2001 to 2005, it was rated as the most popular sitcom among adults 18-49. In addition, it has frequently been listed as one of the greatest shows of all time and has been credited with helping improve public opinion of the LGBT community.

Now, almost ten years after show ended, the cast of Will & Grace is set to reunite on NBC for a tribute special honoring veteran sitcom writer and director James Burrows, whose 1,000 television episode recently aired. However, before that epic reunion, let’s take a look at what your favorite cast members have been up to since the show closed its curtains.

Eric McCormack (Will Truman)

Before playing Will Truman on Will & Grace, Eric McCormack had already established himself as a talented actor by starring in the movies The Lost World, Call of the Wild and Double Double Toil and Trouble, and playing a leading role in the shows Lonesome Dove: The Series and Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years. In 1996, two years before the premiere of Will & Grace, he landed the recurring role of Scott on Townies. While Will & Grace was on the air, he starred as Jack Nash in the mini-series The Andromeda Strain. After the show ended, he stayed in television, playing Mason McGuire on Trust Me, Vance Shepard on Law and Order: SVU, Dr. Max Kershaw on The New Adventures of Old Christine, Daniel Pierce on Perception, Dr. Andrew Delvin on The Mysteries of Laura and Ken Waltham on Full Circle. In addition, he scored roles in the movies The Sisters, Break a Leg, Alien Trespass, My One and Only, Textuality, Knife Fight and Barricade. Fans can anticipate seeing him in the movies The Architect and Considering Love and Other Magic.

Debra Messing (Grace Adler)

Like her costar, Debra Messing already had a very impressive resume by the time she was cast in Will & Grace. She made her acting debut in 1994, starring as Dana Abandando in NYPD Blue. After that, she landed leading roles in the shows Ned and Stacey and Prey while also starring in the movies A Walk in the Clouds, The Mothman Prophecies, Hollywood Ending and Along Came Polly. When Will & Grace ended in 2006, Messing scored the part of Molly Kagan in the mini-series The Starter Wife, a role which she reprised in the television series of the same name in 2008. In 2012, she was cast in another leading television role: that of Julia Houston on Smash. Then, in 2014, she won the part of Laura Diamond in The Mysteries of Laura, which she is currently on. Fans can expect to see her in the upcoming TV movie Dirty Dancing and the film Albion: The Enchanted Stallion.

Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland)

For all intents and purposes, Will & Grace served as Sean Hayes’s big break. Before being cast as Jack McFarland, he was mostly playing minor roles on the small and big screen. After the show ended, Hayes guest starred on the shows Tom Goes to the Mayor, Lovespring International, Campus Ladies, 30 Rock, Hot in Cleveland and Portlandia. In 2012, he landed a recurring part on the show Up All Night, which was followed by a recurring role on Smash. From 2013 to 2015, he had starring roles on the shows Sean Saves the World and The Millers. He is currently slated to playing Larry in an upcoming untitled Three Stooges prequel.

Megan Mullally (Karen Walker)

American actress and singer Megan Mullally’s first big television role was in 1986 as Molly Brewer Ross in The Ellen Burstyn Show. Afterwards, she guest starred on the Murder She Wrote, Almost Grown, China Beach, Wings and Doctor John. In 1991, she scored the part of Susan in the show My Life and Times, which was followed by recurring roles on Rachel Gunn, RN and Fish Police. In the years right before she was cast as Karen Walker, she was a guest star on Frasier, Mad About You, Caroline in the City and Just Shoot Me. While Will & Grace was on the air, Mullally found time to act in a few movies, such as Moneybone, Speaking of Sex and Stealing Harvard. After the show ended, she continued to focus most of her attention on television acting. From 2009-2016, she had recurring roles on the shows In the Motherhood, Party Down, Breaking In, 30 Rock, Out There, Happy Endings, Web Therapy, Parks and Recreation, Axe Cop, You, Me and the Apocalypse, Bob’s Burgers, Sofia the First and Children’s Hospital. Fans can anticipate seeing her in the upcoming movie Why Him?

Shelley Morrison (Rosario Salazar)

Last but not least, we have Shelley Morrison, who played Karen’s housekeeper Rosario, Shelley Morrison began her long and varied career in the early 60s, scoring roles in popular shows from that era, including The Farmer’s Daughter, The Fugitive, Gunsmoke, My Favorite Martian and Laredo. She also landed notable parts in the movies Three Gun’s for Texas, Mackenna’s Gold, Castle of Evil, Man and Boy and Troop Beverley Hills. In 1967, she was cast in her first major television role: that of Sister Sixto in The Flying Nun, co-starring Sally Field. Before she was on Will & Grace, she guest starred on the shows Courthouse, Home Improvement and Nothing Sacred. After Will & Grace ended, she provided the voice for Mrs. Portillo on Handy Manny and did voice acting for the movie Foodfight! She currently has no new projects in the works.