'Roseanne' celebrates 35th anniversary: Cast then and now

close

Video

Roseanne Barr: Why didn't Jimmy Kimmel get canceled?

Comedian Roseanne Barr joins 'Outnumbered' to discuss her latest FOX Nation special and her fight against cancel culture.

"Roseanne" is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

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

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

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

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

ROSEANNE BARR SUBMITTED FOR EMMYS NOMINATION BEFORE SHOW CANCELLATION

Roseanne Barr

Barr was asked to leave the "Roseanne" reboot after one season due to her racist tweet about a government official. (Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

John Goodman

Goodman stars as Dr. Eli Gemstone on Max's "The Righteous Gemstones." (Getty Images)

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

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

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

JOHN GOODMAN FEELS 'TERRIBLE' FOR ROSEANNE BARR AFTER CONTROVERSY: ‘SHE’S JUST HER OWN PERSON’

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

Laurie Metcalf

Metcalf was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in "Lady Bird." (Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

Sara Gilbert

Sara Gilbert hosted "The Talk" for nine seasons. (Getty Images)

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

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

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

'THE CONNORS' STAR SARA GILBERT OPENS UP ABOUT THE BIGGEST LESSON SHE'S LEARNED IN HOLLYWOOD

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

Tom Arnold

Arnold started out as a writer on the show before writing himself in. (Getty Images)

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

"At first, she wanted me to play the husband, but I was like ‘I haven’t acted.' Then, we went to bed, and I said ‘I really just want to be a writer,'" Arnold told Fox News Digital. "You see the reaction of people, and you just never know. Even that show, I worked six years out of the nine. … Getting five years is a big accomplishment, but getting six … it's a big deal. … It was the starting ground for all these great people."

Arnold went on to star in "Undercover Boss," "True Lies," "Tom," "Nine Months," "Big Bully," "McHale's Navy," "Animal Factory," "Mr. 3000" and "Happy Endings." Arnold also starred in "Pride," "Palo Alto, CA," "The Great Buck Howard" and "Madea's Witness Protection."

Later, he starred in a number of Christmas movies, including "A Christmas Proposal," "Beethoven's Christmas Adventure," "A Christmas Wedding Tail," "Chilly Christmas," "All I Want for Christmas" and "The Good Witch of Christmas." Most recently, he appeared in "Underdeveloped," "As Luck Would Have It" and "Abomination."

Arnold was married to Barr from 1990 to 1994, and later Julie Lynn Champnella, from 1995 to 1999. He was married to Shelby Roos from 2002 to 2008, and then Ashley Groussman from 2008 to 2020. He and Groussman have two children, Jax and Quinn.

Alicia ‘Lecy’ Goranson

Alicia Goranson left the show to pursue her education at Vassar College. (Getty Images)

Alicia "Lecy" Goranson got her start playing Becky Connor for the first five seasons of "Roseanne." She appeared on the show sporadically in season 5 and 8, having been replaced for seasons 6, 7 and 9 while she furthered her education at Vassar College.

Following her time on the show, she appeared in "How to Make an American Quilt," "Boys Don't Cry," "The Extra Man," "Buck Run" and has been playing Becky since 2018 in "The Connors."

Johnny Galecki

Galecki starred in "The Big Bang Theory" for 12 seasons. (Getty Images)

Johnny Galecki had experience in both TV and film before joining the cast of "Roseanne" in its fourth season, playing David Healy. In that time, he also appeared in "Bean" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer."

Later, Galecki appeared in "Bounce," "Vanilla Sky," "Bookies," "Hancock" and "Table for Three." From 2006 to 2019, Galecki starred as Leonard Hofstadter in "The Big Bang Theory," a role that earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and six SAG Award nominations.

'BIG BANG THEORY' STAR JOHNNY GALECKI TEASES RETURN TO 'THE CONNERS' IN SEASON 2

Most recently, he appeared in "Rings," "A Dog's Journey" and six episodes of "The Connors."

Galecki has one son, Avery, with actress Alaina Meyer.

Michael Fishman

Fishman returned to play D.J. Connor on "The Connors." (Getty Images)

Michael Fishman played D.J. Connor, the youngest member of the family, in "Roseanne." He later appeared in "Hey Arnold," "Seinfeld," "Little Bigfoot 2: The Journey Home" and "Walker, Texas Ranger."

He's since starred in "Undrafted," "Abducted by My Teacher: The Elizabeth Thomas Story" and "The Connors," which he departed from after season 4.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Fishman was married to Jennifer Briner from 1999 to 2019, and they have two kids, Aaron and Isabelle.

Natalie West

West played Roseanne Connor's best friend on the show. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

Natalie West's big break in Hollywood came when she was cast as Roseanne's best friend and future mother-in-law, Crystal Anderson-Connor, in "Roseanne." She later starred in "Bushwhacked," "Life Sentence" and "Nate & Margaret."

Most recently, she appeared in the short-lived "Roseanne" reboot, and in two episodes of "The Connors."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Sarah Chalke

Chalke starred in "Scrubs" from 2001 to 2010. (Getty Images)

Sarah Chalke was new to Hollywood when she was cast as Alicia Goranson's replacement as Becky on seasons 6, 7 and 9 of "Roseanne." She appeared in a slew of TV movies while on the show, before landing the role of Dr. Elliot Reid on "Scrubs," playing the character from 2001 to 2010.

While on "Scrubs," she appeared in a few projects, including "Cake" and "Mama's Boy," and as a recurring character on "How I Met Your Mother." She also appeared on "Mad Love," "Cougar Town," "Backstorm" and "Mother's Day." Chalke returned to "Roseanne" as the character Andrea for its 2018 reboot, later starring in "Friends from College" and "Speechless."

Most recently, she has voiced characters on "Paradise PD," "Dogs in Space" and "Rick and Morty," and starred alongside Katherine Heigl in "Firefly Lane."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Chalke was in a relationship with Jamie Afifi from 2006 to 2022, and they have two kids, Charlie and Frankie.