What Happened To The Cast Of My Wife And Kids?

The sitcom “My Wife and Kids,” which ran for five seasons on ABC, offers a delightfully entertaining yet somewhat underappreciated watch. The series focuses on the Kyle family, led by Michael Kyle Sr., who owns a trucking company, and his wife, Jay Kyle, a shrewd day trader. Their children are quite diverse: Junior (George O. Gore II), often teased as “dummy” by his father for his love of rap music, is the eldest son. Claire (initially played by Jazz Raycole, then Jennifer Nicole Freeman) is their self-centered cheerleader daughter with a princess-like air. Kady (Parker McKenna Posey), the youngest, has a sharp wit and isn’t afraid to call a spade a spade, which makes her Michael’s favorite. Franklin Aloysius Mumford III (Noah Gray-Cabey), their intelligent friend, often pairs well with Kady.

In unison, the Kyles experience diverse challenges associated with maturity and achieving life’s significant achievements together. The series concluded on an unexpected twist, as Jay discovered she was expecting at the same time Michael and she were jokingly discussing who should get sterilized to prepare for their approaching empty-nest phase. It’s been over two decades since “My Wife and Kids” went off the air, so it’s natural to wonder what has become of the show’s cast members since then. Let’s take a look at where the beloved sitcom actors are today.

Damon Wayans

Damon Wayans is a comedy mastermind, being part of the renowned Wayans family. He kicked off his career in stand-up comedy and caught the attention of audiences through “Saturday Night Live,” where he worked as a cast member during the 1985-1986 season before getting dismissed from the show. Subsequent roles in critically acclaimed dramas and popular movies like “Earth Girls are Easy” and “Colors” paved the way for his role in his brother Keenan Ivory Wayans’ blaxsploitation comedy spoof, “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka!.” This led him to become a legendary figure in Fox’s sketch comedy show, “In Living Color.” Balancing big-screen roles with the series, he featured in films such as “The Last Boy Scout,” “Bulletproof,” and “Major Payne” among others. Prior to “My Wife and Kids” debuting, he starred in the one-season sitcom “Damon” on Fox.

Wayans openly shared with The Associated Press that the TV show “My Wife and Kids” served as a therapeutic outlet during a challenging divorce period in his life. He was going through a divorce in 2000, and instead of focusing on the negativity, he chose to cherish and reflect upon the beautiful moments of family life depicted in the series. This helped him navigate a particularly tough time. Wayans has expressed an interest in reviving the show for a special episode to provide a fitting conclusion after its sudden cancellation. However, attempts to restart the sitcom have not been successful so far.

After the success of “My Wife and Kids,” I, Damon Wayans, have kept myself busy in both movies and TV shows. I made appearances on “Happy Together” and “Happy Endings,” where I portrayed Francis Williams, Brad Williams’ (my son Damon Wayans Jr.) father in the latter. Additionally, I took on the role of Roger Murtaugh in the small-screen revival of “Lethal Weapon,” which ran for three seasons. Most recently, I played a patriarch again alongside my real-life son, Damon Wayans Jr., in the short-lived CBS sitcom “Poppa’s House.” I also had a supporting role in the Tubi original film “Cinnamon” and featured in 10 episodes of “The Underground.

Tisha Campbell-Martin

It’s tough to choose which sitcom character Tisha Campbell-Martin is most famously associated with, as she made significant contributions to both “My Wife and Kids” and “Martin.” Regardless of whether you know her as Jay or Gina, she’s consistently demonstrated dedication to her craft before and after these roles catapulted her to iconic status in the television industry. Interestingly, despite seeming a perfect fit for the role of Jay, she actively pursued auditions for the show in an effort to be part of the cast.

During an interview on Jennifer Hudson’s talk show, she shared that the casting director had seen numerous actresses for the role and there was uncertainty about her suitability for it. She then reached out to Tichina Arnold, a friend and fellow “Martin” cast member, for the script excerpts, and prepared herself for the part. Her agent later criticized her for disrupting the audition process, saying she had ruined her career by unexpectedly attending the casting. However, she jokingly advised others not to mimic her actions, suggesting they should not secretly attend auditions like she did.

Prior to starring in the sitcom “My Wife and Kids”, Terry Crews made his debut on the short-lived ’80s sitcom “Rags to Riches”. He also played Chiffon in “Little Shop of Horrors”, Jane in “School Daze”, and appeared as Sidney in the “House Party” film series. After “My Wife and Kids” ended, he recurred on “All of Us” as Carmen James. Later, he supported Nicole Sullivan as Patty in the Lifetime sitcom “Rita Rocks”, and portrayed Miss Reznick in the Disney Channel movie “Lemonade Mouth”. In “Dr. Ken”, he played Damona. For five episodes, he recurred as Brooke on “Empire” and appeared in six episodes of “Last Man Standing” as Carol. He voiced Gigi in “Inside Job” and was Keisha in “Act Your Age”. More recently, he reprised his role as Peaches for Comedy Central’s animated revival of “Everybody Hates Chris”, “Everybody Still Hates Chris”. He also voices Tawny Young for HBO’s “Harley Quinn” and “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!”.

George O. Gore II

George O. Gore II is primarily recognized for his character role as Junior on “My Wife and Kids,” but since the series ended, he’s shifted focus to writing roles within Hollywood. He left acting some time ago. Prior to “My Wife and Kids,” Gore played Brian in the gangster movie “Juice,” Gregory “G” Williams in “New York Undercover,” and Billy in the family film “The Bumblebee Flies Away.” After the sitcom finished, Gore provided the voice for D-Rock in the “Thugaboo” series of TV films, specifically in “Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness” and “Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Rock’s Street.” He also appeared as Ray in the dance movie parody film “Dance Flick,” and portrayed a fictionalized version of himself in “Second Generation Wayans,” where he also served as co-executive producer.

After that point, he’s been focusing on work behind the scenes as a screenwriter. So far, he’s collaborated on the script for “Sneakerella,” a 2022 Disney Channel film which reimagines “Cinderella” in a contemporary New York City setting. He’s also directed two episodes of “My Wife and Kids” during its broadcast. His social media seems to be less active recently, suggesting he might be enjoying a more tranquil personal life.

Jazz Raycole

Initially cast as Claire, the lead role of the Kyles’ troubled eldest daughter, Jazz Raycole was subsequently replaced following just one season. Prior to this, she had amassed some television credits in shows such as “Malcolm and Eddie” and “Ellen.” The show’s producers opted for a change due to their desire to develop the character further, aiming for a more mature portrayal. As Raycole shared with The Christian Post at a later date, she was only 12 when she landed the role, and the producers sought an actress slightly older to better suit their creative vision.

Raycole resumed her dancing career in New York City initially, but found herself back in the bustling cityscape of Hollywood shortly after. Here, she amassed a consistent flow of roles. She was Allison Hawkins in “Jericho,” portrayed Zoe in “Vanity,” and took on Lyric in “The Soul Man.” Later, she transitioned to playing adult characters, headlining as Sydney in “The Quad” and Winnie in “I Ship It.

At present, she is starring in “The Lincoln Lawyer” as Izzy Letts, a role that was renewed for a fourth season in 2025. Raycole identifies with Izzy, who was once a dancer struggling with drug addiction before becoming a driver for defense attorney Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), the main character known as The Lincoln Lawyer. According to the actress, she appreciates that Izzy is portrayed as an addict, something not commonly shown on screen unless it’s primarily about addiction. She enjoys the fact that Izzy has her own redemption story. Raycole stated that she finds Izzy cool, she dances, and Raycole is also a dancer, making it difficult to find fault with the character as told to MovieWeb.

Jennifer Nicole Freeman

Jennifer Nicole Freeman assumed the challenging role of making Claire Kyle her own character midway through production as producers aimed to age up the character by casting her. While portraying Claire, Freeman also appeared in two major films: She played Jill in “Johnson Family Vacation” and Liyah in “You Got Served.” Following the end of the show, she made guest appearances on “The O.C.” and “One On One.” She later secured a co-leading role in the direct-to-DVD action-disaster film “Falling Away” alongside Tony Todd. Additionally, she has starred in numerous BET-exclusive and direct-to-streaming Christmas movies such as “Throwback Holiday,” “Kiss Me For Christmas,” “The Business of Christmas,” “My Christmas Fiancé,” and “Beaus of Holly.” In many of these romantic films, she often plays the leading role, seeking love and connection during the Christmas season.

Lately, she has consistently featured on Urbanflix series such as “Pump,” portrayed Cassandra in “Be Somebody,” and starred as Kimberly in “The Black Hamptons.” Freeman has maintained her dominance during the holiday season by gracing screens in movies like “Blended Christmas” and “A Royal Christmas Surprise.” Notably, she appeared in both sequels of “Paradies” and played Maya in “Angie’s Curse.” It seems that her career trajectory remains strong.

Parker McKenna Posey

As a young actress, Parker McKenna Posey impressively portrayed the feisty character Kady Kyle on the sitcom “My Wife and Kids.” Since then, she’s continued to make her mark in entertainment, expanding her roles to include designer, philanthropist, and mother.

Following the conclusion of “My Wife and Kids,” Posey took on roles for teen characters, such as those in “Alice Upside Down,” “Summer Camp,” and “Lucky Girl.” Subsequently, she played Laila James in “Games People Play,” an original BET series focusing on female athletes. Later, she starred in “A House Divided,” an ALLBLK exclusive show that chronicled the lives of Letty Sanders’ descendants, a multigenerational nighttime soap opera set in modern times. This soap opera depicted the scandalous, promiscuous, and power-hungry activities of Letty’s descendants, who were once enslaved but rose to become one of the wealthiest black families in Los Angeles during the 1800s.

Since then, Posey has been featured in a series of thrilling movies: namely, the Tubi-exclusive “Rock the Boat” series, along with “The Assistant 2,” “Incision,” and “Wake.” It seems she’s successfully built an impressive career while preserving the sharp humor that initially brought her fame as Kady.

Megan Good

In a similar vein to Jazz Raycole, Megan Good initially appeared as Vanessa Scott, Junior’s girlfriend and future wife, for a limited time in “My Wife and Kids”. However, her career took off significantly beyond this role. Megan Good began acting as a child, portraying the older sister Cisely Batiste in “Eve’s Bayou”. She subsequently featured in several films including “Deliver us from Eva”, and recurred on shows like “Cousin Skeeter”, “The Jersey”, and “Raising Dad”.

Following her short stint on “My Wife and Kids,” Good’s acting career skyrocketed. She showcased her talent in various roles, such as Max in “D.E.B.S.,” Beautiful in “You Got Served,” Naomi in “Roll Bounce,” and April in “Stomp the Yard.” Over time, she transitioned to more mature roles in films like “Saw V,” “One Missed Call,” and the “Think Like a Man” series. She also played Kali on “Californication,” was Linda Jackson in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” and breathed life into Joanna in “Deception.” For a decade, she portrayed Lara in the TV adaptation of “Minority Report,” and donned the superheroine version of Darla in both “Shazam!” movies. She also made appearances on Fox’s “Star.

More recently, she starred in “Harlem” on Prime Video, playing the role of Camille. This series has been renewed for a third season, which will likely be its final one. The story revolves around three friends who are navigating life and love in the Harlem neighborhood as they approach their 30s with grace.

Brooklyn Sudano

Brooklyn Sudano, daughter of iconic disco artist Donna Summer, made her acting debut playing a character named Vanessa on the sitcom “My Wife and Kids”. However, this wasn’t her only role. Once the show ended, she took on the part of Rain Arnold in the live-action version of V.C. Andrews’ “Rain”. Following this, she appeared in several procedural dramas including “CSI: NY”, “Without a Trace”, and “The Unit”. Later, she was cast as Asha in the TV series “Taken” and featured in the romantic movie “With This Ring”.

Lately, Sudano has taken on multiple roles such as Angela in the initial season of “Cruel Summer,” Deena in “Grand Crew,” and Dana Marks in the telefilm “Every Breath She Takes.” Additionally, she frequently appears in documentaries and films focusing on her mother. Notably, she also co-directed and produced a documentary about her mom titled “Love to Love You: Donna Summer,” which premiered on HBO and was broadcast on Max. It seems like she’s well on her way to a successful career, all stemming from her time in a single sitcom.

Noah Gray-Cabey

Noah Gray-Cabey, previously recognized as the charming, intellectually gifted child (and close friend of Kady) named Franklin Aloysius Mumford III, portrayed this character across “My Wife and Kids.” Subsequently, he transitioned into various adolescent roles. He was Joe Dury in “Lady in the Water” and gained more prominence as Micha Sanders in “Heroes.” In addition to featuring in “Heroes Reborn,” he also became a regular cast member, reprising his role as Micha in “Code Black.

He has been prominently featured in “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists” as Mason, and appeared frequently as Fausto from Season 3 through Season 5 of “All American.” As of now, he hasn’t acted in any projects since the 2023 film “Fog City,” but based on his last social media post in 2020, he has been writing a script. It seems like he might be focusing more on music – the piano playing you see Franklin do on the show are actually performed by Gray-Gabey, who is an exceptionally talented young musician. At just five years old, he performed solo with a full orchestra at the Sydney Opera House, which shows how his talent should be valued, just like Franklin’s.

Andrew McFarlane

Andrew Macfarlane predominantly portrayed Tony Jeffers, Claire’s beau who preferred bonding with Junior and socializing rather than pursuing a romantic relationship with her, on the series. Prior to this role, Macfarlane had played Anthony Marcus on “The West Wing,” and he also made appearances in “Lizzie Maguire” and “The Bernie Mac Show.

After the conclusion of “My Wife And Kids,” Macfarlane’s life has taken an engaging turn. His acting appearances became less frequent following the show’s end, with roles in “The Jake Effect,” “Just Peck,” and a recurring character in the sitcom “Dance Flick.” Notably, he played Jason for 14 episodes in “The Secret Life of The American Teenager.” Since 2011, he has taken a break from acting but maintains an energetic presence on Instagram, sharing updates about his musical ventures and entrepreneurial endeavors. As of now, he is the owner or advisor for several businesses such as Pizza Cult in Bali, Soma House in California, and Start a Juice Bar, a company that assists individuals in starting their own juice bar enterprise.

2025-07-18 19:31