Here’s What Happened to Our Favorite Female ’80s and ’90s TV Stars

We all spent a lot of time watching TV in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Whether it was Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, or Full House, we knew everyone’s names and we sang along to the opening theme song. But, where are they now?

Gillian Anderson – The X Files

Incredibly, The X Files star Gillian Anderson once vowed that she would never work in television. Thankfully, Anderson broke her vow and went on to become Dana Scully, FBI agent. Since then, Anderson has kept herself busy with different acting projects. She has an Emmy, and a Golden Globe Award.

Lisa Kudrow – Friends

The eccentric Phoebe Buffay was one of many reasons to tune into Friends each week. The “Smelly Cat” singing, former street-living masseuse was always a barrel of laughs, and sported some seriously kooky ensembles. While still acting in Friends, Kudrow featured in teen comedy Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion.

Kudrow created and starred in the HBO cult hit The Comeback, which has two seasons filmed almost ten years apart. She has acted in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Easy A, Booksmart, and Grace & Frankie.

Alyssa Milano — Who’s the Boss?

Actress Alyssa Milano has been making waves in the entertainment industry since the mid-’80s when she landed the part of Samantha Micelli in Who’s the Boss? in which she starred alongside Tony Danza and Judith Light.

After the show ended, Milano went on to portray Jennifer Mancini in Melrose Place, Phoebe Halliwell in Charmed, Billie Cunningham in My Name Is Earl, Savannah “Savi” Davis in Mistresses, Renata Murphy in Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later, and Coralee Armstrong in Insatiable. As of 2021, Milano has a recurring role in the upcoming comedy series The Now.

Melissa Joan Hart – Clarissa Explains it All

Darling of ‘90s television, Melissa Joan Hart, appeared in more than one hit show. As well as playing the titular character in Clarissa Explains it All, Joan Hart also took center stage in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, playing Sabrina Spellman.

Incredibly, the actress had another lead role in a sitcom, starring in Melissa & Joey between 2010 and 2015. Joan Hart wrote about her life in the memoir — Melissa Explains it All — and continues to appear on the big and small screen.