One of the mostprolific LGBTQ+ showsof the late 1990s,Will & Gracewelcomed the world into the lives of gay men in NYC. The show was so prolific that it was rebooted for three additional seasons in 2017, with the original cast reprising their iconic roles. During its run, many stereotypes were challenged and mocked. For the first time on television, gay men were seen as more than the gay best friend. They were written as three-dimensional people who loved, struggled in their careers, and experienced the same emotional depth as real gay men.Will & Graceshowcased gay men navigating life and love without tragedy, something so novel, it’s undeniable the impact the show had on how gay men were portrayed on television.
The cast has had exceptional success between the finale in 2006 and the reboot in 2017. Even with the three additional seasons, the cast fell back into their roles perfectly, paying homage to old storylines while completing the stories of the beloved characters. Megan Mullally, who portrays Karen Walker, Tim Bagley, who portrays Larry, and Leslie Jordan, who portrays Beverly Leslie, have remained successful on television in both comedies and drama series. Debra Messing, who plays Grace, Harry Connick Jr., who plays Leo, Eric McCormack, who plays Will, and Sean Hayes, who plays Jack, have been successful in films and on TV. The cast did wish farewell to Debbie Reynolds, who played Bobbi, and Shelley Morrison, who played Rosario, who were successful before the show aired. Here’s where theWill & Gracecast is today.
Debbie Reynolds
The renownedDebbie Reynoldswas perfect as Grace’s mother, Bobbi Adler. She stole each episode she was in, whether she was singing show tunes or telling Grace what to do, Reynolds shone in a way only she could. Though her legendary career came to an end in 2016 with her untimely passing, she is remembered for many remarkable roles. Her most iconic film role was Aggie Cromwell in theHalloweentowntrilogy. Aggie is a witch who lives in a different universe from her family. She is determined to have her granddaughter trained despite her daughter’s wishes. Reynolds brought so many more lovable characters to life, Bobbie Adler being one of them.
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Shelley Morrison
Recognized nationally and internationally as a stage director,Shelley Morrisonhad a well-rounded repertoire before being cast as Rosario Salazar onWill & Grace. Rosario was tough and outspoken, especially with her employer, Karen Walker. When Morrison passed in 2019, Mullally and other cast members wrote beautiful tributes to her, according toPop Culture, praising her ability to bring such a beloved character to life. Before landing the role of Rosario, Morrison had her breakout role inThe Flying Nunas Sister Sixto. Though the series revolved around Sally Field’s character, Sister Bertrille, Morrison played a shy nun who misunderstands English slang. At one point, she reprimands someone correcting her, a key characteristic of Rosario. Morrison was just as significant toWill & Graceas any of the cast members.
Tim Bagley
As the counterpart to Joe, Larry (Tim Bagley) is the more outgoing and outspoken. He is typically at game nights, hosted by Will and Grace, though he does go on a date with a woman in one episode during a brief split with Joe. AfterWill & Grace, Bagley has had recurring roles on several hit series and cameos in various films. One of these roles was in the hit Netflix series,Grace and Frankie, where he played Peter, a borderline narcissistic theater director who becomes close with Robert and Sol. He also makes appearances onCall Me Katas Wyatt, a café regular who tricks the employees into giving him free pastries. Currently, he lends his voice to the animated seriesThe Great Northas Principal Gibbons. Though he plays an absent-minded or narcissistic character, his cameos are just as remarkable. OnAJ and the Queen, Bagley makes an appearance as Lloyd Johnson, witnesses The Queen, played by RuPaul, in a stunning look as she cascades down the staircase to “Endless Love”, as seen in this clip onThe RPDR Channel.
Leslie Jordan
Social Media King,Leslie Jordanportrayed Beverly Leslie onWill & Grace. Beverly and Karen ran in the same social circle, but were bitter rivals who both married for money. Jordan has quite the repertoire, with his character onWill & Gracebeing the launchpad of his stardom, which he gives credit to in his interview withNME. While he appeared on the seriesBoston Legaland most notably inThe Help, hisperformances onAmerican Horror Storystole each scene. His characters are as equally quick-witted as they are sweet and kind. Currently, he is one of the main characters onCall Me Katnamed Phil. The baker for the café, Phil is the quintessential southern charmer who wears his heart on his sleeve.
Harry Connick Jr.
With a voice as sweet as honey, castingHarry Connick Jr.as Grace’s love interest, Leo, was the perfect choice. Although Leo and Grace ended up divorced, he was the heartthrob audiences needed. Like hisWill & Graceco-stars, Connick Jr. has a stunning singing voice and has released several big band albums over the years. He took his singing talents to AnnieLive!, a live TV movie for Fox, where he played Daddy Warbucks alongsideTaraji P. Henson’s portrayalof Miss Hannigan and Celina Smith’s portrayal of Annie. Connick Jr. is currently working on a comedy calledThe Islanderwhere he plays a former musician.
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Sean Hayes
The mosticonic LGBTQ+ characteron a major network sitcom,Sean Hayes’ portrayal of Jack McFarland was the final piece of the quartet inWill & Grace. He was as dramatic as he was loyal to Karen and Will. Jack spent most of the show trying to find his career path with his best moments, as compiled byWill & Grace’s YouTube, were in his attempts to perform as an actor. Though his best moment was when he met his idol, Cher. Hayes' ability to bring certain characters to life is unprecedented. Whether he is a voice actor, like in theEmoji MovieorRapunzel’s Tangled Adventures, or he is portraying Mr. Pinky inHairspray Live!, he is the moment. Hayes' most recent project is inAm I Ok?where he portrays Stu next to Dakota Johnson’s Lucy. Next, Hayes will be reprising his portrayal of Larry in an untitledThe Three Stoogessequel.
Megan Mullally
She hardly needs an introduction, butMegan Mullally’s portrayal of New York socialite Karen Walker is unparalleled. Karen is loud, brazen, and sometimes unforgivable, but she can also be kind, loyal, and compassionate, though she’d never admit to it. Mullally has worked on various projects with her husband, Nick Offerman, likeParks and Recreation,The Great North, andBob’s Burgers. In addition to her TV roles, Mullally performed in several Broadway musicals likeGreaseandYoung Frankenstein. She even improvised a song with Harry Connick Jr. whilst feeding him M&Ms as he played piano. Her latest project is for the Disney+ series,Percy Jackson and the Olympians, where she will play Alecto/Mrs. Dobbs.
Eric McCormack
Will Truman, as portrayed byEric McCormack, is a brilliant lawyer who struggles to accept himself as a gay man. He adores Grace and wants what’s best for her as long as it involves him. Despite these quirks, Will is as lovable as the rest of the quartet, especially when he is in love. During the 11-year hiatus ofWill & Grace, McCormack starred in several TV series and TV movies. One of these series wasPerception, where he plays neuropsychiatrist Dr. Daniel Pierce opposite Rachel Leigh Cook’s FBI agent Kate Moretti. He also starred inFull Circleand Netflix’sAtypical. Currently, McCormack is filmingVacuums and the Whistling Pig, a remake of an international film.
Debra Messing
Debra Messingplayed the formidable force that is Grace Adler. Grace is the ever self-deprecating woman, she doesn’t care about social niceties or even being presentable on dates. Grace is everything Will isn’t, which is why they work so well together. Messing starred in several films while she was onWill & Grace, includingThe Wedding Date. During the hiatus, she made appearances onLaw and Order: SVUandWho Is?One series she starred in wasThe Mysteries of Laura, where she played a detective raising twins and going through a divorce. She has currently wrapped filmingBrosand13: The Musical.
