One of the most prolific LGBTQ+ shows of the late 1990s, Will & Grace welcomed 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 & Grace showcased 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 the Will & Grace cast is today.
Debbie Reynolds
The renowned Debbie Reynolds was 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 the Halloweentown trilogy. 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.
Shelley Morrison
Recognized nationally and internationally as a stage director, Shelley Morrison had a well-rounded repertoire before being cast as Rosario Salazar on Will & 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 to Pop Culture, praising her ability to bring such a beloved character to life. Before landing the role of Rosario, Morrison had her breakout role in The Flying Nun as 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 to Will & Grace as any of the cast members.
Tim Bagley
.jpeg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
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. After Will & 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 on Call Me Kat as Wyatt, a café regular who tricks the employees into giving him free pastries. Currently, he lends his voice to the animated series The Great North as Principal Gibbons. Though he plays an absent-minded or narcissistic character, his cameos are just as remarkable. On AJ 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 on The RPDR Channel.
Leslie Jordan
Social Media King, Leslie Jordan portrayed Beverly Leslie on Will & 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 on Will & Grace being the launchpad of his stardom, which he gives credit to in his interview with NME. While he appeared on the series Boston Legal and most notably in The Help, his performances on American Horror Story stole each scene. His characters are as equally quick-witted as they are sweet and kind. Currently, he is one of the main characters on Call Me Kat named 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, casting Harry 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 his Will & Grace co-stars, Connick Jr. has a stunning singing voice and has released several big band albums over the years. He took his singing talents to Annie Live!, a live TV movie for Fox, where he played Daddy Warbucks alongside Taraji P. Henson’s portrayal of Miss Hannigan and Celina Smith’s portrayal of Annie. Connick Jr. is currently working on a comedy called The Islander where he plays a former musician.
Sean Hayes
The most iconic LGBTQ+ character on a major network sitcom, Sean Hayes’ portrayal of Jack McFarland was the final piece of the quartet in Will & 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 by Will & 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 the Emoji Movie or Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventures, or he is portraying Mr. Pinky in Hairspray Live!, he is the moment. Hayes' most recent project is in Am I Ok? where he portrays Stu next to Dakota Johnson’s Lucy. Next, Hayes will be reprising his portrayal of Larry in an untitled The Three Stooges sequel.
Megan Mullally
She hardly needs an introduction, but Megan 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, like Parks and Recreation, The Great North, and Bob’s Burgers. In addition to her TV roles, Mullally performed in several Broadway musicals like Grease and Young 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
.jpeg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Will Truman, as portrayed by Eric 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 of Will & Grace, McCormack starred in several TV series and TV movies. One of these series was Perception, where he plays neuropsychiatrist Dr. Daniel Pierce opposite Rachel Leigh Cook’s FBI agent Kate Moretti. He also starred in Full Circle and Netflix’s Atypical. Currently, McCormack is filming Vacuums and the Whistling Pig, a remake of an international film.
Debra Messing
Debra Messing played 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 on Will & Grace, including The Wedding Date. During the hiatus, she made appearances on Law and Order: SVU and Who Is? One series she starred in was The Mysteries of Laura, where she played a detective raising twins and going through a divorce. She has currently wrapped filming Bros and 13: The Musical.