"Girlfriends" Premiered 23 Years Ago: Where Are The Stars Now?

Girlfriends, the beloved sitcom TV show, premiered 23 years ago, in 2000. The show primarily revolved around the lives of four African American women living in Los Angeles. It blends humor and drama but never shied away from tackling serious topics like racism, infidelity, racial identity, and gender discrimination. All the while, the series kept the comedic moments coming, through witty dialogues and relatable situations. Girlfriends was particularly notable for portraying African American women in leading roles.

Overall, the Girlfriends TV show remains a cultural phenomenon and is highly reminiscent of the iconic series, Living Single. Despite being canceled after eight seasons in 2008, it remains a memorable part of 2000s television. It’s been 15 years since the show’s untimely end, and the stars have since moved on to other things. Besides the main cast’s reunion on the Black-ish episode “Feminisn’t,” here’s what the case of Girlfriends has been up to.

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Joan is a successful lawyer and the show’s central character. Tracee Ellis Ross was remarkably hilarious and unforgettable in her portrayal of this character. It is undoubtedly one of the actress’s most iconic roles, and arguably her most popular. Her portrayal of Joan Clayton earned her two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series and a BET Comedy Award nomination.

Since leaving the show in 2008, Ross has taken on several film and television roles. Her most notable role since Joan Clayton from the Girlfriends TV show is portraying Dr. Rainbow “Bow” Johnson, a main character from Kenya Barris’ hit comedy show Black-ish (2014-2022). Ross is set to appear in two 2023 films currently in post-production: American Fiction, and Candy Cane Lane. They will be released in November and December, respectively.

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Golden Brooks plays Maya Wilkes, one of the four best friends and central characters on the Girlfriends TV show. Maya is the youngest of the lot and a working-class mother of one. Brooks is convincing in her portrayal of Maya throughout the show’s eight seasons. Although she didn’t win any major awards, she certainly deserves her flowers for her unforgettable performance. Her character’s smart mouth and snarky one-liners quickly made her a fan favorite. Her acting credits since wrapping up with Girlfriends in 2008 include several film and TV roles. She has appeared in the films A Beautiful Soul (2012), The Darkest Minds (2018), and Block Party (2022) among others. She currently stars in the Disney coming-of-age comedy series Saturday as a member of the main cast.

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Persia White’s portrayal of Lynn Ann was well-received, and contributed to her recognition as an actress. Her performance helped make Lynn a very memorable part of the Girlfriends TV show. White’s biggest TV role since Lynn is on CW’s supernatural hit series The Vampire Diaries, where she plays Abby Bennett Wilson, a powerful witch. She has had brief appearances on television since but remains active on social media. White has been married to her TVD co-star, Joseph Morgan, since 2014.

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The fabulous Toni Childs is Joan’s oldest friend, and one of the four main female characters on the show. She is portrayed by Jill Marie Jones, who was a main cast member for its first six seasons. Jones’ portrayal of Toni’s character contributed to the success of the show, and brought her national and international popularity.

Since Girlfriends, she has starred in the TV shows Gillian in Georgia (2010), American Horror Story: Asylum (2012), and Monogamy (2018-present) among others. Additionally, her film credits include Drool (2009), Hear No Evil (2014), and Charming The Hearts Of Men (2021) among others.

Hayes took on the role of William Dent, the girls’ closest male friend on the Girlfriends TV show. He was a member of the main cast and appeared in all eight seasons of the show. The actor, screenwriter, and director has kept busy since finishing Girlfriends. He currently has a recurring role on the acclaimed comedy, Abbott Elementary.

Khalil Kain took over the role of Darnell Leroy Wilkes from Flex Alexander who portrayed the character in season one. Kain played Darnell from the show’s second season until its eighth and final, becoming an integral part of the show. Darnell is Maya’s husband, with an on-and-off friendship with the other ladies in the group. Kain received praise for his depiction of the character. Furthermore, he was praised for his comedic moments, despite having a history of more dramatic roles. B

efore appearing in the TV show Girlfriends, Kain was widely known for his lauded role in the Hip Hop classic film, Juice. He has also stayed on-screen since the end of the Girlfriends TV show in 2008. His film and TV credits include For Colored Girls (2010), CSI: Miami (2009), and Bronx SIU (2019) among others.

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Keesha Sharp joined the show in its third season as a recurring character. Monica Brooks-Dent, whom Sharp portrays, remained a recurring character until seasons seven and eight when Sharp joined the main cast. Monica is William Dent’s wife, and is sorely disliked by the ladies in the friend group at first, but they warm up to her later.

Since the Girlfriends TV show wrapped up in 2018, Keesha Sharp has gone on to build her resume. She has starred in many films and TV shows, and directing a couple others as well. She has starred in movies Marshall (2017) and Dark My Light (2022), as well as popular TV shows, Empire (2019-2020), and Power Book II: Ghost (2023) among others.

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