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The Cast Of Ally McBeal: Where Are They Now?

Twenty years since Ally McBeal was on screen. Feel old yet?

Then: Calista Flockhart

Calista Flockhart became a household name for her lead role as Ally McBeal, a quirky lawyer searching for a soulmate. 

 

 

Now: Calista Flockhart

Since 2015 Flockhart has been playing media mogul Cat Grant in the TV series Supergirl. Her 90’s character would approve! 

Then: Greg Germann

Greg Germann portrayed the law firm boss Richard Fish, a law school classmate of Ally’s who became a lawyer to ‘make piles and piles of money’.

 

 

Now: Greg Germann

Germann directed some episodes of Ally McBeal and went on to win a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role. 

He has played roles in NCIS, Law And Order: Special Victims Unit and recently appeared in the film Juvenile. Germann has featured in many TV shows since then including NCIS (2013), Raising Hope (2010-2013), and Limitless (2015-16). He currently appears as Hades in the TV series Once Upon a Time (2016) and Friends From College (2017).

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Then: Robert Downey Jr.

 the script to be changed from a wedding to a break-up.


He played the role of Ally’s beau in season four, but was later written out of Ally McBeal because of a battle with drug addiction. His arrest forced

Now: Robert Downey Jr.

Post Ally McBeal, Downey, Jr. went on to establish himself as a major Marvel hero in the Iron Man franchise, and continued the role in The Avengers franchise. He was also in the hit movies Sherlock Holmes (2009), its sequel – a role which won Downey Jr. a Golden Globe.

 

 

Then: Jane Krakowski

Jane Krakowski played Ally’s gossipy assistant Elaine Vassal who specialized in crazy inventions like the face bra – to protect joggers from sagging cheeks.

Now: Jenna Krakowski

Krakowski went on to win a Tony award for her broadway performance as Carla in Nine. She gained massive popularity – and four Emmy nominations! – as Jenna Maroney in 30 Rock (2006-2013). 

 

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Then: Peter MacNicol

Peter MacNicol won an Emmy for his part of John “the Bicsuit” Cage who co-founded the law firm Cage and Fish. MacNicol’s eccentric character sung to his pet tree frog and was always barefoot when closing arguments. 

 

 

Now: Peter MacNicol

MacNicol went on to play Dr Sydney Field in Boston Legal (2006) and Dr Robert Stark in Grey’s Anatomy (2010-2011).

 

Then: Portia De Rossi

De Rossi joined the cast in the second season. She played Nell Porter, a lawyer who is romantically involved with the firm’s partner John Cage, and stayed until the finale. 

 

Now: Portia De Rossi

After Ally McBeal, De Rossi scored the role of Lindsay Bluthe-Funke on the hit TV comedy show Arrested Development (2003-2013). Most recently she’s been in TV series Scandal (2014-2016) and is perhaps most well known as the wife of Ellen Degeneres. 

 

 

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Then: Lucy Liu

Lui starred as Ling Woo a villainous and no-nonsense attorney. 

Now: Lucy Liu

Her most notable film role came in Charlie’s Angels, (2003) and following that Liu starred in the Kill Bill series (2003-2004)  and voiced over snake in the Kung Fu Panda trilogy. Liu currently plays Joan Watson in a U.S. adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories called Elementary (2012-2017).

Then: Lisa Nicole Carson

Lisa Nicole Carson played Renee Raddick Ally’s confident and straight-talking flatmate. She was playing Carla Reece in ER at the same time. Carson left Ally McBeal in the 5th season due to her erratic behaviour, but returned for the finale. 

 

Now: Lisa Nicole Carson

Carson stopped acting for several years after Ally Mcbeal because of mental health issues. She reprised her role of Renee for one episode in Harry’s Law (2012). 

 

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Then: Vonda Shepard

Shepard appeared as herself and performed music at the local bar where the gang would hang out after work. She also recorded the theme song for the show Searchin’ My Soul

 

 

Now: Vonda Shepard

She was also the show’s music producer and worked with Al Green, Gladys Knight, Sting, Robert Downey Jr, Jon Bon Jovi, Randy Newman, Chubby Checker and Barry Manilow. She is currently on tour. Vonda Shepard released four albums during the Ally McBeal years. 

Then: Courtney Thorne-Smith

Thorne-Smith, who was already well known for her part in Melrose Place, portrayed the role of Billy’s wife, Georgia Thomas who joins the law firm as an associate. She struggles with Billy and Ally’s chemistry. 

Now: Courtney Thorne-Smith

Thorne-Smith starred as one of the main characters in the hit TV series According to Jim (2001-2009) and had a recurring role in Two and a Half Men (2010-2015). 

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