Party of Five, 30 years later: where is the cast now?
It was the saddest premise: five children were orphaned and had to grow up to face life's challenges without their parents. The cast included a number of very young and, at the time, unknown actors.
The series ran from 1994 to 2000 and won several awards. Notably, in 1996, 'Party of Five' won the Golden Globe for Best Series - Drama.
Among the cast were Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Paula Devicq, Jeremy London, Jennifer Aspen, and Scott Grimes. Let's find out in this gallery what happened to these young and then-unknown actors.
He played the role of the eldest brother, Charlie Salinger. Charlie was an insecure and immature man in his twenties who suddenly had to become the legal guardian of his four younger siblings.
After 'Party of Five' Matthew Fox participated in several series and movies such as, 'Haunted' (TV series 2002), 'We Are Marshall' (2006), 'Vantage Point' (2008), and 'Speed Racer' (2008).
Matthew Fox's most recognized role is that of Dr. Jack Shephard in the acclaimed series 'Lost' (2004-2010). Shepard was one of the most prominent among the survivors of a plane crash on a mysterious island.
Bailey was the second sibling of the Salingers. He was 16 years old, a rebellious teenager, and he struggled with alcoholism for part of the series. Bailey was in an on-and-off relationship with Sarah (Jennifer Love Hewitt).
The actor never stopped working. He appeared in shows like 'Everwood' (2004) and 'Nancy Drew' (2019-2022), for example. Still, we could say with some certainty that his 'Party of Five' role was the most prominent in Scott Wolf's career.
It's not surprising, therefore, that he has called for a reboot of the show. In January 2023, he said on Fox News:
"I think there's something really timely about it, so if anyone out there is listening: 'Party of Five' reboot."
Canadian actress Neve Campbell played the role of an intelligent and sensitive 15-year-old girl. She became the mother figure of the five siblings.
Neve Campbell has appeared in a number of films, from 'Wild Things' (1998) with Matt Dillon and Denise Richards to 'Skyscraper' (2018) with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. She also made numerous appearances in series, such as 'Medium', 'Grey's Anatomy', 'Mad Men', and 'House of Cards.'
However, most people remember her as the young hero from the 'Scream' slasher movies. It started in 1996 and would go on until 'Scream 5' in 2022. 25 years of screaming, not bad!
Claudia Salinger was only 11 years old when she lost her parents. She was a gifted violinist struggling to come to terms with the harsh reality of being an orphan while still a child.
After 'Party of Five,' Chabert never got really big, long-term TV roles. She has worked mostly in TV movies. Noteworthy are 'Lost in Space' (1998, 2001) and 'Mean Girls' (2004).
Griffin was Julia's troubled boyfriend. The two stars would get into a very serious relationship, but eventually, their marriage would not work.
London has played small roles in different TV series and movies such as 'Gods and Generals' (2003), 'Don't Pass Me By' (2013), and '7th Heaven' (2002-2004).
Yet, the troubled young man he played in 'Party of Five' stuck with him in real life. He was arrested for domestic violence in Jackson, Mississippi in 2018. This is the actor's mugshot.
Kirsten, a mature woman, was hired to be the nanny of Owen, the Salinger's youngest brother. However, she would eventually fall in love with Charlie and even marry him.
Image: 'Party of Five' / Fox
After 'Party of Five,' actress Paula Devicq did not have any big roles in TV or cinema. There were some small appearances in shows like 'Law & Order' (2005, 2007), 'Rescue Me' (2004-2005), and 'A Gifted Man' (2011), as well as the film 'Arbitrage' (2012) with Richard Gere, but that's as far as it has gone for her.
Daphne was a part-time exotic dancer who had a brief affair with Charlie and became pregnant with his daughter Diana. After realizing she is not cut out to be a mother, she leaves the child with Charlie and moves to Texas.
The actress had some small roles and made guest appearances in series like 'Friends,' 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Sharp Objects,' and 'Scream Queens.'
Will was Bailey's best friend from high school. He stood by his side throughout Bailey's struggles.
Scott Grimes has appeared in several well-known series and movies. Think of 'Band of Brothers' (2001), for example, and the sci-fi series 'The Orville' (2017-2022 - picture).
For many people, Scott Grimes' most significant role was that of Dr. Archie Morris in 'ER' (2003-2009).
Sarah was the on-and-off girlfriend of Bailey. She had to deal with her own struggles after learning she was adopted. This character, played by the young star Jennifer Love Hewitt, became so important that she got her own spinoff: 'Time of Your Life' (1999-2000).
Jennifer Love Hewitt is one of the most famous actors from the cast of 'Party of Five.' She appeared in several movies such as 'Can't Hardly Wait' (1998), ' I Know What You Did Last Summer' (1997, 1998), 'If only' (2004), and 'Garfield' (2004). She also had TV roles in 'The Client List' (2012-2013) and ' Criminal Minds' (2014- 2015), among others.
The most successful series in which she starred was 'Ghost Whisperer.' Jennifer Love Hewitt played Melinda Gordon, a medium who tried to lead a normal life in her flower shop while seeing and communicating with ghosts.
Time has definitely flown by. In the three decades since 'Party of Five' touched the audience, its actors and actresses have taken very different paths. Seeing them together is pure 90s nostalgia. A reboot might not be such a bad idea, actually!