Summary
- Damon Wayans Sr., who played Michael Kyle Sr., has continued his successful television career post-
My Wife and Kids
, including roles in
Lethal Weapon
and upcoming projects. - Tisha Campbell-Martin, who played Janet “Jay” Kyle, has found consistent work in TV and film, with appearances in
All of Us
and
The J Team
. - George O. Gore II, who played Michael Kyle Jr., has continued his comedy work, appearing in
Second Generation Wayans
and lending his voice to
A Boo Crew Christmas
.
The popular early 2000s sitcom had a significant following when it was on the air, and many viewers wonder where the My Wife and Kids cast are now, since the show ended almost two decades ago in 2005. Debuting in 2001, My Wife and Kids tells the story of the Kyle family, and the chaos surrounding their day-to-day suburban lives. The cast is headed up by co-creator Damon Wayans, known for his work on Saturday Night Live and the Lethal Weapon TV series. Even if most of the My Wife and Kids cast weren’t household names, many have had successful careers.
Besides Damon Wayans Sr. (not to be confused with son Damon Wayans Jr. of New Girl fame), veteran actor Tisha Campbell-Martin brought her years of experience to the project and helped to elevate the show. As is the case with most sitcoms, the cast is a strong mix of youth and experience, and many of the show’s stronger moments came because of their chemistry. My Wife and Kids went through several recasts during its run, and though there was a constant state of change, the series never lost the spark between the characters that made it enjoyable.
Early 2000s Sitcoms Which Defined That Era Of TV
The early 2000s was a great time to be a fan of the sitcom genre. We take a look back at the era’s best and most definitive television series.
Damon Wayans (Michael Kyle Sr.)
Season 1 – Season 5
Co-creator Damon Wayans appeared in the My Wife and Kids cast as Michael Kyle Sr., the dedicated if sometimes silly father of the family. After My Wife and Kids was canceled before season 6, Wayans returned to his sketch comedy roots in the short-lived series The Underground in 2006, which he also created. Sticking mostly to television, Wayans landed the lead role as Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon television series, which ran from 2016 until 2019.
In 2021, Wayans appeared as Willis in the Live in Front of a Studio Audience special which recreated the classic sitcom Diff’rent Strokes​​​​​​. Wayans then returned to the big screen in 2023 with the movie Cinnamon and will next appear in the upcoming TV series, Poppa’s House on CBS.
My Wife And Kids: Michael Sr.’s 10 Best Quotes, Ranked
Michael has some of the best lines in My Wife And Kids. Most of them are some of the best insults put in the show.
Tisha Campbell-Martin (Janet “Jay” Kyle)
Season 1 – Season 5
Tisha Campbell-Martin played the matriarch of the Kyle family, Janet “Jay” Kyle, who often tried to hold everything together. Campbell-Martin immediately found consistent work after being part of the cast of My Wife and Kids, and she landed another recurring role on the sitcom All of Us until 2006. Besides dozens of TV appearances as herself in various game shows, Campbell appeared as Angelina in 2008’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno, and as Coach Poppy in the 2021 film The J Team.
Campbell-Martin then landed back-to-back starring TV roles as Suzanne Prentiss in Uncoupled and Keisha in Act Your Age. In 2024, Campbell-Martin once again returns to the movies with a role in Not Another Church Movie, which also stars Vivica A. Fox, and features Mickey Rourke as the Devil and Jamie Foxx as God.
George O. Gore II (Michael Kyle Jr.)
Season 1 – Season 5
Smart but ultimately unmotivated, Michael Kyle Jr. was the Kyles’ only son, and he was played by George O. Gore II. Gore had transitioned to comedic work when he was cast in My Wife and Kids, and he would continue along those lines in his work following the show’s ending. Gore teamed up again with Wayans on the 2013 series Second Generation Wayans when he played himself, and he lent his voice to 2017’s A Boo Crew Christmas. Gore landed the major role of Ray in the 2009 spoof film Dance Flick.
10 2000s Sitcoms That Have Aged Surprisingly Well
Some classic sitcoms might not have stood the test of time, but these cult favorites have managed to hold their relevance even after a decade.
Jazz Raycole (Claire Kyle)
Season 1
Played by Jazz Raycole in the show’s first season, Claire Kyle was the family’s eldest daughter, and she struggled with the growing pains of being a teenage girl. Raycole departed the cast of My Wife and Kids after only 12 episodes, but she hit the ground running with a slew of guest spots on shows like Monk and Everybody Hates Chris. As she grew into adulthood, Raycole landed the recurring role of Sydney Fletcher on the series The Quad in 2017, and played the character of Izzy Letts in 2022’s The Lincoln Lawyer.
Jennifer Nicole Freeman (Claire Kyle)
Season 2 – Season 5
Despite being a sitcom character re-cast that stuck out, Jennifer Nicole Freeman took over the role of Claire Kyle in the second season and played the part until the end of the show’s run. While she was still on the show, Freeman appeared as Jill in 2004’s Johnson Family Vacation and had small roles on shows like The O.C. throughout the 2000s. Freeman found consistent work in TV movies throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s.
In 2022 she scored the role of Kimberly in the TV series The Black Hamptons. Many fans might recognize her from her countless roles in made-for-TV movies, with titles like Kiss Me for Christmas, A Royal Surprise, Aisle Be Home for Christmas, and A Royal Christmas Surprise.
10 TV Shows That Will Drive Your ’00s Nostalgia Wild
Anyone who remembers the 2000s as the rise of the current era of peak TV will find a bolt of nostalgia with these 10 excellent television shows.
Parker McKenna Posey (Kady Kyle)
Season 1 – Season 5
Parker McKenna Posey played Kady Kyle, the youngest child who appeared innocent but often used her charm to manipulate her siblings. Posey followed up her time in the My Wife and Kids cast with several small roles in shows like iCarly, but she transitioned into more mature parts as the years wore on. In 2017, Posey appeared in an episode of the critically acclaimed series Snowfall, and was cast in the lead role as Laila in the show Games People Play.
Starting in 2019, Posey began starring as Summer in the drama series A House Divided. In 2023, she appeared in the movie The Assistant and took on a lead role in College Hill: Celebrity Edition in its second season.
Noah Gray-Cabey (Franklin Mumford III)
Season 3 – Season 5
Played by Noah Gray-Cabey, the whizkid Franklin Mumford III was introduced as Kady’s good friend in season 3, but he would eventually develop feelings for her. After the cancelation of My Wife and Kids, Gray-Cabey immediately snagged a leading role as Micah Sanders on Heroes and would appear on the show until its demise in 2009.
Besides returning for the reboot series, Heroes Reborn, Gray-Cabey also starred as Elliot Dixon in the series Code Black until 2018. In 2021, Gray-Cabey appeared in the recurring role of Frausto in the hit sports drama All American.
5 Sitcoms From The ’00s That Are Way Underrated (& 5 That Are Overrated)
Sitcoms from the ’00s are some of the best shows on television. But in truth, some of them are way underrated while others remain overrated.
Meagan Good (Vanessa Scott-Kyle)
Season 3
What made My Wife and Kids such a great sitcom was its abundance of supporting characters, including Michael Junior’s wife, Vanessa Scott-Kyle, played by Meagan Good in season 3. Following her departure from the show after season 3, Good co-starred as Kara in Rian Johnson’s directorial debut thriller Brick in 2005. She appeared as April in 2007’s Stomp the Yard and found consistent work in both film and TV throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
In 2002, Good joined Jamie Foxx in the Netflix vampire movie Day Shift and in 2023, Good reprised her role as Darla in the blockbuster DCU comic book movie Shazam! Fury of the Gods. She also stars as a main cast member in Harlem on Prime Video.
Brooklyn Sudano (Vanessa Scott-Kyle)
Season 4 – Season 5
Taking over the role for seasons 4 and 5, Brooklyn Sudano joined the My Wife and Kids cast as Vanessa Scott-Kyle. When the show ended, Sudano found more work in one-off appearances in various TV series like CSI: NY and 90210. Sudano nabbed a regular role as Asha Flynn in the series Taken in 2017, and the part of Angela Prescott in 2021’s Cruel Summer series.
Sudano found another gear to her career when she directed the 2023 documentary Love to Love You, Donna Summer which was about her mother, the eponymous musician.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
