Actors And Actresses Of The '90s: Then And Now

#20. Paul Reiser

This man has gone from stand-up comedy to writing bestselling books; he's really done it all! He's also starred in some pretty important films, such as the 1986 sci-fi movie Aliens. However, what garnered him the most success was the legendary series Mad About You.

We'll always remember him as Paul Buchman, the show's lead character, but did you know that he also co-created the famous sitcom? If you're wondering what he's up to now, you should know he recently starred in the Netflix supernatural-horror show Stranger Things, playing the role of Dr. Sam Owens.

#19. Bronson Pinchot

Starting in 1986, Bronson Pinchot played Balki Bartokomous on the ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers. The characters naiveness and thirst for life and knowledge made audiences adore him. But where else did he work in?

In 2018, the actor came back to the spotlight after playing George Hawthorne, the principal of Baxter High in the Netflix series The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. His character is not so relevant, to be honest, but he does appear in a few exciting scenes!

#18. Courtney Cox

Courtney Cox's first appearance was in a Bruce Springsteen video, and shortly after she landed a minor role in the film based on He-Man Masters of the Universe. She also played Gale Weathers in the horror series Scream.

But her role as Monica Geller in Friends was what won over the audiences' hearts, and it also earned her her first Golden Globe nomination! It was great seeing the cast get together again for an Instagram post, and she really looks the same as back then!

#17. Clarence Gilyard

This man played four distinct and iconic roles. He first appeared in the iconic action film Top Gun opposite Tom Cruise and completely won the audiences. His second iconic role was on the movie Die Hard, opposite Bruce Willis.

His two other roles were in the silver screen, but they were just as memorable. He starred in Matlock and also worked with Chuck Norris on Walker Texas Ranger. He now teaches theater and is happy to be far from the public eye. We miss you, Clarence!

#16. Candance Cameron

She played a few small roles on TV shows until she got her start on Full House. The show transformed a young lady into a fine young actress. She then went on to star in many Hallmark Channel films and she's also written a few books. Is there anything she hasn't done yet?

In 2016, she was given the lead role in the sitcom, Fuller House, which is a spin-off of the 80s show that started it all. She starred the show during its five seasons and she nailed it! Haven't seen it yet? Stream it on Netflix!

#15. Reginald Vel Johnson

Reginald is most famous for playing Carl Winslow in the 90s show Family Matters. Even though the whole cast was funny, he was the one that stole the cake. His priceless reactions and frustration at Steve Urkel's pestering is what got the audiences laughing and coming back for more.

He also had a role in the action classic Die Hard and its sequel, Die Hard 2. His role as Sgt. Al Powel, the hero cop that befriends John McCain, was his big revival, and rumor has it that he's willing to reprise the role to any future sequels!

#14. Richard Karn

Everyone remembers Al Borland for being that deadpan character from the 90s sitcom Home Improvement that doesn't laugh at all of the star's jokes. Tim Allen is really funny but somehow, Karn manages to never crack a smile.

It must have been a really hard feat, but he performed successfully. And Al was a really good laugh on his own! He's now come out to spill some secrets from the show and to tell the awesome way he landed the role.

#13. Mara Wilson

It seems like it was just yesterday that we saw little Mara Wilson acting alongside Robin Williams in our favorite childhood movie. Of course, we're talking about the 1993 commedy classic Mrs. Doubtfire!

In that film, Mara played Williams' daughter, but you probably know her from somewhere else! She also played the iconic Matilda in the classic film of the same name. She then went off the radar and has just made a public appearance to make us all feel old.

#12. Alfonso Ribeiro

The famous American singer and dancer played Carlton Banks on the famous comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. His dance routine to Tom Jones's “It's Not Unusual” really gained him recognition.

He struggled to find roles after the show wrapped in 1996. However, he eventually went on to land a gig on Dancing With The Stars and in now the host of America's Funniest Home Videos. Now that's what I call a comeback!

#11. Melissa Joan Hart

Viewers in the mid-60s and 70s had I Dream Of Jeannie and Bewitched, but in the 90s, we had Sabrina The Teenage Witch. The show had magic and a few good laughs thrown in for good measure.

The reboot of the show is much darker than the original, and doesn't feature Melissa, but it is still entertaining. Melissa also starred in the sitcom Melissa & Joey and No Good Nick, but it's safe to say that she reached the peak of her career back in her Sabrina days.

#10. Edward Furlong

Edward Furlong's face defined the 90s cinema, as he was cast in the most iconic roles of the era. You got that right, he was John Connor in the sequel to James Cameron's The Terminator.

The movie was a whopping success and shattered box office records. But after starring in the film, a series of unfortunate incidents led to the young man's obscurity. He recently played a minor role in the 2016 superhero film The Green Hornet.

#9. Macaulay Culkin

Home Alone was the ultimate Christmas movie. Children everywhere found it a delight to watch and it may have traumatized a few parents. Macaulay was so adorable that he garnered himself a bit of a success. He went on to star on various films and that set him up financially for years.

As you may probably know, he has resurged to the public recently, and he's actually quite generous with his time. Starring in YouTube videos and engaging with fans, he has retired from the film industry for good.

#8. Thora Birch

Thora Birch was the ultimate child star of the 90s, more famous than any other young actress of the era. She starred in more serious films, like Now and Then and the Oscar-winning drama American Beauty.

But she was so talented and versatile that she also starred in some cult classics and some much more slightly-toned films, like Monkey Trouble and the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus.

#7. Joey Lawrence

We all remember Joey Russo's catchphrase from Blossom. “Woah!” But even though audiences loved him, he wasn't the star of the show. He played the middle brother of Blossom, the title character, and he stole the scenes every time he was on the spotlight.

He also starred in the series Brotherly Love with his real-life brothers! A few years later, he starred in Melissa & Joey, opposite Melissa Joan Hart. Did you know his brothers also guest-starred in this show too?

#6. Karyn Parsons

The American actress and comedian is best known for her role as Hilary Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She also starred in the 1995 adventure-comedy film Major Payne.

She actually decided to go into acting at the age of 13, and her first TV role was in the drama The Bronx Zoo. She's definitely one of the actresses that most thrived in the 90s, though she fell into anonymity towards the turn of the century.

#5. Pauly Shore

The predecessor of Pauly D started out on MTV too. The hilarious VJ got quite a bit of attention because of his charisma. His stand-up comedy routine really catapulted him towards the right direction.

Everyone loved his goofy characters, like Encino Man or Son In Law. It's a shame that the audience stopped supporting him, though. He made his debut as a writer in 2003, but the truth is that he has been away from the public eye ever since then.

#4, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen

The two most binged dramas ever are definitely Saved By The Bell and Beverly Hills 90210. Both shows were iconic and even now people can't get enough of them. And guess what? Tiffani-Amber starred in both!

In 2015, she reunited with her costars on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where they appeared in a Saved By The Bell sketch. She starred her own show on Cooking Channel called *Dinner at Tiffani's and played the mother of the Mendoza family on Alexa & Katie.

#3. Jonathan Taylor Thomas

The American actor and director played Randy Taylor on the famous sitcom Home Improvement and voiced young Simba in Disney's 1994 film The Lion King. However, the young actor ended up shrouded in controversy, and here's why.

To the surprise of his fans, the actor quit Home Improvement just when the eighth and last season was about th begin. He got some negative attention from Tim Allen, and believe it or not, he practically retired from acting after the mid 90s.

#2. Elizabeth Berkley

This gorgeous and talented actress thrived on Saved by the Bell, but it was her role in the Paul Verhoeven film, Showgirls, what ended up ruining her reputation. Her career diminished soon after the release of the film, as many people thought that it wasn't the right role for her.

She played a few roles after that and even got a part in the celebrated crime-drama TV series CSI: Miami, but her more memorable roles were Jessie Spano and Nomi Malone. Will we ever be seeing her again in any famous series?

#1. Jenny Garth

The princess of Beverly Hills hit it off on Beverly Hills 90210, the show which rose her to fame. She was one of the most popular actresses on the show and of the world, and all the hype that built around the 90210 reboot is proof of that.

She starred in the sitcom What I Like About You and even had her own reality show, Jennie Garth: A Little Bit Country on CMT. The reality was a little bit too much, wasn't it?