What The Cast Of One Upon A Time Is Doing Today
With an entertaining original premise and a very attractive cast, when "Once Upon a Time" first came out in 2011 it became an instant hit. The show follows the story of protagonist Emma Swan — the offspring of Snow White and Prince Charming, and Storybrooke's only hope of breaking the Evil Queen's curse. After being given up at birth by her parents, Swan spent the first 28 years of her life unaware of her background, until she was pulled back.
Having reunited with her family, they all become close and never get permanently separated again. The show aired from 2011 to 2018 and was a great success. After losing many of its stars at the end of its sixth season, however, it only got one more season to wrap up any loose ends. But whether you watched the show when it was first airing or recently discovered it through Disney+ or Hulu, "Once Upon a Time" is a fairytale story like none other. And the cast has been up to many new adventures since the show wrapped.
Lana Parrilla is using her platform for good
Before she was cast as Regina Mills (aka the Evil Queen) in "Once Upon a Time," Lana Parrilla had already gotten plenty of recurring roles in Hollywood, including in "Spin City, "24" and "Lost." But Parrilla really shone in the series — giving performances that clearly showed how much fun she was having with the script, and making her arguably the star of the show.
Since the show's ending, the actor has kept herself busy. She was in two films, "The Tax Collector," and "Scrap," as well as two TV shows, the comedic anthology "Why Women Kill," which also starred co-star Ginnifer Goodwin, and the second season of Netflix's "The Lincoln Lawyer." She currently has two projects in post-production — the queer dark comedy "Lesbophilia," and the sci-fi movie "Atlas" — but both have yet to announce a release date.
Parilla also helped co-executive produce the documentary "Split at the Root," which made its debut at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The piece documents the stories of families separated at the U.S. border and the group Immigrant Families Together, an initiative created to aid in reuniting them. "I remember learning about the Zero Tolerance Policy ... and I was just completely horrified," she told Collider about the project, adding, "I felt like I had an opportunity to be of service jumping on board, being a part of this team, using my platform to raise awareness, sharing this documentary with our youth."
Robert Carlyle revisited an old role
Robert Carlyle has been acting since the '80s, having appeared in films like "Trainspotting," and "The Full Monty." His longest TV run before getting cast as Rumplestiltskin in "Once Upon a Time" was playing Dr. Nicholas Rush in "Stargate Universe." The Scottish actor has also lent his voice to the characters of Gabriel Belmont and Dracula in the video game series "Castlevania."
After "OUAT" wrapped, Carlyle has acted in a few other projects like the film "The Performance," released in 2023, and two mini-series, "The War of the Worlds" and a return to "The Full Monty" in his original role of Gaz. When asked by Collider what it was like to return to the character, he said, "There was an ease because I'd been there before, and knowing all the other characters and knowing the other cast, having that bonding that we had was incredibly helpful. It was a different type of journey, that's for sure."
For the past three years, he has starred as Robert Sutherland in the TV show "Cobra" and, most recently, Carlyle was cast in the new Netflix series "Toxic Town" alongside Doctor Who alumn Jodie Whittaker.
Jared Gilmore is engaged
Though Jared Gilmore got his start in acting pretty early on, he hasn't done much since taking up the mantle of Henry Mills in "Once Upon a Time." The actor, who spent eight years in the role, spoke of this experience in an interview with the Los Angeles Times High School Insider. "Because I was on a TV show for so long, I never got the chance to go to a real high school and experience that," Gilmore said, "but I wouldn't be the person I am today without the show so I'd never want to give that up."
His only acting job since the show's finale was a voiceover for the English version of "Code Geass," though he has gotten into Twitch streaming and has been open about his mental health struggles on his social media. "Been struggling with anxiety a lot lately," he said in an Instagram caption, "but trying to stay positive."
In November 2023, Gilmore announced his engagement to his long-term girlfriend Jessica on social media earlier this month. The couple has been together for over four years. "So happy and excited to be moving into the next chapter of my story with @merudy_scarlet," he wrote on Instagram. "I can't wait for our future together and am so lucky and grateful to share my life with her."
Jennifer Morrison had a directorial debut
Aside from playing Emma Swan in "Once Upon a Time," Jennifer Morrison is perhaps best known for her role as Dr. Allison Cameron in "House," where she was recurring for the show's eight-season run. She also spent a year working on the sixth season of "How I Met Your Mother," where she played one of Ted Mosby's love interests, Zoey Pierson.
Morrison exited "Once Upon a Time" ahead of what ended up being the show's seventh and final season, telling Deadline, "I've been transitioning into doing more directing, I've had some opportunities that I've passed up along the years in order to fulfill these network schedules, and I really had to weigh where I was in my life. I'm just at an age and a time in my life where I want to be home." The actor went on to star opposite Matthew Perry in his off-Broadway play, "The End of Longing," and had her feature debut, "Sun Dogs," released in 2017.
Since then, she has directed the TV show "Fabled," as well as multiple television episodes — including one in "Euphoria's" first season. Morrison has also continued to act, appearing as a guest star in multiple episodes of "This Is Us" as army veteran Cassidy Sharp, and reunited behind the scenes with co-star Mandy Moore while directing "Dr. Death."
Ginnifer Goodwin married her Prince Charming
Ginnifer Goodwin has had some iconic roles over the years — she has been in dramas like "Mona Lisa Smile," opposite Julia Roberts, rom-coms like "He's Just Not That Into You," and had a multi-season run in the HBO hit series, "Big Love." But "Once Upon a Time" was a big deal for Goodwin, who found love with her onscreen romantic interest, Josh Dallas.
The pair, who got married in 2014, are now parents to two boys, Oliver and Hugo. "We have help, our mothers, [but Ginnifer] is, literally, the greatest mother I know — she's a cool mom," Dallas told Us Weekly back in 2015. And though they share a lot of family moments on social media, it is clear they value their children's privacy, always covering their faces in published pictures.
Goodwin has done some voice acting since, lending her voice to one of the lead characters in Disney's Zootopia: Judy Hopps. And while the cast for the film's sequel has yet to be announced, she seems to be on board with reprising her role. The actor has also been in recurring roles for other television series, including Paramount+'s "Why Women Kill" and Fox's "Pivoting" alongside Eliza Coupe and Maggie Q.
Josh Dallas feels humbled by his job
"Once Upon a Time" was Josh Dallas' breakout role — though he'd been in a few shows and movies before then. Playing the role of David Nolan (aka Prince Charming), the actor certainly managed to charm the audience during the series' long run before announcing his exit at the end of Season 6. "We had decided that that was what was best for our family," his wife and co-star Ginnifer Goodwin told Entertainment Weekly, as the couple wanted to spend more time with their children.
Dallas got another job soon after, however, portraying the role of Ben Stone in the TV show "Manifest." He told People of his experience, "Both shows are big ideas grounded in something very real, and that's family, adding that being in "Once Upon a Time" is "super humbling." The actor shared, "It's just nothing but gratitude to be part of a show that was such a big part of some people's fabric of their lives."
The fourth and final season of "Manifest" premiered on Netflix in early 2023. In an interview with DAMAN about his plans for the future, Dallas said, "Well, spending time with my family as much as possible. And professionally, now everything's at a standstill. There's great change happening in this business at the moment. And I'm excited and hopeful about where it will be when we come out the other side."
Colin O'Donoghue has a lovely voice
Despite being a late addition to "Once Upon a Time" in the show's second season, Colin O'Donoghue's portrayal of pirate Captain Killian 'Hook' Jones is much beloved by the fans. "I'll definitely miss elements of Hook because he's been such a big part of my life for six years now, and you don't normally get a chance to do that as an actor," he told Entertainment Weekly. "It will be difficult to let go of Hook, but I think I'm ready to sort of see what's next."
O'Donoghue has been onscreen since, in the movie "What Still Remains" and as a recurring character in Disney+'s "The Right Stuff," as well as lending his voice acting talents to several different projects. He's voiced the character Douxie in the "Trollhunters" franchise multiple times over the years, as well as the leprechaun Gerry in Apple TV's animated movie, "Luck." The actor will be starring opposite "Chronicles of Narnia" alumn Anna Popplewell in their upcoming film, "Fairytale," along with Archie Panjabi and Miranda Raison.
Emilie de Ravin has been growing her family
While Emilie de Ravin may have been part of the original cast of "Roswell," her claim to fame is certainly her role as Claire Littleton in the hit TV show "Lost." After, de Ravin acted in a handful of movies, including opposite Robert Pattinson in the drama "Remember Me."
She starred in "Once Upon a Time" as Belle French, Rumplestiltskin's love interest, for most of the show's seven seasons. The actor announced her exit from the show at the end of Season 6 alongside many of her co-stars, claiming that though she would "have loved to continue exploring Belle's journey, [but] the show has decided to move in a different creative direction" (via Deadline). She still reprised her role in two episodes of the final season.
Since then, de Ravin has welcomed three children with long-term partner Eric Bilitch, and it's clear she has spent some time focusing on family life. Her only three credits since wrapping as Belle have been a TV movie in 2019, "A Lover Scorned," two episodes of "True Colours" released in 2022, and her upcoming project, "Wreckage."
Rebecca Mader is on fire
Rebecca Mader is also a fellow "Lost" alum, having joined the show for its second half in Season 4, but she had plenty of other television appearances between then and getting cast in "Once Upon a Time." Some notable ones include "Fringe," "White Collar," "Drop Dead Diva," and "Blue Bloods," among other things.
But Mader, who joined the cast late in the show's third season as Zelena, really put her soul into the part. "I was bullied a lot growing up from the age of 4 to 14, and that was some really yummy stuff I was able to use for this character," she told Den of Geek. "It was really cathartic."
As for what she has been up to, Mader had two children with her husband Marcus Kayne. Professionally, she lent her voice to the character Mary Watson in the podcast series "Moriarty: The Devil's Game," and has joined the cast of CBS' "Fire Country" as a recurring character in early 2023.
Beverley Elliott is a Hallmark staple
Having appeared in 60 episodes of "Once Upon a Time" as Granny Lucas, Beverley Elliott probably looks very different in her personal life — with darker hair and modern, fashionable style, she is almost unrecognizable. And she has kept herself busy!
With over 30 acting credits since her run in "Once Upon a Time," the actor has since become a staple of the Hallmark Channel's many productions. The latest of which is one of the network's newest holiday releases, "A World Record Christmas," where Elliott stars alongside "Haven" alum Lucas Bryant.
But she's also been in other projects, including a guest spot in the CW's "Nancy Drew" as well as a few episodes of Netflix's "Blockbuster," and putting on the occasional stage performance. When she isn't acting, Elliott spends her time singing, attending fan conventions and events, traveling, and teaching acting classes at the Vancouver Art School (via her Instagram).
Sean Maguire is an acting teacher
Sean Maguire joined the cast of "Once Upon a Time" during the show's third season in the role of the famous Robin Hood as Regina's love interest. Maguire started acting back in the U.K., where he got his big break as fictional soccer player Aidan Brosnan in "EastEnders." He also had a short-lived music career in the '90s before relocating to the U.S. in 2000.
Since then, he's appeared in many TV shows, including "Criminal Minds," "Timeless," "The Magicians," and "The 100." Most recently, he lent his voice to the podcast series "Electric Easy" in 2021, appeared in six episodes of the show "Action Royale," and has been in a vampire movie titled "V for Vengeance" — not to be confused with Natalie Portman's 2005 "V for Vendetta."
The actor lives in Hollywood with his wife and their three children. He became an American citizen in 2020, sharing on Instagram, "After calling America home for 20 years. Today we are now officially American citizens. I love this country." Maguire is also behind The Players Conservatory, where he offers acting classes both in person and online.
Lee Arenberg would still love to be a pirate
One of Snow White's seven dwarves in "Once Upon a Time," Lee Arenberg had the chance to bring Leroy (a.k.a. Grumpy) to life during his time on the show. The actor, however, is probably better known for his part in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise as one of the crew members of the infamous Black Pearl. During an interview with Kendall Talks TV, the actor expressed interest in reprising that role, saying, "Of course, obviously. But they've already done two without us. I love it, though, I love that part. But yeah, it's not up to me."
As for his character's bittersweet ending in "Once," Arenberg told The Dipp, "If you think about it, he's the luckiest guy. He's best friends with Belle, he's pals with Red," joking that Leroy was punching above his weight. After, he was in one episode of the acclaimed "American Gods" screen adaptation before taking a small acting hiatus.
Arenberg has returned to the screen in 2023, however, with two new releases, "1066," and the short "Bloody Fury." He is also set to star in Adam Rifkin's "Last Train to Fortune."
Meghan Ory is open about motherhood
Following in the steps of her "Once Upon a Time" onscreen grandmother, Beverley Elliott, Meghan Ory has also become a Hallmark Channel star. After appearing in one of their holiday movies in 2015, "Debbie Macomber's Dashing Through the Snow," Ory went on to be cast in the network's popular show "Chesapeake Shores." In it, she played the leading role of Abby O'Brien alongside her fellow "John Tucker Must Die" co-star, Jesse Metcalfe.
The show's sixth and final season aired in 2022, and besides guest starring in a couple of episodes of husband John Reardon's TV series "Hudson & Rex," Ory didn't really take on any other projects during its run. Her next movie, "The Secret Gifts of Christmas," is set to be released in mid-December 2023.
During her time in "Chesapeake Shores," Ory and Reardon welcomed two children and a third in 2023. She shares the reality of being a working mom on her Instagram, where she posted about her experience with hyperemesis gravidarum while filming the series last season.
Raphael Sbarge is also a director
After starring in multiple "Once Upon a Time" episodes as Dr. Archie Hopper (aka Jiminy Cricket), Raphael Sbarge has guest appeared in a number of well-known shows such as "The Blacklist," "Fear the Walking Dead," "The Resident," "The Rookie," and even a spot in Netflix's mini-series "Dahmer."
In early 2023, Sbarge was cast as Pastor Don Revans in the spinoff of 1973's "The Exorcist." Unfortunately the film, "The Exorcist: Believer," was released in October 2023 to poor reviews from the audience and critics alike.
In 2022, he directed "Only In Theaters," calling it "a love letter to going to the movies, and a story about a 4th generation family who have run a very influential art house cinema chain" (via Scifi Pulse). Sbarge's most recent directorial venture was a docuseries titled "10 Days in Watts," released in February 2023, and he will be starring as Detective John in the thriller "Beach Town Maidens."
Michael Raymond-James is everywhere these days
When asked about his role as Neal Cassidy (aka Baelfire) in "Once Upon a Time" by Entertainment Weekly, Michael Raymond-James had this to say: "They pitched me the entire arc of the season, where it would start and where it would end up." This means the actor knew from the start what it took the audience most of the season to find out — something he claims was done on purpose by the showrunners. "They really wanted people to be like, "What the — are we watching the right show? Where's 'Once Upon a Time?'" he added.
Raymond-James, who became known for his part in HBO's hit series "True Blood," has gotten a lot of good roles since then, however. Appearing in "Frontier" alongside "Game of Thrones" breakout star Jason Momoa, "Prodigal Son," "Billions," and "See," it is clear his career shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. In fact, in 2022, he was cast as Joe Colombo in Epix's "Godfather of Harlem," a story inspired by '60s crime boss Bumpy Johnson.