What The Married... With Children Cast Looks Like Today

When it premiered in 1987, "Married...With Children" broke the mold for shows about contemporary American families. During the 1980s, the most popular family sitcoms were wholesome series like "Family Ties" or "The Cosby Show," which depicted warm parental figures who offered viewers life lessons and a few laughs. When "Married...With Children" premiered, it quickly set itself apart from the other shows of the era. The Bundy family — Al, Peg, Kelly, and Bud — were not role models by any stretch of the imagination. Rather, they were everything the typical idyllic '80s sitcom family was not.

Early on, the series faced backlash, including calls to boycott the show and for advertisers to sever ties with the network over the raunchy storylines. Even with negative press, the show proved immensely popular and provided the new Fox channel with viewership that rivaled the bigger networks. With eleven seasons under its belt, "Married... With Children" left its mark on pop culture history. What's more, it helped make some of the cast members household names. Let's take a look at where the stars of the iconic series are today.

The patriarch of the "Married... With Children" is the infamous Al Bundy, a grumpy shoe salesman who was as irritated with his family as he was with his customers. His signature pose was sitting on the couch after a long day, his hand in his waistband in front of the television while complaining to his wife, Peg. Played by Ed O'Neill, Al could have easily been annoying or an unlikeable caricature. Yet, O'Neill's performance made the "Married... With Children" character far more charming than he had any right to be–it even earned him two Golden Globe Award nominations.

After eleven seasons, "Married... With Children" ended, and O'Neill went on to reinvent himself in other roles. He starred as Joe Friday in the "Dragnet" reboot and appeared on television shows like "The West Wing." He also lent his voice to the grumpy but lovable octopus Hank in "Finding Dory." 

Before "Married... With Children," O'Neill was best known for his dramatic work on stage and screen. "I wasn't a comedic actor, and they were taking a big chance, you know, but they just liked that laconic kind of reading," he recalled to the Archive of American Television. Of course, that wouldn't be his last foray into the world of family sitcoms: In the late 2000s, he joined the cast of small screen juggernaut "Modern Family." Even though they are both dads played by the same man, Jay Pritchett and Al Bundy couldn't be more different. Jay was a little old-fashioned and could be a grouch, but he cared deeply for his family. Since "Modern Family" ended in 2020, O'Neill continues to play cantankerous characters, such as playing David Sterling in Hulu's "Clipped."

Matriarch Peggy Bundy was a tall redhead who called herself a housewife, even though she didn't want to do any work around the house. She didn't want to cook or clean–there was a running gag about Peggy's cooking being inedible anyway. Instead, she focused on buying new things and making herself look good. Her quick wit and barbed jabs keep her husband, Al, on his toes. Katey Sagal's comedic timing not only helped make "Married... With Children" a hit, but solidified Peggy as one of the funniest characters on the show.

Since the end of "Married... With Children", Sagal has played a number of memorable characters. Since 1999, she's provided the voice for Turanga Leela, the purple-haired cyclops space captain in the hit animated series "Futurama." Like O'Neill, Sagal also found herself playing more parental roles on television. In 2002, she starred in "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter." The show only lasted three seasons, but after that came one of Sagal's most successful roles. On the drama "Sons of Anarchy," Sagal played the mother figure of a dysfunctional motorcycle gang family as Gemma Teller Morrow. She continues to add more interesting roles to her filmography, including Dr. Kureha in season two of Netflix's live-action "One Piece" series.

In 2014, Sagal was presented with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fellow "Married... With Children" alumni Ed O'Neill, Christina Applegate, and David Faustino attended the ceremony. 

As Kelly Bundy, Christina Applegate had the quintessential late '80s/early '90s teen style. With blond hair and a lot of spandex, Kelly looked like every other girl at the mall at that time. Like her mom, Peggy, Kelly leaned into her good looks and tried her best to get out of doing any kind of work. She's a physical embodiment of all those "dumb blonde" jokes that were popular at the time. Even if she was insulted or picked the wrong guy to date, Kelly usually came out of problems unscathed. 

Although the role of Kelly launched Applegate's career, she admitted to Vanity Fair that she avoided certain roles because she feared being typecast. "I wouldn't toy with the idea of 'Legally Blonde' because it felt too fresh getting out of 'Married...With Children,'" she said. "I started to read it and I remember calling them and going, 'Oh, it's too similar. Can't do it.'" After "Married... With Children" ended, Applegate went on to star in several television shows, including "Jesse," "Samantha Who?," and the critically acclaimed "Dead to Me." She also appeared in the "Anchorman" films and "Bad Moms."

In recent years, Applegate has dealt with multiple health struggles, as she was diagnosed with MS in 2021. A high-profile advocate for people with multiple sclerosis, she now uses her platform to help others and fundraise for research on the disease. In 2024, she launched the podcast "MeSsY" along with fellow actor Jamie-Lynn Sigler to discuss their experience with MS. Sadly, Applegate has said she most likely will never act on-screen again.

Bud Bundy, played by David Faustino, began on "Married... With Children" as a typical annoying little brother who lived to antagonise his older sister and parents. As the show went on, Bud became obsessed with girls and tried to convince them to date him, even if he came off as a slimy guy. Unlike the rest of the Bundys, however, Bud was smart. He excelled in school, graduated from high school, and went on to a community college. His family may have made fun of his personality, and sometimes his height, yet he might have gone on to be the most successful in the household.

Faustino's career took a turn after "Married... With Children" ended. Although he has a few on-screen appearances, his dove headfirst into the world of voice acting. He voiced Helia on the English dubs of "Winx Club" and guest-starred as villain turned hero Dagur the Deranged on the "How to Train Your Dragon" spin-off series, "DreamWorks Dragons." Faustino also starred in "The Legend of Korra" as the talented firebender, Mako. Although Faustino doesn't make many public appearances, he still shows up for his former TV family. In 2022, he attended the unveiling of Christina Applegate's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Marcy D'Arcy, played by Amanda Bearse, lived across the street from the Bundys and soon became best friends with Peggy. At first, Marcy seemed like a fairly normal person compared to the comedic dysfunction of her neighbors. Yet as she was around the Bundys more, her true personality came through. Her penchant for telling stories about her past proved hilarious, but her ongoing rivalry with Al made her stand out. She may have been sweet and nice, but she also would sink to Al Bundy's level of filth to get back at him; Marcy's feminist outlook was often at odds with Al's chauvinism.

Bearse had guest roles on television after "Married... With Children" and also appeared in a few movies, including "Tapawingo" and "Bros." While on "Married... With Children", Bearse began another career behind the camera. Over the course of the series, Bearse directed over thirty episodes while also acting in them. Most of Bearse's time in Hollywood has been as a television director. Her credits include "Dharma & Greg," "Mad TV," and "The Big Gay Sketch Show." 

In 2022, Bearse told Page Six she has mixed feelings about the legacy of "Married... With Children." "It was a very misogynist show," she said. "To me, there were some episodes and storylines that I really wasn't a fan of ... there is a bit of cancel culture around it, which to me is not inappropriate." She did add that she's grateful the show allowed her to begin directing.

Married to Marcy, Steve Rhoades was a buttoned-up banker who was nothing like the Bundys. In high school, Steve wasn't popular and considered a nerd by most of his peers — even his future wife, Marcy. During the fourth season of the show, Steve suddenly figured out his true passion was to be a park ranger instead of working in a bank. When he disappeared to pursue his dream, he and Mary split up. Steve popped up in a few episodes in later seasons, but was no longer a regular fixture.

Steve's departure from "Married... With Children" was a choice made by the actor David Garrison. As once he told Get.tv (via Collider), he wanted to move on from TV and return to theater after having built a career on the stage. After leaving "Married... With Children," Garrison made a few appearances in popular series like "Law & Order" and "The West Wing," but stayed committed to treading the boards. Beginning in 2005, Garrison played the Wizard of Oz in a traveling production of "Wicked."

Ted McGinley started on "Married... With Children" during its fifth season, when Jefferson D'Arcy entered the pictures. After Marcy's divorce from Steve, she met Jefferson at a banker's convention while letting loose. The next morning, Marcy woke up married to Jefferson with no memory. Jefferson quickly became a big part of the story. He became close friends with Al and ultimately schemed his way into the world of the Bundys in a way Marcy's previous husband didn't. 

In an interview with The A.V. Club, McGinley talked about how much he enjoyed playing the sketchy freeloader on the hit show. "A great, great gig," he said. "Another one of the great gigs of all time. Amazing cast, super-fun. I mean, I'd have to say that, looking back on the jobs I've had."

Before joining "Married... With Children," McGinley already had a strong career in television. After the show ended, he continued to work mainly in the same medium. His filmography includes dramas like "The West Wing" and the comedy "Hope & Faith." McGinley also took a short turn into reality TV when he appeared on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Some fans may recognize his voice from "Transformers: Robots in Disguise," where he played Danny Clay. Starting in 2023, McGinley stars in "Shrinking," alongside Jason Segel and Harrison Ford.