Whatever Happened To The Cast Of 7th Heaven?
Back in the '90s, "7th Heaven" was one of those shows that everyone seemed to be watching. The long-running, uplifting show followed the wholesome Camden family led by the Reverend Eric Camden. The show was always fun to watch, thanks to the many kids in the large Camden family.
The show came to an end after 11 seasons in 2007. Since then, the many actors on the show have all gone their separate ways. Stephen Collins, who played the patriarch of the family, ended up tarnishing his career when he confessed to sexual harassment of young girls. Catherine Hicks, who played Annie, the mother of the family, went on to appear in numerous TV movies. Jessica Biel, who played one of the Camden daughters, went on to become a recognizable movie star. Want to find out more about your favorite members of the Camden family? Here is what happened to the cast of "7th Heaven."
Stephen Collins' career came to an end when he confessed to the abuse of underage girls
Stephen Collins played Reverend Eric Camden, the father of the large family and one of the show's main characters. After the show came to an end in 2007, Camden continued acting in various television shows, including "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Brothers & Sisters," "Private Practice," "No Ordinary Family," and "Revolution." However, his last acting credit came in 2014 (via IMDb).
His career came to an abrupt halt in 2014 when the actor admitted to having abused three underage girls in the years between 1973 and 1994. In a statement, Collins wrote, "I deeply regret the mistakes I've made and any pain I caused these three women. I admit to, apologize for, and take responsibility for what I did." Apparently, the actor had been seeking therapy since the final incident (via The Washington Post). Collins hasn't acted since admitting to the abuse. According to the Daily Mail, he now lives in Iowa with his second wife, a "German super fan," and spends his time meditating and reflecting.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Mackenzie Rosman has gone on to become an athlete and business owner
Mackenzie Rosman played Ruthie Camden, the youngest, horse-loving daughter. After her time on "7th Heaven," Rosman continued acting into her teens for several years, appearing in "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" as Zoe, along with a few films (via IMDb).
Since 2015, Rosman appears to have given up on acting. In fact, if her Instagram account is anything to go by, it seems she has a lot in common with her old character, Ruthie — she appears to be a huge horse fanatic! She seems to do a lot of riding, and she's even invented "the Doli Belt." As she explained on Instagram, it's "a bandolier style belt for equestrians that holds carrots/treats so you can keep your hands and pockets free while having rewards for your horse close at hand."
Wow, it seems that little Ruthie has grown up to be just like we would have imagined!
Beverley Mitchell has become a dedicated mom, who is still acting to this day
You probably remember Beverley Mitchell as Lucy, the second oldest daughter on the show, known for her somewhat spoiled, dramatic demeanor. After "7th Heaven," Mitchell went on to play Kaitlin on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." While she hasn't appeared in too many projects over the years, she does act quite consistently and has appeared in quite a few Christmas TV movies in more recent years (via IMDb).
As Mitchell told Digital Journal in 2019, she's still committed to the acting business. "I've been in the business for 34 years and I still love it," she said. "I love everything about the business." While Mitchell is still focused on her acting, she is also a busy mom of three. As her Instagram bio reads, she spends "most days juggling #momlife."
Even though Mitchell has moved on a lot since her "7th Heaven" days, she seems to be open to revisiting her character. As she told Fox News, "I would be all in." She went on, "I would love to see some of the stories continue, I would love to know where they are in their lives."
Jessica Biel has become a well-known Hollywood star
One of Jessica Biel's first roles was playing Mary on "7th Heaven." As fans of the show will remember, Mary was the second oldest child in the Camden brood, who was known for her love of basketball. As the show went on, Biel became more and more famous, picking up roles in films like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Elizabethtown" and "The Illusionist" (via IMDb).
In 2006, she left the show. As the actress explained to E! News, she had been fairly rebellious while on the show. "We really had to sort of stay in the boundaries of a somewhat religious family and teaching lessons, and when ya know you're 16, 14, 15, 16, you get to a point when you're like, 'Oh man, I just want to do something different,'" she recalled. She cut her hair and posed for several men's magazines.
Since then, she has appeared in dozens of A-list films and TV shows. Biel is now married to Justin Timberlake and has two children (via Daily Mail).
Barry Watson is still acting in TV shows and is a father
Barry Watson played the oldest son, Matt Camden, on "7th Heaven." During his time on the show, Watson was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He underwent chemotherapy and transformed his approach to life. As he told GQ, "I slowed down, I noticed small moments. I had/have an attitude of gratitude." After having cancer, the actor continued acting. He went onto star in "What About Brian," "Samantha Who," "Gossip Girl," "Masters of Sex," "Date My Dad," and more after his time playing Matt (via IMDb).
As Watson told Fansided, he really has come full circle since his time on "7th Heaven," even though he still gets recognized for it. In fact, with his show "Date My Dad," he even got to play the father figure. Watson has also become a father in his real life. "I think every day I learn from my kids," he said. Watson is married to Natasha Wagner, the daughter of Natalie Wood, who is known for "High Fidelity" and "Lost Highway."
David Gallagher is busy working on TV and in film while keeping his life private
You probably remember David Gallagher as Simon Camden, the fourth Camden child, who was famous for hoarding money. Since starring on the show, Gallagher famously voiced Riku in the "Kingdom Hearts" video game franchise. In many ways, the role has defined his career. In addition to playing Riku, Gallagher has appeared in numerous TV shows over the years, including "The Vampire Diaries," "Numb3rs," "Bones," "Saving Grace," and more (via IMDb).
Gallagher seems to keep himself to himself when it comes to social media, and he hasn't given many interviews in the past few years. In 2011, he spoke with Hollywire. "I'm always inspired by new films and by music," he said. It sounds like he's busy staying inspired and working hard. It's great to see him plugging away and keeping busy doing what he loves.
Nikolas Brino stopped acting and Lorenzo Brino died tragically in a car accident in 2020
Nikolas and Lorenzo Brino played the Camden twins in "7th Heaven." It was their only acting credit (via IMDb). Little is known about what happened to Nikolas, but when Lorenzo was just 21 years old, he died tragically in a car crash. According to Deadline, the former child star lost control of his vehicle at around 3 a.m. on March 9, 2020, and crashed into a pole.
We don't know too much about what Lorenzo did in the years after "7th Heaven," although his friend, Stephen Dulay, posted a YouTube tribute to the young man after his death. In the touching video, Lorenzo can be seen enjoying working out at the gym with his friend, which had apparently become a passion. Dulay wrote a tribute to his friend: "The amount of people he touched with his character and charm was unbelievable. He was a loyal friend and an amazing brother" (via People).
Catherine Hicks became well-known for appearing in Christmas movies
Catherine Hicks played Annie Camden, the matriarch of the family. When the show began, she was already a well-known actress, having appeared in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," "Child's Play," and "Peggy Sue Got Married." As Hicks told Ability Magazine, her plans for life after "7th Heaven" had been to focus on raising her daughter. "I want to be home with Catie every day," she explained. After the show came to an end, Hicks did continue acting occasionally, however, appearing in numerous Christmas TV movies (via IMDb). As the actress told StarTrek.com, "I'm so happy to do holiday films because they definitely get on the air." As she explained, her reason for acting was fame rather than art — "If I'm going to act," she said, "I want people to see it."
As far as a "7th Heaven" reboot goes, Hicks would be open to the idea, but, as she told TMZ, the show would need to include Stephen Collins' death after the abuse scandal. She joked that the show could even be called "6th Heaven."
George Stults continued acting and starred in several TV Christmas movies
George Stults played Kevin Kinkirk, who eventually marries Lucy, from Season 6 on "7th Heaven." Stults' brother, Geoff, was also on the show. As Stults told The Star Scoop, he hadn't actually wanted to be an actor as a kid, but he had fallen into it thanks to his brother. However, once he started acting on "7th Heaven," he was hooked. "I would like to try some film because I haven't done that before," he said when asked about his plans for life after the show. "I someday would like to be on a sitcom, a successful sitcom," he went on.
It turns out, Stults pretty much fulfilled his dreams. He has continued acting since appearing in "7th Heaven," with roles in "Melissa & Joey" and "The Finder" along with numerous TV Christmas movies (via IMDb). According to Stults' Instagram bio, he is also an animal activist.
Adam LaVorgna left 7th Heaven and rediscovered his faith
Adam LaVorgna played Robbie Palmer for three years on "7th Heaven." Robbie was a homeless boy who met Mary at Community Service and lived with the Camdens for a short period and later dated Mary and Lucy. LaVorgna had already appeared in several big projects prior to the show. In fact, he had met Jessica Biel on the set of "I'll Be Home for Christmas." The pair began dating, and soon, LaVorgna was given a role on his girlfriend's show, "7th Heaven" (via Entertainment Weekly).
As LaVorgna later explained to Movie Mom, he got a little carried away with partying at the time. "I let it consume me and then it got to a point where I was just like, 'I can't be here anymore,' so I left '7th Heaven,'" he said. He moved away from L.A. and rediscovered his faith. He also continued acting.
You may have come across LaVorgna since his time on "7th Heaven." He has appeared in shows like "Law & Order," "Cold Case," "CSI: Miami," and "Power," along with a few short films and movies (via IMDb). According to LaVorgna's Instagram, he now lives in Canada with his girlfriend.
Tyler Hoechlin starred in some pretty big TV shows after 7th Heaven
You probably remember Tyler Hoechlin as Martin Brewer, who lived with the Camdens while his father was in Iraq. Hoechlin was already a pretty familiar face, having starred opposite Tom Hanks in "Road to Perdition" when he was just 13 years old. As the actor explained to Empire, he had also been passionate about baseball as a young man. In fact, he actually turned down a role in "Twilight" because of it. Eventually, however, Hoechlin made acting his main focus. And it's a good thing he did.
Since appearing on "7th Heaven," Hoechlin has kept very busy, starring in "Teen Wolf," "Fifty Shades Freed," "Supergirl," and "Superman and Lois" as Clark Kent himself (via IMDb). As the actor told Collider in 2021, getting to star in "Superman and Lois" was a big deal in terms of his career trajectory. "I'm excited for what this means for the next few years of my life," he said. It sounds like we'll see a lot more of Hoechlin in the future!
Ashlee Simpson became one of the most popular singers and reality stars of the early 2000s
Ashlee Simpson pretty much began her career as Cecilia on "7th Heaven." Simpson was already well-known thanks to her sister, singer Jessica Simpson. However, after her turn in "7th Heaven," Ashlee went on to have a pretty amazing career of her own. Shortly after leaving the show, she released her first album, "Autobiography." She went on to release two more albums. She also starred in her own reality series, "The Ashlee Simpson Show." Then, from 2009-2010, she starred in "Melrose Place" (via IMDb). In 2018, Ashlee reflected about her hectic early career in an interview with i-D, saying, "When you're in that moment you're just going and going. But I look back and listen to those albums and I watch myself and how strong I was when I was younger and how I kept being creative. I'm proud of myself."
In 2014, Ashlee tied the knot with the son of Diana Ross, Evan Ross (via Us Weekly). The couple had two kids, and in 2018, they started their own reality show called "Ashlee+Evan" about their life as parents. The couple has also released music under the same name. Talk about a power couple!
Jeremy London built an acting school and got in trouble with the law
You probably remember Jeremy London as Chandler Hampton, the minister who briefly takes over for Eric Camden after his surgery. The actor was already fairly well-known, having appeared on "Party of Five" as Griffin and in "Mallrats" in the '90s. After "7th Heaven," the actor appeared in countless films and TV shows, but he never really made it into the realm of true superstardom. In fact, there's a good chance you've still never seen any of his recent projects.
London has had a difficult career, filled with ups and downs. In the 2010s, for instance, the actor struggled with addiction to painkillers. He also claimed he was kidnapped (via People), which led to his stint on the reality show "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew." London has also appeared on the reality show "Celebrity Wife Swap." As the actor told Vents Magazine in 2019, he eventually moved away from the spotlight to build an acting school. "I've been focusing on building my acting school over the last four years," he said. Despite his positive career move towards teaching, London had another low point in 2018, when he was arrested twice in two weeks (via TMZ).
Rachel Blanchard is still super successful to this day as an actress
Rachel Blanchard played Roxanne Richardson on "7th Heaven." Roxanne was Kevin's partner and eventually Lucy's good friend. Blanchard was already a familiar face, as she had appeared in shows like "War of the Worlds," "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" and the "Clueless" TV series as Cher. Her career after "7th Heaven" was just as successful as ever. She appeared in "Peep Show" as Nancy, "Flight of the Conchords" as Sally, and "Fargo" as Kitty. In 2016, she also starred in "You Me Her," a show about polyamory (via IMDb).
Blanchard is married to the composer Jeremy Turner. They have a daughter called Maxine and live in California (via Atomic Moms). However, for a few years, there were some rumors online that she was married to someone called Adrien Turner and had two kids. As she told ABC News in 2014, the rumors were false. "I don't have [two kids] — that's a rumor ... I lost a job because I was apparently pregnant with my second child," she said. Yikes! We're glad that Blanchard finally set the record straight.