No sitcom cancellation was as heartbreaking as when “Girlfriends” abruptly went off the air in 2008.
The CW sitcom centered on a friendship group of four Black women as they navigated their careers and relationships.
When the show originally aired in 2000, the cast was virtually unknown.
In September 2020, all eight seasons of “Girlfriends” were made available to stream on Netflix.
Longtime fans of the series rejoiced, while a new audience discovered the brilliance of the series.
Twenty-three years later, the show is as relevant as ever.
Let’s take a look at their current lives.
The show’s fans rooted for Joan to find the Prince Charming she was desperately searching for.
Despite her success with the series, calls weren’t coming in after it was canceled in 2008.
“They did not.”
In fact, it wasn’t until 2014 that Ross returned to a hit television show.
The success of “Black-ish” helped spawn"Mixed-ish,“a spin-off centered around her character.
“Black-ish” ran for an impressive eight seasons and ended in 2022.
The past couple of years have included plenty of big moves for Ross.
In 2019, she launched Pattern Beauty, her own hair care line for curly and textured hair.
In 2023, Ross received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Spelman College.
“Make space for yourself, for your whole self,” she told the graduates inher speech.
However, when the show was canceled in 2008, Brooks put her career on pause.
“You just have to keep working,” Brooks toldEntertainment Tonightwhen asked about the difficulty of landing roles.
In the series, Brooks plays the mother of skater enthusiast Paris Johnson.
Landing a spot on a Disney Channel show gave Brooks bragging rights to her own daughter.
Did you see Paris' hair?'”
“This is going to be great for young girls.”
While filming, White met her co-star Joseph Morgan, and the two soon fell in love.
In July 2014, they tied the knot in Jamaica.
“It had a very rustic feel to it,” the actress toldPeople.
“There was nothing about it that was overwhelming or very huge or fabulous in that way.
We tried to keep everything really intimate and beautiful and sort of going along with nature.”
In 2019, White reunited with the “Girlfriends” cast on a special episode of “Black-ish.”
The reunion was something fans had been waiting for.
“There’s a need for it.”
In August 2023, the actress and singer released her second album, “Love Letters.”
Speaking toEssence, White described the album as deeply personal and recalled crying in the studio while recording it.
Unfortunately, at the end of Season 6, Jones quietly departed the show and left many fans confused.
“I’ve never made a decision based on money,” she toldEssencein 2008.
“I was on the show for six years and I think that’s a good run.
Jones explained that she didn’t regret leaving but regretted not speaking to them about it.
In 2018, the actress starred on three seasons of “Monogamy,” which premiered on UMC.
In 2023, Jones played a guest-starring role on the hit Showtime series, “The Chi.”
William was the hilarious honorary girlfriend whom the ladies confided in.
Reggie Hayes brilliantly portrayed the character for eight seasons.
Despite showcasing his comedic talent, Hayes struggled to land roles after the show’s cancellation.
He struggled financially and was forced to downsize his life completely.
“Those were pretty awful years.
After struggling to get by, Hayes sought out regular day jobs.
“But I have congestive heart failure and it was difficult to breathe.”
It has not been all bad for the “Girlfriends” star.
Sharp portrayed the strong-willed addition to the friend group who marries the lovable William Dent.
Simpson: American Crime Story.”
After “Girlfriends,” her longest recurring role was on Fox’s “Lethal Weapon.”
Sharp played Trish Murtaugh, the wife of co-star Damon Wayans' character.
Sharp replaced her “Girlfriends” co-star Golden Brooks in the role.
The actress has continued to book guest roles on successful television shows.
“I would love it!
Why can’t we do that?
That would be fun!
I would love to see where these characters ended up and where they are now.”
Kain acted alongside rapper Tupac Shakur in the 1992 cult-classic film “Juice.”
Kain also appeared on successful shows like “Living Single” and “Moesha.”
He even played a young Tiger Woods in “The Tiger Woods Story.”
Kain took over the role of Darnell in Season 2, and the rest was history.
Since the show’s cancellation, Kain has continued to work as an actor and evolve as a writer.
The play infused music and spoken-word poetry to convey how it can traumatize an entire family.
“Every time you send your kid into the street, you worry how vulnerable they are.”
He released an album in 2019 with the same title.
“It’s been very much an exorcism for me.”
