The actors on Will & Grace turned a small NBC sitcom about two best friends into one of the most important comedies of its era. When the show premiered in 1998, it put a gay lead at the center of primetime television, something network TV had largely avoided. Over 11 seasons, including the revival, the core cast built chemistry that still feels sharp on a rewatch today. This guide covers every key cast member, the recurring and guest stars who shaped the series, the actor who was cut before the show found its final form, and what each star is doing now.
Will & Grace Cast Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Show Title | Will & Grace |
| Network | NBC |
| Original Run | 1998–2006 |
| Revival Run | 2017–2020 |
| Total Seasons | 11 |
| Creators | David Kohan and Max Mutchnick |
| Director | James Burrows |
| Setting | New York City |
| Genre | Sitcom / Comedy |
| Core Cast | Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, Sean Hayes |
| Main Supporting Cast | Shelley Morrison |
| Notable Recurring Stars | Harry Connick Jr., Bobby Cannavale, Leslie Jordan |
| Emmy Wins for the Core Four | All four main actors won at least one Emmy |
The Original Will & Grace Cast
The original Will & Grace cast was built around four characters: Will, Grace, Karen, and Jack. Each actor brought a distinct comic rhythm, and the show worked because those rhythms clashed and blended in equal measure. Every member of the core four went on to win an Emmy for their role, which is rare for any ensemble.
Eric McCormack as Will Truman
Eric McCormack played Will Truman, a gay lawyer living in New York and Grace’s best friend. Born on 18 April 1963 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he is now 63. The role earned him the 2001 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, along with 4 Emmy nominations and 6 Golden Globe nominations overall.
McCormack is straight, and he has spoken openly about the responsibility of playing one of TV’s first major gay lead characters. Will was written as the grounded center of the show, the straight man in comic terms, and McCormack played that role with dry precision. In my view, that restraint is what let the louder characters around him land their jokes.
Before Will & Grace, he worked steadily in Canadian TV and in the Western miniseries Lonesome Dove. After the original series ended in 2006, he moved into dramas such as The Andromeda Strain, Trust Me on TNT, and Perception, where he played a neuroscience professor. He later starred in the Netflix sci-fi series Travelers, which ran until 2018.
His stage work is just as strong. He played Harold Hill in The Music Man on Broadway, appeared in the off-Broadway play Some Girl(s), and returned to Broadway in The Best Man. More recently, he co-hosts the podcast Just Jack & Will with Sean Hayes, a rewatch show where the two revisit old episodes.
In his personal life, McCormack married Janet Leigh Holden in August 1997. Their son, Finnigan, was born in July 2002. In November 2023, after 26 years of marriage, Holden filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
Debra Messing as Grace Adler
Debra Messing played Grace Adler, a neurotic, warm, and often self-absorbed Jewish interior designer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she is now 58. Her performance won the 2003 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Grace was the show’s emotional engine. Messing leaned into physical comedy without losing the character’s heart, which is why Grace’s romances and her friendship with Will felt real rather than written for laughs alone. Her chemistry with Eric McCormack remains one of the best-matched partnerships in sitcom history.
After 2006, she led The Starter Wife, appeared in The Women, Lucky You, and Purple Violets, and joined the Broadway-themed drama Smash in 2012. She later starred as detective Laura Diamond in The Mysteries of Laura. Her stage return came with Birthday Candles on Broadway, and she joined Robert De Niro in the mob film The Alto Knights.
Off screen, Messing is a vocal social justice advocate. She campaigned door-to-door for Joe Biden in the 2020 election and co-hosts the podcast The Dissenters with Mandana Dayani. She was married to screenwriter Daniel Zelman for 12 years, and the couple divorced in 2012. They share a son, Roman.
Megan Mullally as Karen Walker
Megan Mullally played Karen Walker, Grace’s wealthy, sharp-tongued assistant who rarely did any actual work. Born in Los Angeles, California, she is now 67. The role won her 2 Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress and 3 SAG Awards as part of the ensemble.
Karen was designed as a series regular in the background, but Mullally turned her into one of TV’s most quotable characters. Her high-pitched voice, her loyalty to Jack, and her running feud with her maid Rosario became signature parts of the show. Few supporting characters have taken over a sitcom so completely.
After the original run, she hosted The Megan Mullally Show from 2006 to 2007. She then built a long run of guest roles and comedy parts in 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, Party Down, Childrens Hospital, Breaking In, and In the Motherhood. Her most famous later role came in Parks and Recreation as Tammy, opposite her real-life husband.
Mullally married Nick Offerman in 2003, after an earlier marriage to Michael Katcher. The couple toured together in the comedy show Summer of 69: No Apostrophe and have worked side by side on several projects. She also voiced a character in Hotel Transylvania 2.
Fans have also followed reports of tension between Mullally and Debra Messing, especially after an alleged Instagram unfollow in August 2020. Neither actress has turned this into a public feud, and both have praised the show and its cast in interviews.
Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland
Sean Hayes played Jack McFarland, Will’s flamboyant, out-of-work actor friend. Born in Chicago and raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, he is now 56. He won the 2000 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor for the role.
Jack was a fan favorite from the first season. Hayes delivered rapid one-liners and big physical comedy, and his energy pushed the show’s pace. Watching early episodes now, it is clear he was the actor most willing to go fully over the top, and the show became funnier because of it.
Hayes chose not to discuss his sexuality publicly while playing a gay character, which drew both criticism and speculation. He came out in 2010, the same year he starred on Broadway in Promises, Promises. He married Scott Icenogle in 2014.
Beyond acting, he is a successful Hollywood producer. He co-founded the production company Hazy Mills with Todd Milliner, which produced Hot in Cleveland, Grimm, and Hollywood Game Night, where Hayes served as executive producer. He also starred in his own NBC sitcom, Sean Saves the World.
His biggest recent success is the podcast SmartLess, which he co-hosts with Jason Bateman and Will Arnett. On stage, he won acclaim for Good Night, Oscar, playing pianist Oscar Levant, a role that drew on his own background as a trained pianist and composer.
Shelley Morrison as Rosario Salazar
Shelley Morrison played Rosario Salazar, Karen’s maid and sparring partner. Born in the Bronx, New York, she lived from 1936 to 2019. She died of heart failure in December 2019 at age 83.
Rosario started as a one-episode character but quickly became semi-regular and then a core part of the show. Her deadpan comebacks against Karen gave the show some of its best back-and-forth scenes. Many viewers consider her the unofficial fifth member of the core four.
Morrison retired after the original series ended in 2006, so she did not return for the revival. Instead, the revival wrote Rosario out with a funeral episode that gave Karen a rare emotional moment.
Outside Will & Grace, she had 3 notable voice roles, including Handy Manny, Generator Rex, and Foodfight!. She was married to Walter Dominguez for more than 40 years.
Recurring Actors and Memorable Guest Stars
Beyond the main cast, Will & Grace built a strong bench of recurring actors and guest stars. Some appeared for a single arc, while others shaped major storylines across seasons.
Harry Connick Jr. as Leo Markus
Harry Connick Jr. played Dr. Leo Markus, Grace’s love interest and later her husband. He joined in 2002 in a recurring role and returned for the revival as Grace’s ex-husband.
Connick is best known as a Grammy-winning singer and jazz pianist from New Orleans, with more than 28 million albums sold. His 2021 gospel album Alone With My Faith won the Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album, his 16th Grammy nomination.
On screen, he appeared in films such as Bug, Basic, P.S. I Love You, New in Town, and Dolphin Tale, along with its 2014 sequel. He had a recurring role on Law & Order: SVU, served as a judge on American Idol from 2014 to 2016, and hosted his own daytime talk show, Harry, from 2016 to 2018. In 2022, he played Daddy Warbucks in Annie Live!.
Connick married Victoria’s Secret model Jill Goodacre in 1994. They have 3 daughters: Georgia, Sarah Kate, and Charlotte.
Bobby Cannavale as Vince D’Angelo
Bobby Cannavale played Vince D’Angelo, a police officer who became Will’s boyfriend. Born in Union City, New Jersey, he is now 56. The role won him the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2005.
Vince gave Will one of his most stable relationships, and Cannavale appeared in the original finale as part of Will’s future. His grounded, warm performance helped balance Will’s uptight personality.
After Will & Grace, Cannavale’s career grew fast. He starred in Boardwalk Empire, Vinyl, Mr. Robot, and Homecoming, and appeared in films such as Blue Jasmine, Ant-Man, and The Irishman. He is in a long-term relationship with actress Rose Byrne, and they have 2 children.
Leslie Jordan as Beverley Leslie
Leslie Jordan played Beverley Leslie, Karen’s pretentious rival in the high-society world. The role won him an Emmy, and his scenes with Karen became fan highlights.
Jordan also wrote and performed the autobiographical stage show Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far. His film and TV work included The Help, American Horror Story, and a main role in Call Me Kat.
In his later years, he found a huge following on TikTok and Instagram. In October 2022, he died at age 67 after suffering a medical emergency while driving his BMW in Hollywood, which caused a crash into a building.
Leigh-Allyn Baker and Tom Gallop as Ellen and Rob
Leigh-Allyn Baker and Tom Gallop played Ellen and Rob, a married couple who were longtime friends of Will and Grace. They appeared mainly in the early seasons starting in 1998, often during game nights and group scenes.
Baker later became known for The King of Queens, Hannah Montana, and voice work in Back at the Barnyard, along with a guest spot on House. Gallop built a steady career in guest roles and recurring parts in shows such as Bones, Suits, and American Horror Story, along with a part in The Bourne Ultimatum.
The Fifth Cast Member Who Got Cut: Cress Williams
Cress Williams was originally cast as a fifth regular character, a straight colleague at Will’s law firm. According to the cast’s own retelling on the Just Jack & Will podcast, the role was cut after just 2 days of work on the first episode.
The reason came down to the show format. Director James Burrows and the creators decided the series worked best as a tight four-person comedy, and a fifth character diluted that balance. Eric McCormack has described the cut as one of the decisions that defined the show’s identity.
Williams went on to a strong career, most notably as the star of Black Lightning on The CW. In hindsight, losing the role likely made room for him to lead his own series.
The Cast’s Off-Screen Friendship
The Will & Grace stars have stayed close long after the show ended. Their social media posts often show reunions, and they regularly praise one another’s projects in public.
That support shows up in person, too. Eric McCormack made a surprise visit to see Debra Messing in Birthday Candles on Broadway, and Messing traveled to Chicago to support Sean Hayes in Good Night, Oscar. These moments matter to fans because they confirm that the on-screen chemistry was not just acting.
Will & Grace Cast Net Worth
Net worth figures for actors are estimates, but they give a useful sense of how each star’s career has grown since the show. Producing and podcasting have played a big role for some of the cast.
| Actor | Role | Estimated Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Sean Hayes | Jack McFarland | $60 million |
| Eric McCormack | Will Truman | $40 million |
| Debra Messing | Grace Adler | $30 million |
| Megan Mullally | Karen Walker | $25 million |
| Harry Connick Jr. | Leo Markus | $65 million |
Sean Hayes leads the core four largely because of Hazy Mills and the success of SmartLess. Harry Connick Jr.’s wealth comes mostly from his music career rather than acting.
FAQs
Who is in the original Will and Grace cast?
The original Will and Grace cast includes Eric McCormack as Will Truman, Debra Messing as Grace Adler, Megan Mullally as Karen Walker, and Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland. This core cast stayed together from 1998 through the revival, which brought the series to 11 seasons in total.
What are the Will and Grace stars doing now?
The stars have spread across theater, TV, and creative projects. Hayes focuses on producing and podcasting, McCormack splits his time between stage and screen, Messing balances acting with activism, and Mullally continues to take comedy roles alongside her husband.
Who played Karen Walker on Will and Grace?
Megan Mullally played Karen Walker. Her comic timing made Karen one of the most loved characters in the series, and her scenes with Rosario became a recurring highlight.
Which Will and Grace actor played Jack McFarland?
Sean Hayes played Jack McFarland. His energetic role, physical comedy, and fast one-liners made Jack a fan favorite from the start.
Was Harry Connick Jr. part of the Will and Grace cast?
Yes, but not as part of the original core cast. He joined in a recurring role as Dr. Leo Markus, Grace’s husband, and returned for the revival.
Is there a Will and Grace reunion or revival?
Yes, NBC brought the show back for a revival that ran from 2017 to 2020. As of now, no further revival has been officially announced, though the cast continues to reunite through podcasts and public appearances.
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