Girlfriends cast: where are the sitcom stars since the show ended?
Many years have passed since the sitcom Girlfriends wrapped up, yet it still holds a special place in fans' hearts. Since the show ended, many have continued to thrive in the entertainment industry, while others have explored new creative and professional paths.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Tracee Ellis Ross (Joan Carol Clayton) has continued to thrive in acting and has also ventured into business since Girlfriends.
- Persia White (Lynn Ann Searcy) has remained active in acting and music composition.
- Reginald C. Hayes is still in the entertainment industry, with his most recent acting role in I Hate My Love Life.
Girlfriends cast: where are they now
Many of Girlfriends' stars have enjoyed successful television, film, and other creative careers. Here is a look at the leading Girlfriends actors and what they are up to today.
Tracee Ellis Ross as Joan Carol Clayton
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- Full name: Tracee Joy Silberstein
- Date of birth: 29 October 1972
- Age: 52 years old (as of August 2025)
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Profession: Actress, film producer, entrepreneur
Tracee Ellis is an American actress and film producer. She is the main character who portrays Joan Carol Clayton in the Girlfriends. Her role earned her the BET Comedy Award in 2005.
After starring in Girlfriends, Tracee continued with her prolific acting, appearing in about 39 films and TV series. Some of her credits include starring in Black Mirror, Stranded, American Fiction, Black-ish, and Mixed-ish.
Tracee is also a producer, having worked on produced TV shows and movies such as Reed Between the Lines, Mixed-ish, and Black-ish. Additionally, she is an entrepreneur with Pattern Beauty officially launched in 2019.
Golden Brooks as Maya Denise Wilkes
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- Full name: Golden Brooks
- Date of birth: 1 December 1970
- Age: 54 years old (as of August 2025)
- Place of birth: San Francisco, California, United States
- Profession: Actress
Actress Golden Brooks was Maya Denise Wilkes in Girlfriends. She debuted in acting in 1996 in the TV series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Golden had prominent roles in Linc's and Timecode before being featured in Girlfriends.
Golden is still in the film industry and has been featured in several films and TV series. She is known for starring in Beauty Shop, Polish Bar, Hart of Dixie, Saturdays, and Power Book II: Ghost.
Persia White as Lynn Ann Searcy
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Persia White
- Date of birth: 25 October 1972
- Age: 52 years old (as of August 2025)
- Place of birth: Miami, Florida, United States
- Profession: Actress, singer, producer, activist
Persia White is an American singer, actress, producer, and environmental and animal rights activist. She starred in Girlfriends as Lynn Ann Searcy. Before her role in the show, Persia was already an established actress with several acting credits, including Another World, Breaker High, and The Vampire Diaries.
Persia continued acting and composing songs. Some of her hit tracks are Past Mistakes, Robot Love, Beautiful Liar, and Desire. She is also widely recognised for her advocacy, especially in promoting environmental conservation and animal rights.
The actress is married to Joseph Morgan, an American actor.
Jill Marie Jones as Antoinette "Toni" Marie Childs Garrett
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- Full name: Jill Marie Jones
- Date of birth: 4 January 1975
- Age: 50 years old (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: Dallas, Texas, United States
- Profession: Actress, former dancer, cheerleader
Jill Marie is an American actress, former professional dancer, and cheerleader. She was a prominent member of the Girlfriends, playing the role of Antoinette "Toni" Marie Childs Garrett. Jill exited the sitcom in 2006 after six seasons.
After leaving the show, the actress continued acting, appearing in TV series and films such as Delilah, Monogamy, and The Chi. Jill won a FilmOut Audience Award 2010 as the Best Supporting Actress.
Reginald C. Hayes as William Dent
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- Full name: Reginald C. Hayes
- Date of birth: 15 July 1969
- Age: 56 years old (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Profession: Actor
Reginald C. Hayes is one of the memorable Girlfriends actors. His role as William Dent earned him the Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Reginald debuted in acting in 1996 in A Family Thing.
After Girlfriends ended, the famous actor continued appearing in films and TV shows such as Black Lightning, Holiday Hideaway, and the most recent, I Hate My Love Life.
Khalil Kain as Darnell Wilkes
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- Full name: Khalil Kain
- Date of birth: 22 November 1964
- Age: 60 years old (as of August 2025)
- Place of birth: Harlem, New York, United States
- Profession: Actor
Khalil Kain portrays Darnell Wilkes in the sitcom Girlfriends. Before landing a role in Girlfriends, he had been featured in Renaissance Man, Living Single, Lush Life, The Fanatics, and Execution of Justice.
After starring in Girlfriends, he continued thriving in acting and has been featured in several films and TV series. Khalil is known for appearing in For Colored Girls, Person of Interest, The Millennial, Be Someone, Coming to Africa, and Jonesing: When Love Is a Habit.
Why did Girlfriends end so abruptly?
The sitcom ended in 2008 after eight seasons. It was cut short when the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike paused production, and the CW network found it too costly to bring it back.
Why did Jill leave Girlfriends?
Jill Marie Jones departed Girlfriends after season six when her contract ended, pursuing new roles in film and television beyond the series. During an interview with The Grape Juice, Girlfriends cast, Toni, stated:
First of all, let me tell you why I left. I left because I wanted to do movies. My contract was up after my sixth season, and people forget that just like the network can choose whether or not to renew your contract, I can also choose and evaluate whether or not I want to come back.
Who is the main character in Girlfriends?
The main character in Girlfriends is Joan Clayton, played by Tracee Ellis Ross.
The Girlfriends cast has come a long way since the sitcom ended in 2008. While stars like Tracee Ellis Ross achieved significant success in television, others continued to work steadily in acting, producing, and entrepreneurship. No matter the path, their roles in this beloved series remain cherished by fans worldwide.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
