Cast of That ’70s Show: Stars, Roles & Where They Are Now

It’s been nearly two decades since the last episode aired, but the cast of That ’70s Show still commands a loyal following. The show that turned a group of teenagers into household names continues to resonate—and fans still ask about Point Place’s most memorable residents. Here’s where the core cast stands in 2026, what roles launched their careers, and the trajectories that took them in wildly different directions.

Original Run: 1998–2006 · Main Cast Size: 7 core ensemble · Networks: Fox · Total Seasons: 8 · Key Roles Listed: Eric Forman, Donna Pinciotti, Jackie Burkhart

The table below compiles verified show facts from Wikipedia and IMDb.

That ’70s Show cast now

The core ensemble from That ’70s Show has scattered across wildly different trajectories since the finale in 2006. Some became Hollywood heavyweights; others faced serious legal troubles; a few reprised their iconic roles in Netflix’s That ’90s Show sequel.

Core ensemble updates

• Topher Grace (Eric Forman): Born July 1978, Grace was 20 when he stepped into Eric Foreman’s nerdy shoes in 1998. By 2026, he’s 47 and has built a quieter but steady career with roles in Interstellar (2014) and various voice acting projects. He married Ashley Henshaw in 2016 and has three children. (Then & Now 2026)
• Mila Kunis (Jackie Burkhart): Kunis, now 41, became the show’s most commercially successful alum. Her Family Guy voice work and films like Black Swan (earning a Golden Globe nomination) and Oz the Great and Powerful cemented her A-list status. She married Ashton Kutcher in 2015 and they have two children. (The Motion Pictures)
• Ashton Kutcher (Michael Kelso): Now 48, Kutcher transformed from dimpled teen heartthrob into one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors and a prominent tech investor. He co-founded the nonprofit Thorne, dedicated to fighting child trafficking. (Then & Now 2026)

Career highlights post-show

• Laura Prepon (Donna Pinciotti): Played Donna across all 200 episodes—a role that launched her from modeling into serious acting. She had fewer high-profile projects post-show but scored a major role in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black starting in 2014. She is also an author, publishing a wellness book in 2018. (LoveMoney)
• Wilmer Valderrama (Fez): Valderrama continued acting and joined the NCIS cast as Special Agent Nicholas Torres in 2016. He also stepped into producing and returned briefly for That ’90s Show. (Then & Now 2026)
• Debra Jo Rupp (Kitty Foreman): At 75 in 2026, Rupp reprised her beloved role as Kitty in That ’90s Show, proving that the Forman family still resonates with audiences. She has accumulated over 70 acting credits since the original series ended. (Then & Now 2026)
• Kurtwood Smith (Red Foreman): Now 82, Smith also returned for That ’90s Show, continuing his portrayal of the gruff but lovable patriarch. Married to Joan Pirkel since 1988, he brings decades of acting experience to the Netflix sequel. (Then & Now 2026)

The pattern is clear: the younger cast members who leveraged That ’70s Show into sustained Hollywood careers generally fared better than those who remained in smaller supporting roles. The exception proves the rule—Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, both in their 70s and 80s, remain professionally active purely on the strength of their enduring fan connection.

Cast of That ’70s Show season 1

Season 1 introduced the core Point Place ensemble in August 1998, establishing the character dynamics that would drive eight seasons of laughs and heartwarming moments.

Main characters introduced

• Topher Grace as Eric Forman: The sarcastic, wisecracking lead who constantly butted heads with his neighbor Red Forman. Grace was just 20 when filming began. (Wikipedia)
• Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde: The laid-back stoner who became Eric’s best friend and eventual co-conspirator in household mischief. (Wikipedia)
• Wilmer Valderrama as Fez: The foreign exchange student whose thick accent and innocent worldview provided comic relief from episode one. (Wikipedia)
• Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti: Eric’s on-and-off girlfriend and the show’s primary female lead—a tomboy whose braveness challenged traditional gender norms of the 1970s setting. (LoveMoney)
• Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart: Initially materialistic and shallow, Jackie evolved into one of television’s most memorable character arcs over the series run. (Wikipedia)
• Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso: The dimpled, dim-witted but lovable heartthrob whose dumb luck repeatedly saved him from consequences. (Wikipedia)

Recurring roles

• Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman: The warm, cookie-baking mother who balanced Red’s gruffness with unconditional love. (Wikipedia)
• Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman: The irascible veteran whose catchphrase “I love lamp” became one of television’s most quoted lines. (Wikipedia)
• Tommy Chong as Leo: The next-door neighbor and fellow stoner whose chemistry with Hyde drove numerous subplot scenes. (The Motion Pictures)
• Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman: Eric’s promiscuous older sister who departed after seasons 5-6; Kelly died at age 43 in August 2013. (Then & Now 2026)

The catch with Season 1’s ensemble is that several actors weren’t locked in from the start—Donna and Jackie’s arcs evolved significantly based on audience response and actor chemistry, proving that the show’s writers adapted quickly to what worked.

Cast of That ’70s Show Donna

Actor details

• Laura Prepon was born in March 1980, making her just 18 when the show premiered. She had been modeling before landing the Donna role—a tomboy dynamic that became her signature. (LoveMoney)
• Prepon appeared in all 200 episodes across all eight seasons—a remarkable commitment that cemented her connection with the character. (LoveMoney)
• Post-show, Prepon appeared in films and television but nothing reached the same cultural saturation. Her Orange Is the New Black role as Alex Vause provided a second career highlight starting in 2014. (The Motion Pictures)

Character arc

Donna Pinciotti evolved from Eric’s frustrated girlfriend into a fully realized character with her own ambitions, notably pursuing education and eventually leaving Point Place. Her relationship with Eric anchored the show’s romantic throughline, and writers increasingly gave her independent storylines as seasons progressed. The character challenged the era’s depiction of teenage women—Donna was loud, physically capable, and unapologetically assertive in ways that felt fresh even within the nostalgic 1970s framing.

What this means: Donna represented a quiet subversion of the era being parodied—showing young women in the 1970s as more independent than the setting’s cultural norms would suggest, while still honoring the period’s authentic limitations.

Cast of That ’70s Show Fez

Actor background

• Wilmer Valderrama was born in March 1980, making him 18 at the show’s premiere. His thick-accented foreign exchange student character became one of television’s most recognizable running gags. (Wikipedia)
• Fez’s backstory was deliberately vague—the character’s home country was never specified, adding to his comedic mystique. Valderrama played the uncertainty perfectly. (Wikipedia)
• After That ’70s Show, Valderrama appeared in numerous television projects before landing his prominent NCIS role in 2016. (Then & Now 2026)

Role evolution

Fez began as a one-dimensional comic relief character, but the writers expanded his role significantly as Valderrama’s comedic timing improved. By later seasons, Fez had storylines addressing his maturity, romantic relationships, and eventual adoption into the Forman family. The character’s journey paralleled Valderrama’s own professional growth—a supporting player who steadily became essential ensemble talent.

The implication: Valderrama’s dual presence in NCIS and That ’90s Show demonstrates how a supporting role from a sitcom can translate into franchise-level television longevity.

Cast of That ’70s Show Michael

Character portrayal

• Ashton Kutcher was born in February 1978, making him 20 at premiere. His portrayal of Michael Kelso became the show’s breakout comic performance. (Then & Now 2026)
• Kelso was deliberately written as vapid but impossibly lucky—his incompetence consistently saved him from the consequences of his actions. (Wikipedia)
• The character’s catchphrase “UltraSensitive?” and his relationship with Jackie drove some of the show’s most memorable scenes. (Wikipedia)

Season appearances

Kutcher remained with the show through season 7 before departing—the first major cast member to leave. His exit storyline sent Kelso to Florida for a job opportunity, though he returned for guest appearances. The decision marked a turning point for the series, which struggled without his comedic presence in the final season. The trade-off: Kutcher’s departure foreshadowed the show’s difficulty replacing departing ensemble energy, but it launched him into the stratosphere—Two and a Half Men, major film roles, and a tech empire that eclipsed anything the other cast members achieved.

“His journey since the show has been nothing short of extraordinary. He became one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors.”

— Then & Now 2026 narrator, describing Ashton Kutcher’s career trajectory

“She reprised the beloved role in the Netflix sequel That ’90s Show, proving that Kitty Foreman is simply timeless.”

— Then & Now 2026 narrator, on Debra Jo Rupp’s return

For fans wondering which That ’70s Show cast members are worth following into their next projects, the answer depends heavily on what you’re looking for. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher offer mainstream Hollywood spectacle; Laura Prepon delivers steady television craft; Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith continue their beloved characters in the Netflix sequel. Danny Masterson’s story, however, serves as a stark reminder that career success and personal conduct don’t always align.