Tracy Gamble's sitcom 8 Simple Rules hit ABC in September 2002, and while it wasn't the most original show on television, it still managed to win over audiences. Adapted from W. Bruce Cameron's book 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, the show starred John Ritter, Katey Sagal, Kaley Cuoco, Amy Davidson, and Martin Spanjers, and introduces the Hennessy family, comprised of married couple Paul and Cate and their three teenage kids, Bridget, Kerry, and Rory. Raising teenagers is no easy task: bickering and disagreements run rampant and, to make matters worse, the youngsters embark on experiences that many parents have nightmares about. So, when Cate takes a full-time job as a nurse, making Paul the primary caretaker of the kids, he comes up with some strict rules to keep his teenage daughters' dates from getting out of hand.
While 8 Simple Rules was well received by audiences and scored a few accolades in its first season, things took a turn for the worse after Ritter's sudden death in 2003, while the team was filming the show's second season. After a break, they factored the actor's death into his character's story, and built the rest of the season around the family's journey in the aftermath of the tragedy. Eventually, some new major characters were added to the cast to support the show's narrative.
But by that time, ratings were getting too low, so ABC decided to cancel the series altogether, airing its final episode in April 2005. After the show ended, the stars of its cast remained involved in different projects within the entertainment industry, and most of them are still active to this day. Here's a look at what they are doing now.
John Ritter
John Ritter headed the cast of 8 Simple Rules as Paul Hennessy, a former sportswriter and a highly overprotective father who worked as a lifestyle columnist. Many years before taking part in this sitcom, he rose to fame as Jack Tripper in Three's Company, another ABC production that aired until 1984. Throughout his career, Ritter starred in a number of films and TV shows, including Sling Blade, 1990's It, Scrubs, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also won critical acclaim for voicing Clifford the Big Red Dog in both the children's show and its 2004 film adaptation.
In 2003, while he was filming 8 Simple Rules' second season, Ritter began to suffer chest pains and was rushed to a medical center, where he ultimately passed away from an aortic dissection. In the wake of his death, his character also died after collapsing in a grocery store. The very last project of his career was the 2006 animated film Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up.
Katey Sagal
A few years before playing Cate Hennessy in this ABC sitcom, Katey Sagal rose to fame portraying another mom, albeit a radically different one who didn't enjoy working as much as Cate: Peggy Bundy, one of the main characters in Married... with Children. After starring in 8 Simple Rules, Sagal branched out her career by working in productions of all kinds in both film and television. Among her most notable roles are Leela in Matt Groening's animated sitcom Futurama and Gemma Teller Morrow in Sons of Anarchy.
In recent years, Sagal remaines active mostly on TV, and since 2018, she's been playing a recurring role in The Conners, which was recently renewed for a sixth season. Back in 2021, she landed the lead role in the ABC series Rebel, although it was canceled halfway through its first season as it failed to achieve the audience's hoped-for reception. Her latest project so far is last year's horror film Torn Hearts, in which she starred alongside Abby Quinn, Alexxis Lemire, and Shiloh Fernandez.
Kaley Cuoco
In 8 Simple Rules, Kaley Cuoco plays Bridget Hennessy, the eldest daughter whose main concerns are looking cute and dating boys. And while this was the first major role in this actress' career, it was not until a few years later that she would rise to worldwide fame as part of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, portraying Penny Hofstadter to critical and audience acclaim.
Over the years, Cuoco remained active, taking roles in different projects, but she also decided to venture out as a producer by founding her own company, Yes, Norman. Through this company, she produced and also starred in the TV series The Flight Attendant, which earned her great acclaim. She also landed the role of Harley Quinn in DC's adult animated series, which premiered its fourth season this year. Last year, the actress was spotted in leading roles in two films: Meet Cute, a rom-com she co-starred in with Pete Davidson, and The Man from Toronto, featuring Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson.
She is currently co-starring alongside Chris Messina in Based on a True Story, a comedy thriller TV show that premiered on Peacock this past June. In the near future, Cuoco is expected to participate in Thomas Vincent's upcoming thriller film Role Play as lead actress and producer.
Amy Davidson
Amy Davidson plays Kerry Hennessy, Paul and Cate's middle daughter who, unlike her older sister, is known for being artistic, smart, and moody. To this day, this is still the most popular role in this actress' career, who is now a fashion and lifestyle blogger as well. And while she appeared in a few TV series and movies after starring in 8 Simple Rules, she has not been as active in the industry as the rest of her cast mates.
In recent years, Davidson made a few cameo appearances in shows like Better Call Saul, The Rookie, and All Rise, and she also starred in the 2022 film Gatlopp: Hell of a Game, which became her most recent project so far.
Martin Spanjers
Martin Spanjers rounds out the Hennessy family as Rory, Paul and Cate's youngest son who, like every other boy, enjoys teasing his sisters in whatever way he can think of. To this day, this role remains his most popular one, and in fact, it even earned him a Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor and a few additional nominations.
After taking part in this ABC production, Spanjers went on to participate in different projects in the industry, mostly on TV. Among his most notable parts, we can highlight the recurring role of Justin in Good Luck Charlie, the show that aired on Disney Channel from 2010 to 2014. Over the last few years, Spanjers was not as active in the industry. His most recent role to date was in the 2019 thriller film Body at Brighton Rock, written and directed by Roxanne Benjamin.
Related: 8 Simple Rules Stars Reunite at John Ritter Foundation Event
James Garner
Following John Ritter's death, James Garner joined the cast of 8 Simple Rules as Jim Egan, Cate's father who moves into her home to help the family navigate grief and get their lives back on track. This was one of many popular roles in Garner's career, who, from the 1950s onwards, astonished critics and audiences with highly acclaimed performances in film and television. Among his most important titles we can highlight Victor/Victoria, Murphy's Romance, and The Notebook, in which he played an elderly version of the main character alongside Gena Rowlands. He was also featured in TV series such as The Rockford Files and God, the Devil and Bob, among many others.
In 2008, the actor suffered a stroke that seriously affected his health, and six years later, he passed away from a heart attack caused by coronary artery disease. His final role in the industry was as Shazam in the animated film DC Showcase: Superman/Shazam! The Return of Black Adam.
Related: The Best TV Sitcoms of the 2000s, Ranked
David Spade
David Spade is another actor who joined 8 Simple Rules' main cast after Ritter's death. He was cast as C.J. Barnes, Cate's nephew who also moves into the family home with Jim. Spade became known over a decade before joining this ABC sitcom as a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live, and over the years, he started to make a name for himself in the comedy world.
Throughout his career, Spade has appeared in a number of films and TV shows, collaborating frequently with actor and producer Adam Sandler on projects such as Grown Ups, The Do-Over, The Wrong Missy, and Hotel Transylvania, the animated franchise in which he voices Griffin the Invisible Man. He is currently headlining a comedy tour across the United States.
Billy Aaron Brown
Billy Aaron Brown supports the main cast of 8 Simple Rules as Kyle, Bridget's boyfriend who eventually starts dating her younger sister. This is still his most famous role to date. Throughout the 2000s, Brown remained quite active in the industry, appearing in productions such as Jeepers Creepers 2, Headless Horseman, and Detention. However, he eventually stopped taking part in projects, and after making brief cameos in the shows Chicago P.D. and Mike & Molly, he was last seen on-screen in the 2017 rom-com Limerence.
Adam Arkin
Adam Arkin starred in 8 Simple Rules as Ed Gibb, the principal of the main children's school who, by the end of the show, becomes their mother's love interest. Although that was not the only time Arkin and Sagal starred together: years later, they were spotted side-by-side again in the TV series Sons of Anarchy and Rebel.
Throughout his career, Arkin has achieved great acclaim for his work in theatrical, film, and television productions, and to this day he remains as active in the industry as ever, although mostly focused on TV series. In 2021, he made a comeback to the silver screen after several years away as a cast member in Michael Sarnoski's drama film Pig, starring Nicolas Cage. Most recently, he served as a director on a few episodes of the 2022 miniseries The Offer and Netflix's The Night Agent, which has already been renewed for a second season.
Dan Cortese
Rounding out this list is Dan Cortese, who plays a coach at the children's school with whom Bridget is totally in love. But before joining the cast of 8 Simple Rules, Cortese was already famous because of his role as host of MTV Sports in the 1990s and, later on, his part in NBC's sitcom Veronica's Closet.
In recent years, the actor has not been as active in the industry as he used to be. His most recent film appearance dates back to 2015, when he was cast in Jason Dallas' comedy-drama Changing Seasons, while he was last seen on TV hosting the 2013 reality TV series Guinness World Records Gone Wild, which aired for two seasons.
