What The Cast Of Grounded For Life Looks Like Today

Making its television debut as a midseason replacement in 2001 on the Fox network, "Grounded for Life" focused on Sean and Claudia Finnerty, a couple in their 30s (Donal Logue and Megyn Price) with a rambunctious teenage daughter (Lynsey Bartilson) and two younger sons (Griffin Frazen and Jake Burbage). Also part of the action was Sean's irresponsible brother, Eddie (Kevin Corrigan), and their dad, Walt (Richard Riehle). The show proved to be an instant hit for the network, which quickly ordered six additional episodes due to strong ratings. The show continued its run, until cancelation struck in 2003.

That wasn't the end, though; the canceled comedy was picked up by new upstart network The WB. The sitcom flourished in its new home — for a while at least, until being canceled for a second time in 2005. That said, a five-season run on television is nothing to be ashamed of, and star Donal Logue offered a theory about why the show connected with viewers. "I think 'Grounded for Life' is geared towards everyone represented in the show — parents or kids who have had parents," he explained in an interview with Gravyzine. "It is family life, so we can all relate."

In the years since the show concluded, its actors have gone their separate ways as their fans follow them to new projects. Read on to discover what the cast of "Grounded for Life" looks like today.

"Grounded for Life" resonated with star Donal Logue for its distinctive tone. "I think that we intentionally went out and wanted to make something that was unique, and unique in the sense that it didn't find its humor in the parents being intentionally bad or neglectful, but the contrary, parents who really tried to do the right thing (whether they did or not is another story)," he told MovieWeb. 

After the series' conclusion, Logue remained an in-demand actor, in both film and television. In the latter, he starred in a few TV series — including "The Knights of Prosperity," "Life,"  "Terriers," and "Copper." He also landed recurring roles in two hit series — "Sons of Anarchy" and "Vikings" — before being cast as Det. Harvey Bullock in "Gotham," a five-season series that served as a prequel to the Batman mythos. Over the years, Logue has also popped in and out of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," in the recurring role of police officer Declan Murphy. Moreover, Logue has been seen on CBS crime drama "The Equalizer," playing CIA agent Colton Fisk opposite rapper-turned-actor Queen Latifah. 

Speaking with Collider, Logue marveled at the diversity of roles he has played, from a "Gotham" cop, to a viking king, to an unhinged U.S. Marshal battling renegade bikers. "It's fun for me, too. I'm spoiled with the worlds I've been running around in," he said. "It's great ... I'm lucky."

Megyn Price brought considerable comedy chops to "Grounded for Life," which did not go unnoticed after the show ended. Price was soon cast in another sitcom, "Rules of Engagement," part of an ensemble cast that included "Seinfeld" veteran Patrick Warburton, and short-lived "Bachelor in Paradise" host David Spade. Like "Grounded for Life," "Rules" enjoyed a long run, airing for seven seasons between 2007 and 2013. In an interview with HappyCool during the series' final season, Price recalled that the chemistry between her and Warburton had been there from the start. "Although it really felt easy from the beginning, it didn't really ever feel like there was a getting-to-know-you period," she said.

In the years following the end of "Rules," Price continued appearing in film and television, and in 2016 was cast in Netflix sitcom "The Ranch," which reunited "That '70s Show" alum Ashton Kutcher and former co-star Danny Masterson. "The Ranch" was canceled in 2020 after four seasons, not long after Masterson was booted from the show in the wake of sexual assault allegations. Since then, Price has appeared in Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and the short-lived ABC sitcom "Schooled." 

Looking back at her impressive Hollywood career, "Grounded for Life" remains a touchstone. "'Grounded' was a very special time for me, because we really did become a family," Price divulged in an interview with CliqueClack. "I talk to several of our 'Grounded' writers regularly, and Donal Logue and Kevin Corrigan are still great friends of mine."

Playing lovable scoundrel Eddie Finnerty on "Grounded for Life," Kevin Corrigan made an impression on viewers — not to mention Hollywood casting agents. Since the show's cancelation, Corrigan has appeared in numerous movies, ranging from Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" to now-classic teen comedy "Superbad." On television, notable roles have included finance bro Finn Garrity in legal drama "Damages," enigmatic bowling alley owner Sam Weiss in sci-fi mystery "Fringe," and a professor in cult comedy "Community." Other TV series have included "The Get Down," "Dice" (playing Milkshake, best friend to shock comic Andrew Dice Clay), "Ray Donovan," "Godfather of Harlem," "Narcos: Mexico," and many more.

In addition to all those acting roles (as of late 2024, more than 170, with no less than eight projects wrapped and ready for release), Corrigan has also pursued a parallel career in music. "Yeah, I've been in a few situations where I've been playing guitar or bass and trying to be a part of some groups," Corrigan explained in an interview with Allston Pudding, discussing his role as bass player in rock band Crystal Robots.

"I've been playing guitar since '88. I bought a Fender Telecaster in 1990 which I still have," Corrigan told Gravyzine, explaining that he began playing bass in 2013, and had also been accompanying NYC-based singer-songwriter Daniel Harnett.

In "Grounded for Life," actor Lynsey Bartilson played the Finnertys' oldest child, teenage daughter Lily. Since the show's end, Bartilson continued to pursue acting, a journey that included a regular role in animated series "The X's," along with guest-starring parts in a variety of TV series, such as "NCIS," "Bones," and Fox sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle." Bartilson is also married, and the mother of three sons — all of whom share her fiery red hair.

Bartilson has remained active in the Church of Scientology, the controversial religion founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard that includes such celebrity devotees as Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and the late Kirstie Alley, to name just a few. It was in her capacity as a celebrity Scientologist that she launched a "Youth for Human Rights" campaign that targeted sex trafficking. 

According to Bartilson, she felt a responsibility to combat sex trafficking due to her role as a Tinseltown celebrity. "I'm an actor and in Hollywood we've had a large role in glamorizing prostitution with movies like 'Pretty Woman.' It's just a movie, but as a young girl you can look at it and go, 'Wow, I could become a prostitute and become rich and famous,' and that's not how it is," she explained in an interview with Freedom magazine, published by the Church of Scientology. 

Griffin Frazen portrayed "Grounded for Life" teen Jimmy Finnerty. His role in the sitcom marked the high-water mark of his career as a child actor; after the show's run ended, he only appeared onscreen sporadically. 

That, however, was less a reflection on his acting talent than his desire to move on from Hollywood and do something else with his life. After graduating high school, he attended prestigious Princeton University, earning a master's degree in architectural design. Interestingly, he took the architectural knowledge he'd acquired and brought it to television — but not as an actor. In fact, he's worked on designing title sequences for TV series — even winning a 2015 Emmy Award for his work on the titles for the miniseries "Manhattan." 

Frazen also collaborated with experimental electronic music artist Daniel Lopatin on his Oneohtrix Point Never project, designing the set for his live concerts. "I'm trained as an architect, but I had done a few live shows with musicians and was gravitating toward immersive, physical space," Frazen explained in an interview with The Fader. "This was the first time Dan had the need for an architect and set designer — someone to help execute a live show on significantly larger scale."

The youngest Finnerty kid Henry was portrayed by child actor Jake Burbage, who played the character for four of the sitcom's five seasons (Henry was mentioned, but never seen, in the final season). While starring on "Grounded for Life," Burbage was also doing double duty on beloved children's cartoon "Dora the Explorer," voicing Benny the bull. 

As a grown-up, Burbage's onscreen roles have included Amazon series "Nuke City," Facebook's "Fake News at Night," and the short film "Liquid Steak." While that may seem somewhat skimpy, the reason Burbage hasn't amassed more screen credits is because he's been focused primarily on theater, specializing in Shakespeare as the creative director of Shakespeare 70, a theater company based in central New Jersey. Burbage's experience with the company extends back to 2014, when he appeared in a production of "Much Ado About Nothing," becoming a full-fledged member of the ensemble a few years later. 

As he explained in an interview with Her Campus, he'd been bitten by the theater bug in college. "Theater is more fun in a challenging way," he said, comparing the experience of acting in front of a camera to that of performing for a live audience. As he explained, he'd always been motivated by his passion for acting, not for making a big, fat Hollywood sitcom paycheck. "To me it's so far away from the benefits ... [like] money or fame," he said of his love of acting. "I do it for fun and because it makes me happy."

Prior to his five-season stint on "Grounded for Life" as Finnerty family patriarch Walt, Richard Riehle was already an established character actor with an extensive roster of screen credits. In fact, during a career extending back to the 1970s, Riehle has appeared in well over 400 films and TV shows. 

Following "Grounded," his myriad roles have truly run the gamut, from playing a prison warden on iconic soap opera "The Young and the Restless," to a night watchman in one of the "Halloween" movies, to unfortunately named auto-body repair guy Bill Cozbi in raucous comedy "Bridesmaids" in 2011, and pretty much everything in between. These days, Riehle is as busy as ever; as of November 2024, he had 15 upcoming projects in post-production.

Interviewed about his lengthy career, Riehle told The AV Club that "Grounded for Life" remained among his most memorable gigs. "'Grounded For Life' was just the most amazing experience," he said. His only regret, he added, was that his character wound up being phased out as the series progressed. "Well, it was a strange thing, but the main thing — from what I was told, anyway — was that they wanted to focus on the kids, especially since they were going over to The WB," he said, noting he was told his character would continue to recur while emphasizing the Finnerty kids. "But then they decided to have the boys — Donal [Logue] and Kevin [Corrigan] — buy a bar ... and the kids couldn't go to the bar. So it seemed very strange," he observed.

Bret Harrison first appeared on "Grounded for Life" in the second season, and became a full-fledged member of the cast in the third, playing Brad O'Keefe, boyfriend of Lynsey Bartilson's Lily. For Harrison, the sitcom proved to be a launching pad to starring roles in his own TV series. Those included Fox's short-lived ensemble comedy "The Loop," and in 2007, the lead in "Reaper." That show became a cult hit, with Harrison playing a guy who discovers on his 21st birthday that his parents sold his soul to Satan, and is forced to work as the Devil's bounty hunter. 

In a 2007 interview with TV Addict, Harrison reflected on his meteoric career trajectory to that point. "My guest spot on 'Law & Order' raised my awareness," he recalled. "A year later, 'Grounded for Life' happened. They ['Reaper' creators Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas] saw I could do comedy, dramatic stuff and thought, this is our guy for 'Reaper.'"

After "Reaper" was axed in 2009, Harrison continued to amass screen credits on television. These included sci-fi series "V," "Breaking In," "The Astronaut Wives Club," and a recurring role in "The Ranch," reuniting him with "Grounded for Life" co-star Megyn Price. 

As a comedy character actor, Miriam Flynn has played some memorable roles over the years — although she's typically best remembered as the wife of boorish Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) in "National Lampoon's Vacation" and its various sequels. On television, though, she also made a mark in "Grounded for Life" as Sister Helen, a nun at the Catholic school attended by the Finnerty kids.

After that, Flynn has continued to be an in-demand actor, with a staggeringly impressive number of guest-starring roles on TV. These include series such as "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Bones," "Scandal," and numerous others. Recent guest spots have included "Call Me Kat," and Netflix's "The Lincoln Lawyer."

Appearing on "The Good, the Bad, and the Sequel" podcast, Flynn recalled "Grounded for Life" as one of her all-time favorite projects. "It was a really good show. It was very underrated, and it was more like an indie film, you know," she said. "I played Sister Helen, I think, about 20 times, and that was always a blast."

Mike Vogel played the recurring role of Dean Piramatti in "Grounded for Life," dating Lily after she broke up with Bret Harrison's hapless Brad. Like Harrison, "Grounded for Life" served as a springboard propelling Vogel to bigger and better things. Those included big-screen roles in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," "Cloverfield," and "The Help." On television, Vogel became a series regular on the short-lived doctor drama "Miami Medical," and then played a dashing 1960s airline pilot in "Pan Am."

From there, he went on to star in the CBS series "Under the Dome," based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. He also starred in the bizarre horror-movie remake of cheesy 1970s TV show "Fantasy Island," and portrayed JFK in a season of "American Horror Story." More recently, he's a regular on the spicy Netflix drama "Sex/Life."

Speaking with the Miami Herald (via Vogel's official website), Vogel admitted that "Grounded for Life" still holds a special place in his heart, marking a big turning point for him in his early pursuit of an acting career. "I started modeling initially and started training and within six months I booked 'Grounded for Life,' at 21," he recalled. "It was my first television series."

While it was playing Taylor Townsend on the hit teen drama "The O.C." that really put Autumn Reeser on the map, she was cast not long after her recurring role as Alison on "Grounded for Life," appearing in six episodes. "The O.C." propelled Reeser to a new level of fame, landing her further TV guest spots in series including "Pushing Daisies" and "Ghost Whisperer," and then a starring role in a series for The CW called "Valentine."

While that show didn't last long, it led to roles in more series, including "Raising the Bar," "Entourage," and "Last Resort." That also led her to the Hallmark Channel. Since making her first film for Hallmark, 2012's "Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade," she's gone on to become a staple, starring in numerous films for the channel, including those ubiquitous Hallmark holiday movies. 

In the midst of all that, Reeser founded her own wellness brand, the now-defunct Move Lifestyle. More recently, Reeser launched her "Inner Child Workshop," a four-week online course coinciding with her 2024 Hallmark movie "Junebug." In that film, Reeser plays a woman on the cusp of turning 40 who encounters her 8-year-old self, leading her to rediscover her inner child. "I think it's something we all go through and should go through, pausing and saying, 'Am I on track? Is this where I want to be? How do I feel about this?'" she explained to Swoon.

Gregory Jbara recurred on "Grounded for Life" as Dan O'Keefe, father of Bret Harrison's character, Brad. Since then, Jbara has worked extensively in film, television, and on stage. It's been in the world of theater, in fact, that Jbara has particularly distinguished himself, starring on Broadway in productions of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," and "Billy Elliot: The Musical." His performance in the latter, as the father of the titular character, won him a Tony Award, in addition to a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle award.

Jbara is also familiar to viewers of CBS cop show "Blue Bloods," for his role as Garrett Moore, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of public information, in 250 episodes. As Jbara explained on the "Think Big with Michael Zellner" podcast, he got the job because of his longtime friendship with star Tom Selleck, whom he first met when they worked together on the film "In & Out." "Originally it was just supposed to be a two-episode at the end of the first season," Jbara recalled of what turned out to be a job lasting more than a decade.