‘Moesha’ premiered on Jan. 23, 1996. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the show’s debut, take a look down memory and see the ‘Moesha’ cast then and now.
Moesha was an instant hit when it premiered all the way back in 1996. The UPN sitcom made a huge star out of Brandy Norwood, who played the titular character. The show followed Moesha’s journey as a teenager and all the highs and lows that came with it. Moesha ran for 6 seasons from 1996 to 2001. Since the finale, the show has sadly lost two cast members: Yvette Wilson, who played Andell Wilkerson, and Lamont Bentley, who played Hakeem Campbell.
It’s been 25 years since the show premiered, but Moesha’s still making an impact. When the show became available on Netflix in 2020, Moesha gained a whole new set of fans. The show was such a success on Netflix that there’s talk of a reboot! “I am in talks right now with the right people for that to happen,” Brandy told Entertainment Tonight. “I don’t see it not happening because of the success on Netflix. It just makes sense. I mean, I wanted to see what Moesha was up to.” See the cast then and now.
Brandy Then & Now
Brandy Norwood played the one and only Moesha. (Everett/AP)
Brandy Norwood, 41, starred as the titular Moesha throughout all 6 seasons of the hit UPN show. Following the show’s end in 2001, Brandy starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery in 2002 that chronicled the birth of her daughter, Sy’rai, her only child with ex Robert “Big Bert” Smith.
She’s been dedicated to her music career and has released 5 albums since Moesha ended. Her latest, B7, came after an 8-year musical hiatus. Brandy competed during season 11 of Dancing With the Stars and came in fourth place. She also starred in The Game, Zoe Ever After, and Star. She made her Broadway debut in the musical Chicago in 2015.
William Allen Young Then & Now
William Allen Young played Frank Mitchell. (Everett/AP)
William Allen Young, 66, played Frank Mitchell, Moesha and Myles’ dad in the series. He was a main cast member for all 6 seasons like Brandy. After Moesha, William went on to appear in TV shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Good Luck Charlie, and The Game, which reunited him with Brandy.
William recently played Dr. Rollie Guthrie in Code Black from 2015 to 2018. He appeared in 4 episodes of General Hospital as Judge David Walters and appeared in two episodes of This Is Us in 2019.
Countess Vaughn Then & Now
Countess Vaughn played Kim Parker. (Everett/AP)
Countess Vaughn, 42, starred as Moesha’s best friend, Kim Parker, for the first 4 seasons of Moesha. She earned an award for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance. After season 4, Countess got her own spinoff show, The Parkers. Mo’Nique played Kim’s mother, Nikki Parker, in the UPN series that ran for 5 seasons.
After The Parkers, Countess starred in the films Trippin, Max Keeble’s Big Move, and more. She also starred in the TV show Hollywood Divas and reality series Celebrity Fit Club. Her latest film was The White Sistas in 2015.
Marcus T. Paulk Then & Now
Marcus T. Paulk played Myles Mitchell. (Everett/AP)
Marcus T. Paulk, 34, played Myles Mitchell, Moesha’s younger brother, in all 6 seasons of the show. He went on to star in films like Roll Bounce, Another Cinderella Story, Take the Lead, and SisterCode. He appeared as himself in several episodes of The Bad Girls Club and guest-starred on black-ish in 2015.
Sheryl Lee Ralph Then & Now
Sheryl Lee Ralph played Dee Mitchell (Everett/AP)
Sheryl Lee Ralph, 64, played Dee Mitchell, Frank’s wife and Moesha’s stepmom, in the first 5 seasons. She recurred in the sixth and final season. Sheryl has had a number of roles on TV shows over the years, including Instant Mom, Ray Donovan, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, and Claws.
She released a book, Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirl, in 2012 and played Madame Morrible in Wicked on Broadway in 2016. She married Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes in 2005. Her latest role is President Kelly Wade in the Freeform series Motherland: Fort Salem.
Shar Jackson Then & Now
Shar Jackson played Niecy Jackson. (Everett/AP)
Shar Jackson, 44, began playing Niecy Jackson in the first season of Moesha in a recurring capacity. She was bumped to a series regular for season 2 and starred in the additional 5 seasons. Shar went on to win the reality show Celebrity Rap Superstar in 2007.
Shar has two kids with Kevin Federline: Kori and Kaleb. The couple was engaged before splitting up before Kaleb’s birth in 2004. Kevin went on to marry Britney Spears, with whom he has two kids as well. Shar continues to co-parent with Kevin.
Fredro Starr Then & Now
Fredro Starr played Q Brooks. (Everett/AP)
Fredro Starr, 49, played Quinton “Q” Brooks, Moesha’s main love interest. He was a series regular for seasons 2 and 3 before having guest and recurring status in the latter seasons. Fredro has gone on to star in several films over the years, including Save the Last Dance, Torque, and more.
Fredro is also a talented artist. His debut album, Firestarr, was released in 2001. He has released 3 studio albums since then. Fredro married Korina Longin in 2007 and have two children together.
Ray J Then & Now
Ray J starred as Dorian. (Everett/AP)
Ray J, 40, starred as Dorian, Moesha and Myles’ long lost half-brother who they thought was their cousin. Ray J was a series regular for seasons 5 and 6. Right after Moesha ended in 2001, Ray J released his second studio album, This Ain’t A Game. He released his third album, Raydiation, in 2005. He would make headlines in 2007 when a sex tape featuring him and former girlfriend Kim Kardashian was released. A year later, he released his fourth studio album All I Feel.
Ray J went on to star in the VH1 reality dating show For the Love of Ray J. In 2010, he starred in the reality series Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business. He’s been a cast member on Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood since 2014.
He married Princess Love in 2016. They have two kids. Princess Love filed for divorce in May 2020, just 5 months after the birth of their son. In July, Princess she requested to dismiss the divorce filing, according to Page Six. A few months later, Ray J filed for divorce, The Blast reported.
Sourse: hollywoodlife.com
