‘The Wonder Years’ Cast: Where Are They Now? From Fred Savage to Danica McKellar

Getting by with a little trip down memory lane! The Wonder Years was an iconic series that explored the ups and downs of adolescence years and how the journey is made better with the support of loved ones. The coming-of-age drama, created by Neal Marlens and Carol Black, aired for six seasons on ABC from 1988 to 1993. Set between the late 1960s and early 1970s, the series is told from the perspective of Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) during his adult years. Dan Lauria, Alley Mills, Jason Hervey, Olivia d’Abo, Danica McKellar and Josh Saviano also starred on the series. Daniel Stern served as the narrator for the adult version of Kevin. Twenty-one years after the show ended, Savage, McKellar and Saviano reunited for a group appearance on Good Morning America in 2014. During the televised interview, Savage opened up about how The Wonder Years’ look at familial life on TV was different from later reiterations. [jwplayer Jgi95RUf-zhNYySv2] “I think the way that families have been portrayed on TV has evolved as we have,” he previously explained. “Ours was a very kind of nuclear, traditional family, but as families have changed, and they look different, they come together in different ways, I love that TV’s reflected that. No matter how families change, there’s still things that all families go through. Regardless of what your family looks like or how it’s been put together, I think you can find stuff to relate to in the show. Some things stay the same.” McKellar previously told Us Weekly exclusively that she didn’t think Savage would be interested in a Wonder Years reboot. “The show was about a certain time in your life that you can’t go back to and … the bittersweet memory of that is what gave the show its flavor,” she said in February 2019. “So if we went to back to it, we’d kind of be killing the integrity of the original intention of the show. I just don’t think it would work.” Savage, however, appeared to have a change of tune. In July 2020, Us confirmed that he is teaming up with Empire cocreator Lee Daniels to reimagine The Wonder Years from the perspective of a middle-class Black family. The half-hour comedy will be set in the late 1960s, which is the same time frame as its predecessor.

Savage was fired from his behind-the-scenes role on the series’ reboot, which premiered in September 2021.

“Recently, we were made aware of allegations of inappropriate conduct by Fred Savage, and as is policy, an investigation was launched,” a spokesperson for 20th Television said in a statement to Deadline in May 2022. “Upon its completion, the decision was made to terminate his employment as an executive producer and director of The Wonder Years.”

The Grinder alum has yet to address the allegations.

Scroll through the photos below to see what the cast has been up to since the ABC series concluded: [podcast_block]

Savage continued to nab leading roles after The Wonder Years on shows including The Grinder and Friends From College. He dabbled in animated work upon lending his voice to characters on BoJack Horseman, Oswald, American Dad and more. He also appeared in films including Super Troopers 2 and Deadpool 2, both times playing a fictionalized version of himself. He got into TV hosting on What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage in 2019. Working behind the scenes, he garnered directing credits through Daddy Day Camp, Modern Family and more.

Savage wed Jennifer Lynn Stone in 2004. The couple share children Oliver, Lily and August.

After serving as an executive producer and director for season 1 of the Wonder Years reboot, he was fired in May 2022 amid allegations of inappropriate conduct. (Savage has yet to address the claims.)

McKellar racked up more than 90 acting credits after playing Kevin Arnold’s love interest on The Wonder Years. She found success lending her voice to animated characters on Young Justice and DC Super Hero Girls, but she also starred on Project Mc². She’s popped up in several Hallmark movies, including Perfect Match and Crown for Christmas. She’s also made guest-starring appearances on shows such as How I Met Your Mother and The West Wing.

McKellar graduated summa cum laude in 1998 from UCLA with a mathematics degree and obtained a mathematics Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 2005. She penned several mathematics books including 2009’s Kiss My Math.

McKellar was married to Mike Verta — with whom she shares her son, Draco — from 2009 to 2013, but she later wed Scott Sveslosky in 2014.

After The Wonder Years, the U.S. marine vet starred on other TV shows including Sullivan & Son, Pitch and The Hoop Life as well as landing guest-starring roles in series such as Party of Five, Blue Bloods and Shameless and This Is Us. He’s also appeared in movies including Big Momma's House 2 and in Ben Affleck’s The Way Back.

He divorced his wife, Eileen Cregg, in 2001.

After playing the Arnold family’s matriarch, Mills notably played Pamela Douglas on The Bold and the Beautiful from 2006 onward — appearing in more than 600 episodes. The veteran actress nabbed guest-starring roles on shows including Popular and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but she was also featured in films such as Jane White Is Sick & Twisted.

Mills was married to actor Orson Bean from 1993 until his death in February 2020 at age 91.

The English-born actress starred on The Single Guy in the late ‘90s and appeared on other shows including Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She has also lent her voice to several animated projects such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars. She popped up in 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, where she lent her voice to Luminara Unduli. She has dabbled in music by collaborating with the likes of Seal and John Lennon’s son Julian Lennon on separate tracks. The actress also launched the “Every Friday with Dan and Olivia” podcast with pal Dan Miles in 2015.

D’Abo was married to musician Patrick Leonard from 2002 until 2012. The exes share son Oliver William d’ Abo.

Beyond his work on The Wonder Years, Hervey went on to voice the titular character on Nickelodeon’s 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd and appeared in Trading Favors. Despite continuing to primarily land various TV gigs, he stepped away from acting in 2004 after lending his voice on Justice League Unlimited. 

He’s since found success behind the camera by creating, producing and penning several episodes for the Discovery Channel series The Devil’s Ride. He was also an executive producer on See Dad Run and created more reality shows including I Want To Be a Hilton.

From 2001 to 2003, Hervey was the Senior Vice President of Media and Communications for HealthSouth Corporation and relocated to Birmingham, Alabama, for the job. The company endured a fraud scandal during his time of employment and he unsuccessfully sued them for compensation.

In 2021, he returned to acting with Hallmark’s You, Me & the Christmas Trees.

Hervey was married to Kelley Patricia O’Neill from 1994 to 1995, but he later wed Shannon Hervey in 1998. Jason and Shannon share son Sam and daughter Shaina.

Saviano stopped acting after his six seasons on The Wonder Years. Instead, the New Jersey native graduated from Yale University in 1998 as a political science major. Two years later, he earned his J.D. degree from Yeshiva University. He found success as a lawyer in 2003 upon joining New York City law firm Morrison Cohen LLP, where he eventually made partner. Though he left Morrison Cohen in 2015, he founded Act 3 Advisors later that year and cofounded Spotlight Advisory Group in 2018.

The businessman made his return to acting as Don Taft on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, appearing on three episodes between 2014 to 2016. He has been married to Jennifer Saviano since 2002 and the couple share daughter Noa.

The California native found success with roles on shows including Family Album and Friends, but Ribisi also found his stride appearing in major motion pictures. He landed prominent parts in films including Public Enemies, Ted, The Rum Diary, Lost in Translation, Selma and Gangster Squad. He starred on the TV series in Dads from 2013 to 2014, but he more notably led the Amazon series Sneaky Pete from 2015 to 2019. He’s set to reprise his role in 2009’s Avatar in its upcoming sequels.

Ribisi was married to Mariah O’Brien from 1997 to 2001 and Agyness Deyn from 2012 to 2015. He shares daughter Lucia with O’Brien. Ribisi welcomed fraternal twins Enzo and Maude with girlfriend Emily Ward in December 2018.

Picardo has had a very steady career in Hollywood before and after playing Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years, amassing more than 200 credits. He notably starred on Star Trek: Voyager, which he had the opportunity to write and direct for, and Stargate: Atlantis. He’s also appeared on shows including Dickinson and Morganville: The Series. He has lent his voice not just to animated characters but several video game roles, including Robert McNamara/Shadow Man in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. He also penned The Hologram’s Handbook in 2002.

Picardo was married to Linda Pawlik from 1984 to 2014. The former couple share daughters Gina and Nicollette.