That '70s Show's Cast Has Really Transformed Over The Years

This article contains references to sexual assault and drug use.

In discussing a show rooted firmly in nostalgia, it's our duty to regrettably share the following fact: The "That '70s Show" cast has really transformed over the years. Sure, it's great that many of them have prospered since the show's original run from 1998 to 2006, and it's a treat to see just how much a fair few of them have grown and flourished. But at the end of the day, friends, time makes fools of us all, and those characters? They're long gone. 

In the years since the show ended, there's also sadly been various "That '70s Show" actors who died. In 2013, Lisa Robin Kelly — who depicted rebellious teen Laurie Forman — died of accidental "multiple drug intoxication" after checking herself in to a treatment facility (via Mirror) Meanwhile, Tanya Roberts — the former Bond girl who played bubbly neighbor Midge Pinciotti — died at the start of 2021, after collapsing while out walking her dogs (via TMZ). 

For the rest of the cast, go grab a popsicle out of the basement fridge and fight Kelso for the couch: Here's just how much the "That '70s Show" cast has transformed over the years.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

As the first star to climb out of the "That '70s Show" basement and into the higher stratosphere of a movie career in 2005, Topher Grace's transformation was a gradual one. The actor struggled to shake off his association with neurotic nerd Eric Forman — a character-type that appeared to rub some real-life nerds the wrong way when he was cast as Venom in "Spider-Man 3."

Speaking with IndieWire, the actor recalled that after "That '70s Show," he didn't "want to do anything but work with auteurs." Impressively, Hollywood understood the assignment and the actor was cast for a number of dark, complex, and acclaimed performances in projects like "BlacKkKlansman," "Under the Silver Lake," and "Black Mirror" (via IMDb). On top of his acting, Grace has also become renowned for his succinct homemade edits of several "Star Wars" movies — a hobby that he described as being "like a dad band thing, except ... even nerdier" to GQ. Forman would be proud. 

It was also, admittedly, a hobby that he confessed to having time to do "before I had kids." As reported by People, the star married "True Blood" actor Ashley Hinshaw in 2016, and the couple have two children together. Their daughter, Mabel Jane, was born in 2016 (via E! News) and their second child was born in 2020, per Us Weekly. In a case of art imitating life, Grace went on to depict a man juggling parenthood with his creative career in the 2021 sitcom, "Home Economics." 

When Laura Prepon's Donna Pinciotti ditched her iconic natural red hair to go blonde in the final season of "That '70s Show," the simple hair change acted as a symbolic signifier for the show's end. True to form, Prepon continued the trend of symbolic hair colors by dyeing her hair black in the mid 2010s and balancing comedic roles with darker performances in projects like "Orange is the New Black," and "The Girl on the Train." But don't get it twisted — though Prepon's hair may suggest the star has a gloomier outlook, she's actually thriving.

In 2016, the actor collaborated with nutritionist Elizabeth Troy on a wellness dietary book titled "The Stash Plan," which she described as a "revolutionary way of eating and healing with the world" in a press release (via Celebuzz!). The plan was inspired by some health and digestive issues she experienced in her twenties, with the star subsequently confirming to People that she remains "in the best shape of my life" due to her new lifestyle. 

There are likely other positive influences helping her along, too. In 2021, for instance, Prepon revealed that the controversial movement Scientology is "no longer part of my life" and hadn't been for five years. Instead, she finds peace in daily meditation with her husband, actor Ben Foster, whom she married in 2018 (via People). The couple have two children together: A daughter, welcomed in 2017 (via Us Weekly), and a son who arrived in 2020 (via CNN).

As one of the more high-profile stars of the show, Mila Kunis has enjoyed a pleasantly varied career. As well as starring in bawdy comedies like "Ted" and the guilty-pleasure good times of the "Bad Moms" films, she's also received critical acclaim for her performances in flicks like "Black Swan" and " The Book of Eli" (via IMDb). 

Speaking to James Franco for Playboy in 2013, Kunis expressed that "realistically speaking" Hollywood isn't too kind to women in their 30s. "I think you have to choose," she said, "Do you want to have a life, or do you want to have a career?" (via Digital Spy). Arguably, she still has both. In 2015, Jackie Burkhart finally got her Michael Kelso when Kunis married her former co-star Ashton Kutcher, which the couple tried and failed to keep secret, as glimpsed on "The Late Late Show with James Cordon." The two are proud parents of a daughter, born in 2014, and a son, born in 2016, per Closer Weekly. Damn, Jackie!

Finally, if you're wondering why Kunis' eyes look different than they did on "That '70s Show" — should you regularly find yourself lost in them — there's actually a medical reason for it. In 2011, the star revealed to Cosmopolitan that she'd secretly struggled with partial blindness due to an inflammation of the iris, known as chronic iritis — a condition remedied via surgery in 2010 (via E! News).

Considering he was primarily known for playing sweet-but-dumb Kelso on "That 70s Show," Ashton Kutcher may have made the greatest transformation post-show. Although he's maintained a steady acting career, quite notably in sitcoms like "Two and a Half Men" and "The Ranch" — which eventually featured half the "That '70s Show" cast in guest appearances — he's arguably found greater success away from the industry. A good thing, considering his method acting decision to follow Steve Jobs' notorious fruitarian diet for his performance in "Jobs" eventually hospitalized him (via USA Today). Maybe other jobs were more suitable...

Subsequently, Kutcher is now better known for having one of the most impressive venture capitalist portfolios in the industry. According to Forbes, his investment portfolio includes Skype, Airbnb, Spotify, and Uber, with the star having reportedly amassed a $200 million fortune from doing so (per Wealthy Gorilla). Speaking to Grow, Kutcher revealed he was inspired to invest in startup companies due to him "thinking about new and simpler ways to do things" but having no time to develop solutions himself. 

In 2012, he made notable positive change when he invested in Thorn with his then-wife Demi Moore, a non-profit organization focused on building technology with which to defend children from sexual abuse and trafficking. The co-founder and chairman remains passionate about the organization, and even delivered an emotional testimony to congress in 2017 about defending children from sexual exploitation. Not bad for a dude once renowned for shouting "burn!" at people. 

Although he managed to find reasonable success as executive producer and co-star on the Netflix sitcom "The Ranch" between 2016 and 2018, Danny Masterson's post-"That '70s Show' career has been shaky, at best. Having starred in a variety of schlock such as the teen sex comedy "Hot Bod" and something called "The Polterguys" — a film so anomalous it's apparently failed to materialize in this world or the next (via IMDb) — the actor has struggled to maintain the same levels of success as his former co-stars.

In 2017, he faced further challenges when he was fired by Netflix from "The Ranch" amid multiple sexual assault accusations (via USA Today). According to HuffPost, four women accused the star of raping them in the early '00s, with one filing a police report in 2004 about the alleged incident. In a statement given to USA Today, Masterson stringently "denied the outrageous allegations." In 2020, however, the actor "was charged with three counts of rape by force or fear" according to The New York Times. He faces a maximum sentence of 45 years to life in prison if convicted.

Despite all the drama, Masterson's wife Bijou Philips — whom he married in 2011 — has remained silently supportive of the actor, according to In Touch. The two continue to raise their daughter together in Los Angeles where — judging from his IMDB page — Masterson's career remains somewhat active, as of 2021. 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Fez may have struggled to attract the ladies in "That '70s Show," but in real life, Wilmer Valderrama garnered himself quite the reputation as a ladies man. As pointed out by Little Things, the star had a thing for "dating much younger" partners in his heyday, including teen stars like Mandy Moore, Lindsay Lohan, and eventually Demi Lovato, whom he dated for almost six years before splitting in 2016 (via E! News).

Since his slightly controversial age gap dating days, Valderrama has settled down with model Amanda Pacheco. The couple became engaged in 2020, and a year later they celebrated the birth of their first child. Professionally, Valderrama has continued to enjoy some great success on the small screen with roles in shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series," and a satisfyingly long stint on "NCIS" (via IMDb), which fans hope will never end.

When it does, however, it seems certain Valderrama will continue to proudly advocate for strengthened Latinx representation on-screen. In 2016, the actor joined forces with America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams to form Harness, an organization dedicated to encouraging "a shift in the narratives that ... affect marginalized communities," according to Hola!. Striving "to inspire and create awareness" as both an actor and activist has apparently become important to the actor, who told E! News that he felt a "major responsibility" to "amplify voices." 

Of the entire cast, Debra Jo Rupp may be one of the most respected actors from "That '70s Show," and unsurprisingly, the veteran star of stage and screen has continued to be as in-demand as ever. In recent years, Rupp has enjoyed a critically acclaimed stint as Della in various stage productions of "The Cake," on top of performing memorable arcs in shows like "WandaVision" and "This is Us" (via IMDb).

No matter what Rupp did or who she played, however, Kitty Forman found her way back to her. On top of reuniting with some of her former cast members for "The Ranch," Variety reported in 2021 that Rupp will be reprising her iconic role alongside her on-screen hubby — and good friend — Kurtwood Smith, for the Netflix reboot series, "That '90s Show." 

Truthfully, Rupp hasn't transformed all that much since her "That '70s Show" days — is she doing a Benjamin Button and aging in reverse?! – and that's honestly something of a comfort. While Rupp remains single — and happily so — it's important to note that she's a self-proclaimed "dog lover" according to her Twitter, where she shares ludicrously adorable pictures of her pups on the regular. Maybe that's her anti-aging secret?

Like his on-screen other half, veteran character actor Kurtwood Smith — a national treasure — has likewise enjoyed a fruitful career since leaving "That '70s Show." Though the star's extensive list of credits include live action fare like "Agent Carter" and "Amityville: The Awakening," Smith has primarily become known as a voice actor extraordinaire having supplied his talents to animated work including "Regular Show," "Rick and Morty," and the stop-motion detective mystery "Ultra City Smiths" (via IMDb).

Despite the many characters he's continued to depict, Smith once confessed to AV Club that his "That '70s Show" character remains a career highlight for him. The actor shared with the website that his depiction of stern military veteran Red Forman was inspired by his stepdad, who died just before the pilot was shot. "To have a character that meant as much to me as he did personally ... well, that was special," he reflected. 

Outside of acting, Smith appears to be committed to advocating for social change and to spending time with his wife and former "Robocop" co-star, Joan Pirkle, whom he married in 1988 (via IMDb). On Twitter, the actor seems as proud to show off his adorable dates with his wife — including one signed off with the caption "Me and the Beautiful Blond" — as he is to use his platform to push for lower drug costs and Medicare changes (via Twitter). 

As the gauche next door neighbor of the Forman family, Don Stark's uproarious depiction of the (not so secret) toupée-wearing Bob Pinciotti was one of the highlights of the show. Prior to joining the "That '70s Show" cast, the character had already built an extensive career for himself as a bit-part actor in shows like "Blossom," "Beverly Hills 90210," and "CHiPs" — so, basically, all the greats — and movies, which included "Star Trek: First Contact" and the cult classic "Switchblade Sisters" (via IMDb).

Since leaving "That '70s Show," the quirky star has continued to enjoy a bustling career. On top of depicting "a sleazy guy" throughout the VH1 basketball drama "Hit the Floor" (via HuffPost), Stark has continued to enjoy drifting in-and-out of several films and TV shows like "The Good Wife," "Maron," and the Oscar-winning "Green Book" with small, but memorable, roles.

As he suggested during an interview with Fan Fest, that's exactly how he likes it, too. "That '70s Show," though fun to be in, restricted Stark's sense of freedom as a character actor who finds acting "really interesting and a lot of fun to do" when he can weave his way through different characters. "After 'That '70s Show,' it took a while to kind of recover from being Bob," he explained, "because it was such a specific kind of character."

The legendary Tommy Chong didn't need too much preparation or research to depict cosmic stoner Leo on "That '70s Show." The beloved character — who once met God on the bus – had built a career as one half of stoner comedy duo "Cheech and Chong" throughout the '70s. Since leaving the show, the "Up in Smoke" star has continued to keep it 420 by being a passionate activist for cannabis reform. 

He's such a prominent part of the community that he even sits on the advisory board for NORML, an organization that advocates for provisions which allow for safe, affordable access to marijuana. In 2012, Chong announced that he'd been diagnosed with prostate cancer several years prior, and by all accounts weed helped him to deal with it. The actor told Us Weekly that he was "using cannabis like crazy" to help bring relief during his first round of treatment. According to GQ, Chong was in remission "and feeling great" as of 2019. 

Mary Jane aside, the star's varied career has remained incredibly interesting. On top of flexing his acting skills in films like "Color Out of Space," "Zootopia," and "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" (via IMDb), he's also become an offbeat reality show star, having competed in "The Masked Singer" as the Pineapple — which he joked to Entertainment Weekly was his "worst nightmare" due to being "hidden" — and "Dancing With the Stars," where he was voted off just short of the final, despite being "America's favorite," according to ABC News.

When Eric Forman left for Africa, he left a "dumbass" shaped space in the family basement, one that newcomer Randy Pearson — a character that Screen Rant once described as being "always somewhat doomed to fail" — tried and failed to fill. With just one season to his name, "That '70s Show" ended, and actor Josh Meyers was free to pursue a whole host of TV shows and movies.

Like Don Stark, the actor spent many years focusing on smaller roles across many projects, including re-uniting with Laura Prepon for a single episode of the Chelsea Handler biopic sitcom "Are You There, Chelsea?" and appearing on "The Mindy Project." In more recent years, Meyers has found steadier work as a sleazily mustachioed photographer in the '80s-set coming-of-age comedy "Red Oaks," and in collaborations with his "Late Night" host brother, Seth Meyers (via IMDb).

On top of reprising his depiction of California Governor Gavin Newsome on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" several times, the famous comedy brothers have both worked together on the animated comedy "The Awesomes." Seth co-created the show and Josh served as a co-writer on it, with both delivering voice acting skills, according to Decider. 

In 2018, Deadline reported that the duo also sold a "condo comedy" to NBC by the name of "The Exceptional," which was to be executive produced by Seth and star Josh. Whatever happened to said show is anyone's guess, however. In the meantime, the grim specter of Randy Pearson remains.