Since the show’s conclusion, the cast of 'Seinfeld' have starred in Emmy-winning series, blockbuster movies and even hit Broadway plays
Premiering in 1989, Seinfeld became famous for being a “show about nothing.” Instead of tantalizing drama or deep mysteries that take entire seasons to unravel, Seinfeld focused on the daily lives of a group of friends in Manhattan.
Centered around Jerry Seinfeld — a character that’s just a slightly fictionalized version of Seinfeld himself — and his friends Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), George (Jason Alexander) and Kramer (Michael Richards), the series was a relatable and hilarious look at life in the city. Larry David, who co-created the hit with Seinfeld, even acted in the series, taking on various silly roles like George's boss and a cape-wearing lawyer.
The show ran for almost a decade, concluding in 1998 after airing 180 episodes over nine seasons. Throughout its run, Seinfeld earned 68 Emmy nominations and became a cultural phenomenon, popularizing things like the Festivus holiday and creating often-quoted phrases like “yada yada.”
Since then, the cast of Seinfeld has continued to flex their comedic chops, acting in and producing hit shows like Veep and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Here's everything to know about the cast of Seinfeld over three decades after the show's premiere.
Jerry Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld played a version of himself in the sitcom, starring as a mildly famous stand-up comedian who performed in comedy clubs around New York City. He had a loving but very eccentric group of friends.
In real life, Seinfeld was born in New York City and was a very accomplished comedian before getting his own TV show. Early in his career, he performed alongside legends like Rodney Dangerfield and Larry David, who would eventually serve as writer, producer and occasional actor for Seinfeld.
Reflecting on the iconic series when it hit Netflix in 2021, Seinfeld said working with his cast members kept him laughing on and off set. "It just got more and more fun as we went [along] because we got to know each other," Seinfeld said. "And you know every little funny thing that that person does."
After the show concluded in 1998, Seinfeld worked on various projects, including his first major film, 2007's Bee Movie, where he not only starred as the lead character but also co-wrote the script and served as producer. The movie became a hit and grossed over $293 million.
In 2012, Seinfeld started his own talk show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, where he picked up his comedian friends in various cool vintage cars and drove around, talking about show business and their personal lives. The show ran for 11 seasons, ending in 2019, and featured tons of stars, from Jay Leno to Tina Fey to Kristen Wiig and even Barack Obama.
The comedian has also hinted that something is in the works regarding Seinfeld. During a stand-up set in 2023, he responded to a question from the audience asking if he liked the finale of the show. Seinfeld responded, “The ending. Of the show? Well, I have a little secret for you about the ending. But I can't really tell it, 'cause it is a secret.”
He continued, "Here's what I'll tell you, okay? But you can't tell anybody ... something is going to happen with that ending — it hasn't happened yet."
Seinfeld has been married to his wife Jessica Seinfeld since 1999 and the two share three children: Sascha, born in 2000; Julian, born in 2003; and Shepherd, born in 2005.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes
Julia Louis-Dreyfus starred as Elaine Benes, Seinfeld's friend and ex-girlfriend. The role landed the actress seven consecutive Emmy nominations — and one win — between 1992 and 1998.
Before joining Seinfeld in 1989, Louis-Dreyfus was already a massive name in comedy. The New York City-born actress grew up performing with improv troupes like The Second City, and she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1982 at just 21 years old. She remained in the cast for three seasons until 1985.
Throughout much of the '90s, the actress spent her time starring in Seinfeld. In 2023, Louis-Dreyfus told PEOPLE that she grieved the show’s finale because it had become such a big part of her life. "There was a real grief period when the show ended that was real and felt because we all loved each other so much. ... I wanted to keep working. I wanted to keep doing this thing called acting. I wanted to keep pursuing it, which I've been able to do, which is great."
Louis-Dreyfus has continued to have a flourishing career since her time on Seinfeld. Not only has the actress returned to SNL numerous times, but she’s also had recurring roles on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Simpsons and Arrested Development. She’s best known for her starring roles in The New Adventures of Old Christine and Veep.
Veep was a smash success and starred Louis-Dreyfus as a floundering American vice president constantly mired by hilarious setbacks and scandals. Throughout the show’s run, it was nominated for a whopping 68 Emmy awards, with Louis-Dreyfus scoring an impressive 14 nominations, ultimately winning nine times for both acting and producing.
The Seinfeld star is still acting, and in 2023 alone, she starred in numerous projects, including You Hurt My Feelings, You People, and the A24 film Tuesday.
Louis-Dreyfus is also a mom and wife. In 1987, she married her former SNL costar Brad Hall. The couple have two sons, Henry and Charlie, who are also actors — Charlie starred in The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Henry appeared in White House Plumbers.
Jason Alexander as George Costanza
Jason Alexander played George Costanza, Jerry’s good friend who often got into relationships ... and then was dumped soon after.
Seinfeld was the third sitcom Alexander starred in. After growing up in New Jersey, the actor appeared in two short-lived shows, E/R and Everything's Relative, but it wasn’t until Seinfeld that the actor achieved international recognition.
In a 2022 interview on Today, hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager asked the actor what continues to make Seinfeld so relatable and popular. Alexander responded, “Jerry [Seinfeld] and Larry [David] had an ethic about it that said if it’s funny, it’s good ... funny reigned supreme.” He continued, “What was funny then is somehow still funny now, and people are just watching it to laugh.”
Since Seinfeld’s conclusion, Alexander has held recurring roles on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Young Sheldon and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
On top of his television roles, he’s also a prominent figure in the theater world. Alexander has starred in hit plays and musicals like Merrily We Roll Along, The Producers and Fish in the Dark. He’s also directed numerous productions, including the play The Cottage, which is currently on Broadway and stars Laura Bell Bundy and Eric McCormack.
Off-screen, Alexander has been married to actress and artist Daena Title since 1982. Title is a painter who has been hosting exhibitions of her work since 1997. The couple have two children, Noah and Gabe, though they keep their family life relatively private.
Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer
Los Angeles-born comedian Michael Richards played the iconic Cosmo Kramer — better known simply as Kramer. Kramer was Jerry’s neighbor who always found himself in Jerry’s apartment. The character was inspired by co-creator David’s real neighbor, stand-up comedian Kenny Kramer.
Before Seinfeld, Richards was already working in the comedy space. On top of being a professional stand-up comedian, he also previously starred in the sketch series Fridays along with David and later had a recurring role on St. Elsewhere.
After his time on Seinfeld, Richards performed stand-up comedy. He's also had a few minor roles, appearing on Curb Your Enthusiasm a handful of times in 2009 and holding a recurring part in Kirstie Alley’s short-lived sitcom Kirstie.
In his personal life, Richards was married to Cathleen Lyons for 18 years. Before their divorce in 1992, they had a daughter, Sophia. In 2010, Richards married actress Beth Skipp and the couple have a son named Antonio.
Wayne Knight as Newman
Despite being only a supporting character, Wayne Knight’s Newman remains one of the most iconic from the series. Newman lived down the hall from Jerry, and the two often had conflict, which was only worsened by Newman’s constant participation in Kramer’s wild schemes.
Before joining the Seinfeld cast in 1992, Knight was already scoring supporting roles in films like Dirty Dancing and Basic Instinct. Because he was only a recurring character on Seinfeld, Knight also had time to film other popular projects while on the series. Most notable were his roles in Jurassic Park and 3rd Rock from the Sun.
After Seinfeld concluded, Knight continued starring in series and films like Hot in Cleveland and The Exes and voiced The Penguin in Harley Quinn.
Knight married makeup artist Paula Sutor in a 1996 ceremony at costar Richards' house, but the couple divorced in 2003. Three years later, Knight married film editor Clare Knight, with whom he shares one child.
Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza
The late Jerry Stiller starred as George’s cantankerous father, Frank. Audiences can thank Frank for popularizing Seinfeld's version of Festivus, a holiday "for the rest of us," as he would say.
Born in New York City in 1927, Stiller was perfect for the role of a well-seasoned New Yorker who’s seen it all. But Stiller’s career began long before Seinfeld. In 1954 he married fellow comedian and performer Anne Meara and together they performed as the comedy duo Stiller & Meara throughout the '60s. Stiller appeared on The Mike Douglas Show and Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show and also had roles in hit films like Airport 1975 and both Hairspray movies.
The same year Seinfeld ended, Stiller landed another role as a father in a sitcom, portraying Arthur Spooner in the hit The King of Queens. The series ran from 1998 to 2007, and Stiller appeared in 206 episodes.
Stiller is also known for being the father of actor Ben Stiller. He and Meara also shared a daughter, Amy. Stiller died of natural causes in 2020 at age 92, leaving behind a legacy of comedy.
Estelle Harris as Estelle Costanza
Estelle Harris played Estelle Costanza, George’s mom and Frank’s wife. She’s loud, quick-witted and full of hilarious one-liners.
Born and raised in N.Y.C., Harris had a flourishing commercial career before joining the cast of Seinfeld. After Seinfeld, Harris became best known as a voice actor, most notably taking on the role of Mrs. Potato Head in the Toy Story franchise, as well as characters in shows like Dave the Barbarian, Fanboy and Chum Chum and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. She also appeared on the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
In 1953, she married Sy Harris, and together they had three children. In 2022, Harris died at the age of 93. Her on-screen son, Jason Alexander, paid tribute to the actress on X (formerly Twitter) the day after her death, writing, “One of my favorite people has passed - my tv mama, Estelle Harris. The joy of playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat. I adore you, Estelle. Love to your family. Serenity now and always."
Barney Martin as Morty Seinfeld
Barney Martin played Morty Seinfeld, Jerry’s father who made a living selling raincoats. He also invented a beltless trench coat that he called “The Executive," which ended up playing a prominent role in one of Seinfeld's iconic two-part episodes.
Like much of the Seinfeld cast, Martin was born in N.Y.C. According to his obituary in The New York Times, Martin had many careers throughout his life. Before joining the entertainment industry, he served in the Navy during World War II and later became a detective.
His first big break in entertainment came in 1968 when he starred in Mel Brooks' The Producers. He also created the role of Amos in the musical Chicago and starred in the show’s 1975 Broadway premiere. Martin went on to appear in numerous series before landing his role on Seinfeld, including Night Court, Punky Brewster and the original series 21 Jump Street. Martin died of cancer in 2005.
Liz Sheridan as Helen Seinfeld
Liz Sheridan played Helen Seinfeld, Jerry’s mom who loved him more than anything, despite her constant nagging.
On top of her role in Seinfeld, Sheridan also starred in the sci-fi sitcom ALF from 1986 to 1990 and appeared on shows like Kojak, The A-Team and Cagney & Lacey. In 2000, the New York City-born actress also released a memoir, Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life with James Dean.
The title came from Sheridan’s nickname “Dizzy,” and the book recounted her relationship with actor James Dean. The two met in the early 1950s while Sheridan was a dancer in New York City and Dean was building his Broadway career. “It was the first love for both of us,” Sheridan told PEOPLE in 1996. “Jimmy wasn’t a rebel, and he had no cause. I think he was just shy.”
Dean eventually moved to Los Angeles as his career took off, and the two broke up a few years before his death. In 2022, Sheridan died at age 93.
Larry David as Various
Larry David helped create the original idea for Seinfeld and served as a writer, producer and actor throughout its tenure.
David appeared in the show at numerous points — as a passenger on an airplane, a character on TV, a passing pedestrian and more — but he’s best known for voicing George's boss, George Steinbrenner, based on the very real Yankees owner.
Since his time on the show, the Brooklyn-born actor has become best known for his HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm. The series premiered in 2000 and has aired 11 seasons, with a 12th season already greenlit by HBO. Between 2015 and 2020, David also became somewhat of a regular on Saturday Night Live, hosting the show twice and regularly returning to portray Bernie Sanders in various sketches.
Off-screen, David is married to producer Ashley Underwood. The two met in 2017 at a birthday party for actor Sacha Baron Cohen and married in 2020. David also has two daughters, Cazzie David and Romy David, whom he shares with his ex-wife Laurie David.
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