'American Dreams' Cast: Where Are They Now? Brittany Snow, More
This is their generation! American Dreams, the fan-favorite drama starring Brittany Snow in her breakout role — alongside Vanessa Lengies, Will Estes, Sarah Ramos and more — may have been canceled in 2005, but its legacy lives on.
The NBC series, which ran for three seasons and aired more than 60 episodes, was set in 1960s Philadelphia and centered around the traditional Pryor family as the cultural landscape quickly shifted around them. Rock n’ roll and pop music ruled the scene amid a backdrop of ever-increasing racial tensions and the Vietnam war, all of which deeply impacted the family of six: dad Jack (Tom Verica), mom Helen (Gail O’Grady), sons J.J. (Estes) and Will (Ethan Dampf) and daughters Meg (Snow) and Patty (Ramos).
As Snow’s main character and her best friend, Roxanne (Lengies), danced on the live music show American Bandstand, they simultaneously dealt with romance woes, Meg’s increasing involvement in social justice causes and her brother J.J.’s draft to Vietnam — a war she vehemently opposed.
In 2013, more than 10 years after the premiere of American Dreams, the cast reunited at ATX Television at a panel that delved into their memories of filming — and where their characters would be today. An alternate ending to the series was even screened for the attendees, one that saw (spoiler!) Meg and her family reunite three years after she left Philly for California in the series finale.
Taking place in the summer of 1969, the alternate conclusion reveals that Meg is still close to Sam (Arlen Escarpeta) and the two are on their way to Woodstock together. Roxanne and her boyfriend, Luke (Jamie Elman), are still going strong and living in New York. Patty headed off to college at the prestigious Radcliffe, and Meg sees her nephew — J.J.’s son with his wife, Beth (Rachel Boston) — who recognizes her from photos. After years of estrangement from her parents, they reconcile with their daughter as the episode draws to a close.
Snow, Lengies and Ramos have kept in touch through the years, occasionally sharing reunion photos and funny skits via Instagram. In September 2021, Ramos and Snow reenacted a scene from Sweet Home Alabama, in which the John Tucker Must Die star portrayed Reese Witherspoon‘s character, Melanie, and the Parenthood alum starred as Melanie Lynskey‘s character, Lurlyn.
Keep scrolling to see where the cast of American Dreams is today:
After American Dreams ended, Snow went on to star in fan-favorite teen films like 2006’s John Tucker Must Die, 2007’s Hairspray and the 2008 remake of the horror film Prom Night. The Guiding Light alum’s role as Chloe in the Pitch Perfect franchise only sent Snow’s career to new heights, including 2022’s critically acclaimed X, in which she portrayed an adult film star. Snow married Tyler Stanaland in March 2020 but called it quits two years later, just weeks after the premiere of Stanaland’s reality show, Selling the OC, which saw him get cozy with several of his female colleagues. “After time and consideration, Tyler and I have made the difficult decision to separate. This decision was made with love and mutual respect for one another,” the exes wrote in a joint Instagram post in September 2022. “We have realized we need to take some time and make sure we are each living our most fulfilling and authentic lives. We started this journey as best friends and our relationship will continue to be a priority not only for us but for our dog Charlie. We sincerely appreciate your support and ask for privacy as we navigate this new chapter.” Shutterstock (2)
The Are You Afraid of the Dark? alum went on to have a notable career on television and in movies after the conclusion of American Dreams, starring in 2005’s The Perfect Man alongside Hilary Duff, as well as the gymnastics drama Stick It one year later. The Arthur voice actress — she played D.W.’s best friend Emily from the beginning of the series until 2006 — later starred on Glee from 2011 to 2015. After starring in multiple Christmas movies, Lengies returned to scripted series with 2021’s Turner & Hooch show, based on the Tom Hanks film and costarring John Stamos and Josh Peck. As for her dating life, Lengies prefers to keep her romantic endeavors private. Shutterstock (2)
The Emmy nominee’s career skyrocketed after the end of American Dreams in 2005. In addition to his acting work — on shows including The Nine and How to Get Away With Murder — Verica also focused on his behind-the-scenes work as a director. He has particularly worked closely with Shonda Rhimes, directing episodes of Bridgerton, Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and more — as well as installments in hugely popular shows like Inventing Anna, The Umbrella Academy and more. The Will & Grace alum has been married to wife Kira Arne since 2000 and the two share son Dante Verica. Shutterstock (2)
After American Dreams, the NYPD Blue alum — who has been nominated for multiple Emmys — starred in numerous Lifetime movies, as well as scoring roles on Boston Legal, Hellcats, a four-episode arc on Desperate Housewives and a six-episode run on Criminal Minds from 2018 to 2020. In addition to her acting career, O’Grady’s love life has been equally as busy — the Emmy nominee has been married (and divorced) six times. She is mom of son Michael, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Chris Byers. Shutterstock (2)
The American Dreams heartthrob continued his acting career with bit parts on television and in movies — including a role in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises — before making a comeback on the hugely successful Blue Bloods, on which he’s starred as Jamie Reagan since 2010. Estes dated Torrey DeVitto from 2020 to 2021, but keeps his love life mostly close to the vest. Shutterstock (2)
In addition to her role on American Dreams, Ramos is most well-known for portraying Haddie Braverman on Parenthood from 2010 to 2015. The Midnight, Texas alum has also gone on to have roles in multiple popular films, including How to Be Single, alongside Rebel Wilson and Dakota Johnson, and the 2022 Oscar contender Babylon with Brad Pitt. Ramos is also very active on her social media accounts, reenacting famous scenes from various films and TV shows and discussing her pop culture (and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) obsession. She is married to husband Matt Spicer. Shutterstock (2)
After portraying the youngest member of the immediate Pryor family on American Dreams — his character, Will, walked with a limp due to a previous bout with polio — Dampf virtually disappeared from the spotlight, though his IMDb page credits him with one role post-Dreams: playing Peter Burns in the 2014 short film Intervalometer. Peter Brooker/Shutterstock
Boston, who played J.J.’s wife on the series, has been a mainstay on TV since the NBC show ended in 2005. She’s scored bit parts on hugely popular shows through the years, including 7th Heaven, Grey’s Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mad Love and more. Her most prominent roles have been on The Ex List, In Plain Sight, Witches of East End and The SEAL Team. Before turning her career into more holiday fare with many Christmas movies, Boston had parts in several hit films, including 500 Days of Summer, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and The Pill. Boston is married to husband Toya Ashe and the pair welcomed their first child, daughter Grace, in 2022. Shutterstock (2)
After appearing in every episode of American Dreams, Escarpeta continued to score parts on television and in movies, including portraying Bobby Brown in a TV movie about Whitney Houston and entering the classic horror genre in 2009’s remake of Friday the 13th and Final Destination 5. His career gained momentum in the late 2010s, starring in five episodes of The Magicians from 2017 to 2018 and 10 episodes of The Oath in 2018. He was married to Benita Krista Hall from 2011 to 2012. Shutterstock (2)
Adams, who played Jack’s coworker and Sam’s father, went on to have a 22-episode arc as Daniel Goodman on Bones immediately following the end of American Dreams. The actor has since primarily focused on voice work, lending his voice to multiple superhero animated series, including Black Panther, Justice League, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Avengers Assemble, Guardians of the Galaxy and many more. He also portrayed Tim Allen’s neighbor on Last Man Standing and starred in the Hallmark holiday film The Sweetest Christmas alongside Lacey Chabert in 2017. He has been married to Monica Farrell since 1994, with whom he shares two daughters. Shutterstock (2)
The Blossom alum — who starred as American Bandstand producer Michael Brooks on American Dreams — was already a household name before his role on the ‘60s drama series. Four years after the show ended, Lawrence once again hit it big with the 2009 rom-com My Fake Fiancé costarring Melissa Joan Hart. Fans loved the pair’s chemistry so much that the ‘90s stars went on to have their own scripted series, Melissa & Joey, which ran for five years between 2010 and 2015. The Brotherly Love alum went on to lend his voice to several movies and star in multiple holiday films. In addition to his acting career, the Oliver & Company voice actor competed on season 3 of Dancing With the Stars. Lawrence has been married three times: first to Michelle Vella from 2002 to 2005, then to Chandie Yawn-Nelson from 2005 to 2022, and currently to Samantha Cope, whom he married in May 2022. The actor shares two daughters with Yawn-Nelson and welcomed his first with Cope in January 2023. Shutterstock (2)
While the Gilmore Girls alum only appeared as bad boy Chris toward the end of the series, he made a profound impact on Meg’s life — and future. The series finale saw the pair headed off to California together to lead a more socially conscious life. Ventimiglia, for his part, went on to star on the fan-favorite series Heroes from 2006 to 2010. From 2016 to 2022, the actor famously portrayed Pearson family patriarch Jack Pearson on the beloved NBC drama This Is Us, for which he was nominated for two SAG awards and a Critics’ Choice Award. As for his personal life, he previously dated his Gilmore Girls costar (and onscreen love interest) Alexis Bledel from 2003 to 2006, as well as Heroes costar Hayden Panettiere during the show’s run. He’s been linked to Kelly Egarian since 2017, though it’s unclear if the two are still together. Shutterstock (2)
Since American Dreams went off the air, Elman has scored a number of voiceover gigs, including the 2012 Oscar-nominated Disney film Wreck-It Ralph and several Star Wars video games. In addition to his voiceover work, Elman has acted steadily through the years, with roles on The Young and the Restless, NCIS, Rizzoli & Isles, Covert Affairs and most recently, YidLife Crisis. Peter Brooker/Shutterstock
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