The 90s might have been filled with questionable trends, but they also gave us TV and movie couples that shot our expectations of romance into the unattainable. Decades later, we still hold these on-screen couples near and dear to our hearts. But in the years that passed, these actors have gone through so many changes. Here’s what has happened to the actors since they played their iconic roles.
Ross Geller & Rachel Green (Friends)
The OG “will they/won’t they” couple has us on our seats for the entire run of “Friends.” The audience was captivated as Ross and Rachel fell in love, experienced chaos, reunited, broke up again, accidentally got married, and then somewhat divorced. But still end up being soulmates. In real life, Aniston remained in the spotlight consistently and even took on executive producing roles with “The Morning Show,” which showed her talents beyond comedy shows.
David Schwimmer has done it all, tackling directing, voice work, and acting, and while he’s taken on a variety of roles, many of us still miss Ross’s frenetic, always-stressed energy. At the “Friends” reunion, fans got what they wanted when Aniston and Schwimmer admitted they were both crushing on each other back in the day, causing the internet to absolutely lose it.
Jack Dawson & Rose DeWitt Bukater (Titanic, 1997)
This tragic love story sparked arguments among its die-hard fans, but its historical ripple effect was undeniable: “The Titanic” won 11 Oscars for its cinematic romance, and while the couple had a not-so-happy ending in the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have remained close friends in real life.
Their enduring friendship is sweet and rarely seen in Hollywood. The duo is always there for each other, and in 2024, at a screening event, DiCaprio introduced Winslet. Their friendship is often cited as an example of genuine friendship that goes far beyond today’s PR stunts.
Mulder & Scully (The X-Files)
Rather than an aww-inducing romance, these two had on-screen moments packed with tension, unrequited feelings, and smoldering eye contact, all set under the fluorescent lighting of an FBI office. The chemistry was palpable and became its own storyline in the show. Today, Gillian Anderson is the author of a sexy book called “Want” and an actor in major hits like “Scoop” and “Sex Education.
David Duchovny has been just as busy writing, acting, and tackling projects that fall into classic Duchovny territory: intellectual yet a little strange, including hosting a docuseries that revolves around mysteries and secrets. Plus, the two are still friends! After years of depicting soulmates with repressed emotions, how could they not?
Carrie Bradshaw & Mr. Big (Sex and the City)
These two were the epitome of a toxic relationship. They’d always hurt each other, but end up back together because of their weird addiction to the dynamic. One of the most legendary TV couples of all time, SJP revived the nostalgia with “And Just Like That…,” where she continued the legacy of Carrie, though the show ended after season 3.
Chris Noth’s life took a darker turn when, in 2021, several women came forward accusing him of sexual assault. Noth denied the accusations and tried to claim the encounters were consensual, but the allegations effectively ended his career working on “The Equalizer.” While Carrie got a second chance, Big’s story ended sooner than he thought.
Zack Morris & Kelly Kapowski (Saved by the Bell)
This adorable, innocent couple was a low-stakes TV duo, and we were all convinced they’d end up together forever in the show, in classic feel-good 90s fashion. In reality, Mark-Paul Gosselaar has steadily booked TV gigs with recent roles like “Found” on NBC. He also starred in a Peacock “Saved by the Bell” reboot set 26 years later, starring Zack as the Governor of California.
In the reboot, Kelly Kapowski reappeared as well for the duration of the show, which lasted two seasons, and she’s stayed equally busy, playing a mom on the Netflix family show “Alexa & Katie” while also leaning into diverse projects spanning lifestyle and food, including a cookbook that shows people how to repurpose leftovers.
Buffy Summers & Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Buffy had no shortage of demons to deal with in her show (well, vampires if we’re being literal), but the goth fairytale love story was a side plotline that had us all hooked. Their love was intense and passionate, but marred by impossible timing, and the happiness never lasted. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s comeback has been major with an upcoming “Buffy” revival, a role on “Dexter: Original Sin,” and being one of the judges on Netflix’s reboot of “Star Search.”
David Boreanaz has had success but made a pretty huge pivot when he swapped vampire romance for military drama as a main character on “SEAL Team,” which lasted seven seasons on CBS. Both actors had success, and we can’t wait for the “Buffy” comeback!
Dylan McKay & Brenda Walsh (Beverly Hills 90210)
Brenda and Dylan embodied the vibe of teen romance—their dynamic was all about the brooding drama, the magnetic connection, and the always-about-to-get-in-a-fight energy. But we couldn’t look away, no matter how messy the polarizing relationship got.
In real life, they both had a tragic ending. Luke Perry died in 2019 after suffering from a stroke, and tributes from both “90210” and “Riverdale” castmates poured in. Shannen Doherty passed away in 2024 at 53 years old, after years of living with cancer. Before the world lost these stars, they reunited for the 2019 reboot of “BH90210,” dedicating the premiere episode to Perry.
