Where Are They Now? The Cast of SMASH

McPhee burst onto the scene in 2006 when she came in second on American Idol, and dazzled in SMASH as the underdog from Iowa, Karen Cartwright. Her character was up against Ivy Lynn for the role of Marilyn Monroe in the fictional — though it really should become real, don't you think? — Bombshell the musical. 

Since then, McPhee has appeared in TV series like Scorpion before making her actual Broadway debut in the musical Waitress. 

She also married famed musician and composer David Foster in June 2019. 

Hilty was already a seasoned Broadway veteran when she starred as Katharine McPhee's rival on- and offstage, Ivy Lynn. Hilty continues to rock the Great White Way after the show's end. 

Since SMASH, Hilty has acted on screen and stage alike. On TV, she starred on the likes of Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce and Sean Saves the World. In 2016, Hilty was nominated for a Tony Award for her role as Brooke Ashton in the Broadway revival of Noises Off. 

Messing played the iconic Grace Adler in Will & Grace, and took on plenty of film and television roles before stepping into the role of Julia Houston, the book writer and lyricist for Bombshell in 2012. 

She must've caught the Broadway bug, because she made her debut on The Great White Way in 2014 in the Tony-nominated play Outside Mullingar. She also starred in another hit series, The Mysteries of Laura, from 2014-2016. Most recently, Messing reprised her role in Will & Grace, which aired its series finale in April 2020.

Borle, another big name on Broadway, played Tom Levitt, the composer for Bombshell. 

In real life, Borle is a two-time Tony Award-winning actor, for his roles as Black 'Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher in 2012 and in 2015 for his role as William Shakespeare in Something Rotten! 

Since the show's end, he has appeared on series like The Good Wife, Masters of Sex and Younger (alongside his ex wife, actress Sutton Foster) and on the stage in Falsettos, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Little Shop of Horrors. 

Brian d'Arcy James played Debra Messing's supportive husband, Frank Houston, on the series.

After the series ended, Broadway vet James rejoined castmate Christian Borle in Something Rotten! in 2015. He also had roles in critically acclaimed films like Molly's Game and Spotlight, and played Hannah Baker's dad, Andy, in 13 Reasons Why on Netflix. 

Next up, he'll play Officer Krupke in the upcoming 2020 film adaptation of West Side Story. 

Ugh, Ellis! We know Jaime Cepero isn't actually a conniving, villainous assistant IRL, but his character on SMASH sure made our blood boil! 

Since the show's end, Cepero has spent most of his time onstage. He has acted in productions like Hair and Godspell, and often lends his vocal talents for concerts. 

Before he played the talented — and slightly problematic — director of the fictional Bombshell, Derek Wills, Davenport was already a successful actor. 

He actually worked with castmate Debra Messing before on The Wedding Date in 2005, and also appeared in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Following SMASH, Davenport acted in series like Next of Kin, Why Women Kill and White Famous. Most recently, he played Jennifer Aniston's estranged husband, Jason Craig, on The Morning Show. 

Davenport made his Broadway debut in Saint Joan in 2018. 

Huston was already Hollywood royalty before playing the tough, determined producer Eileen Rand.

After two seasons on SMASH, she played Vicki on Transparent and has also lent her voice to several voiceover projects. 

It's true: Before Leslie Odom Jr. became a Tony Award-winner for Hamilton, he played Bombshell ensemble member Sam Strickland. 

Following SMASH, Odom acted on series like Person of Interest, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Good Wife. 

Most recently, he starred alongside Cynthia Erivo in the Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet. 

Jordan joined the cast in the show's second (and final) season, after starring on Broadway as Jack Kelly in Newsies. 

Jordan is a fantastic vocalist — if you haven't heard his rendition of Céline Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," you're missing out — and he showed off those vocals in the movie version of the musical The Last Five Years in 2014. 

Since 2015, he has appeared in the CW series Supergirl as Winn Schott/Toyman. 

Rodriguez joined SMASH in the show's second season as Karen Cartwright's talented roommate, Ana Vargas.

Rodriguez continued to act on Broadway in shows like First Date and Deaf West's production of Spring Awakening, and in various television series like Quantico and Trial & Error.

Most recently, you may have seen her in Netflix's Daybreak playing part-zombie teacher Ms. Crumble. 

After being diagnosed with breast cancer at 30, Rodriguez has since been vocal about spreading awareness, starting her website, ChemoCouture.