Whatever Happened to the Cast of ‘The Temptations’ Miniseries?
What To Know
- The Temptations miniseries, which aired in 1998 and won multiple awards, remains popular and will air again on December 23, 2025.
- Main cast members have pursued varied careers, with Charles Malik Whitfield and D.B. Woodside achieving notable television success, Terron Brooks focusing on musical theater, and Leon Robinson balancing acting and music.
- Christian Payton has kept a low profile since the miniseries, while Leon Robinson’s band achieved Billboard chart success with their 2018 album.
When The Temptations premiered on NBC in November 1998, it quickly became one of the most talked-about television events of the decade. Based on Otis Williams’ autobiography, the two-night, four-hour miniseries traced the rise, struggles and legacy of one of Motown’s most influential groups. Blending The Temptations’ incredible music and real life drama, the film drew an estimated 45 million viewers and went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Directing. The mini-series will air again on MOVIES at 10:2o pm EST on Dec. 23, 2025, so it’s a great time to find out what the main cast members are up to now.
Charles Malik Whitfield (53)
Otis Williams
Alice S. Hall/NBC/Everett Collection; Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Netflix
After The Temptations, Whitfield starred as James Mooney on the CBS legal drama The Guardian from 2001 to 2003. He later appeared in recurring roles on Supernatural, American Horror Story: Roanoke, Empire and Chicago Med. Whitfield was a main cast member on the Oprah Winfrey Network series If Loving You Is Wrong from 2014 to 2020 and later starred in the Bounce TV sitcom Last Call. His more recent work includes roles on Terror Lake Drive and the series Beauty in Black.
D. B. Woodside (56)
Melvin Franklin
Alice S. Hall/NBC/ Courtesy Everett Collection; Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival
After the miniseries, Woodside’s career grew substantially, particularly on television, with significant roles on 24, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Parenthood and Suits. He later became exceptionally well-known for playing Amenadiel on Lucifer, appearing in all six seasons of the series. In 2023, he starred as Secret Service agent Erik Monks on Netflix’s The Night Agent.
Terron Brooks (51)
Eddie Kendricks
Michael Ginsburg/NBC/Everett Collection
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After The Temptations, Brooks shifted much of his focus toward musical theater, building a respected stage career rather than remaining primarily on television. His theater credits include productions of Hairspray, The Lion King and Ain’t Misbehavin’.
Christian Payton (59)
Paul Williams
Following The Temptations, Payton has since kept a relatively low profile. His last TV appearance was in 2010’s The Proud & Privileged.
Leon Robinson (63)
David Ruffin
Alice S. Hall/NBC/ Courtesy Everett Collection; Greg Gayne/Freeform/Everett Collection
Already an established performer, Leon continued balancing acting and music after The Temptations. His acting credits include Cool Runnings, The Five Heartbeats and Oz. In addition to acting, Robinson has worked as a musician under the name Leon. He is the lead vocalist of the band Leon and the Peoples, which released the album Love Is a Beautiful Thing in 2018. The album’s title track debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Chart, with a subsequent single reaching No. 12.
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Pop Music Legends
August 2017
Dedicated to the sights, sounds and stories of the golden age of pop.
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