Whatever Happened to the Cast of ‘3rd Rock From the Sun’?
What To Know
- 3rd Rock from the Sun, which premiered in 1996, became a critically acclaimed sitcom known for its unique premise and won multiple Emmy Awards during its six-season run.
- Cast members such as John Lithgow, Jane Curtin, Kristen Johnston, French Stewart, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt went on to achieve significant success in film, television, and theater, with Lithgow and Curtin earning additional major awards.
- Kristen Johnston overcame serious health challenges after the show, while other cast members continued to work steadily in the entertainment industry, taking on notable roles and projects into the 2020s.
3rd Rock from the Sun, which premiered on NBC on January 9, 1996, updated a tried-and-true sitcom premise for the ’90s. Shows like Mork & Mindy, My Favorite Martian and ALF had milked laughs out of the idea of aliens visiting Earth and living alongside normal humans; on 3rd Rock, an alien crew posed as a human family of their own, navigating life in a small Ohio town while taking notes on Earth culture for their boss back on their home planet. Running for six seasons and 139 episodes, the show earned critical acclaim, multiple Emmy Awards and a lasting reputation as one of the sharpest comedies of the era. Now, on the 30th anniversary of the series premiere, it’s a great time to catch up with the cast — many of whom went on to (or continued) impressive acting careers.
John Lithgow (80)
Dick Solomon
Alan Levenson/Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection; Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Lithgow was already a highly celebrated actor long before he took on the role of Dick Solomon — he won his first Tony in 1973, and in the ’80s, he earned two Best Supporting Academy Award nominations for The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment (though to ’80s kids, he’ll always be the dance-hating minister from Footloose).
After a run of a few less successful films in the early ’90s, 3rd Rock boosted Lithgow back into the spotlight, winning him three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and one Golden Globe for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy.
The years after 3rd Rock have seem Lithgow appear in everything from Shrek to Killers of the Flower Moon and Conclave. He’s also remained a continual presence on TV, picking up both an Emmy and a Golden Glove for his role on Dexter and an Emmy for his turn as Winston Churchill on The Crown.
In 2024, he portrayed Roald Dahl in Giant at London’s West End, winning the 2025 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor. In 2025, Lithgow announced he would play Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series.
Jane Curtin (78)
Dr. Mary Albright
Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Curtin first rose to prominence as a founding cast member of Saturday Night Live, where she became synonymous with “Weekend Update” and the famous “Point Counterpoint” debates alongside Dan Aykroyd. She later starred in Kate & Allie, winning back-to-back Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She also costarred in the 1993 film Coneheads, which was both based on an SNL skit she originated and shared many themes with 3rd Rock.
Her post-3rd Rock work includes films like I Love You, Man, The Heat and Godmothered, as well as a recurring role in The Librarians. Sadly, Curtin’s husband, television producer Patrick Francis Lynch, whom she married in 1975, died in April 2025.
Kristen Johnston (58)
Sally Solomon
Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection; Kevin Winter/Getty Images
The role of bawdy beauty Sally Solomon earned Johnston two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and made her one of the most memorable performers on the show.
Many fans wondered what happened to Johnston, who seemed to step back from her career after the series. In addition to fighting a difficult battle with drug and alcohol addiction until 2007, Johnston also experienced many serious health challenges in the years after 3rd Rock from the Sun ended. In a 2025 interview with Woman’s World, Johnston recalled that “a couple of doctors really thought I was making it up, or it was all in my head or anxiety. I was dismissed, so that pissed me off.” Eventually, after seeing 17 doctors, she was diagnosed with lupus myelitis, a rare autoimmune disease affecting the spinal cord. Johnston recalled being unable to lift her neck without a brace and said her doctor warned that delaying treatment could have resulted in quadriplegia. According to the interview, treatment included chemotherapy and steroids, and after six months, she went into remission.
After a number of guest roles, she became a regular presence on TV again in 2018 with a role on the comedy Mom. She has most recently been seen in a starring role in the Netflix sitcom Leanne, which debuted in July 2025.
French Stewart (61)
Harry Solomon
Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Stewart’s post-3rd Rock from the Sun career has been marked by steady television work. He appeared on shows like Becker, The Drew Carey Show and Less Than Perfect, often playing offbeat supporting roles that showcased his physical comedy. He later had recurring runs on The Middle as Principal Cameron and on Mom, where he became a familiar face as Chef Rudy across multiple seasons. On the film side, Stewart took on roles in family comedies, including Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House and the direct-to-video sequel Inspector Gadget 2, where he stepped into the title role.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (44)
Tommy Solomon
Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection; Kimberly White/Getty Images for Fortune Media
By the time the series ended in 2001, Gordon-Levitt deliberately stepped away from mainstream projects and rebuilt his career through independent films. His work in Mysterious Skin and Brick marked a dramatic shift, followed by The Lookout and 500 Days of Summer (the latter of which earned him a Golden Globe nomination). He later returned to large-scale studio films, including Inception, Looper and The Dark Knight Rises. He also expanded into writing and directing with Don Jon and founded the creative collaboration platform HitRecord.
Simbi Khali (54)
Nina Campbell
Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection; Fred Hayes/Getty Images for SAGindie
Khali joined 3rd Rock from the Sun as Nina Campbell, initially in a recurring role before becoming a prominent cast member in season three. Khali’s earlier television work was on Martin, where she appeared from 1993 to 1997, as well as film roles in Vampire in Brooklyn, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate and We Were Soldiers. Her extensive voice acting career includes roles in Guild Wars Nightfall and Detroit: Become Human. In 2016, the Mississippi legislature officially recognized and commended her career and achievements.
Wayne Knight (70)
Don Orville
Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection; Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Knight’s long career includes his iconic role as Newman on Seinfeld and his film breakthrough as Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park. His résumé also includes films such as Basic Instinct, Space Jam, Rat Race, and Punisher: War Zone, as well as extensive voice work in Toy Story 2, Tarzan, Catscratch and Xiaolin Showdown. He was most recently seen in a 2025 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star and a small role in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.
In memoriam
Elmarie Wendel (1928–2018)
Mamie Dubcek
Carsey-Werner/Everett Collection
Wendel appeared in approximately 70 episodes between 1996 and 2001. Her credits include appearances on Seinfeld, Murphy Brown and George Lopez, as well as a recurring role on General Hospital in 2008. Wendel died on July 21, 2018, at age 89, with her passing announced by her daughter, actress J.C. Wendel.
Where to watch 3rd Rock from the Sun
The series is available for digital purchase through major platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, and complete-series DVD box sets remain in circulation.
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