Where Is the Cast of ‘Designing Women’ Now?
Designing Women premiered on September 29, 1986, and quickly became one of the more outspoken sitcoms of the time. Set at Sugarbaker & Associates in Atlanta, the show followed four women working in interior design, and tackled everything from sexism to traditional Southern culture.
Created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, it became known for its strong ensemble cast, and that chemistry was a big part of why it worked. Decades later, it still holds up as one of the more distinctive sitcoms of the late ’80s and early ’90s. With Hacks returning April 9, it’s a natural time to revisit Jean Smart‘s early breakout role and see where the main cast ended up.
Annie Potts (73)
Mary Jo Shively
Everett Collection; Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Annie Potts stayed with Designing Women for its full seven-season run. After the series ended in 1993, she moved directly into another leading role on Love & War, which ran until 1995. Over the following decades, Potts built a consistent career across television and film, with appearances in projects like Ghostbusters and voice work in the Toy Story franchise.
More recently, she became widely known to younger audiences as Meemaw on Young Sheldon, a role she played from 2017 to 2024 and continues in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. She recently joined the cast of Best Medicine as Aunt Sarah and will reprise the role of Bo Peep in Toy Story 5.
Delta Burke (69)
Suzanne Sugarbaker
Everett Collection; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Delta Burke became a breakout star as Suzanne Sugarbaker, the former beauty queen whose sass and narcissism often drove the show’s funnier storylines. She left Designing Women during its fifth season in 1991, following behind-the-scenes tensions that were widely reported at the time. Burke later reprised the role in the spin-off Women of the House, which aired in 1995 but lasted only one season. After that, she continued acting on television, appearing in shows like DAG, Boston Legal, and JAG, before gradually stepping away from acting in the 2010s, with one of her last credited roles appearing in 2019 on Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.
Jean Smart (74)
Charlene Frazier-Stillfield
Everett Collection; Karen Ballard/HBO Max/Everett Collection
Charlene was the sweet-hearted, slightly naive office manager whose down-home upbringing fueled her optimistic attitude. She was the heart of Sugarbaker’s.
Jean Smart left Designing Women in 1991 but went on to build one of the most critically acclaimed careers of the cast. She appeared in a wide range of television roles over the years, including Frasier, 24, Fargo, Watchmen, and Mare of Easttown, demonstrating a range far beyond her original sitcom role.
That trajectory led to a major resurgence when she was cast as Deborah Vance in Hacks in 2021. The role has earned her multiple Emmy Awards and placed her at the center of one of the most talked-about comedies of the 2020s.
Julia Duffy (74)
Allison Sugarbaker
CBS/Everett Collection; Kayla Oaddams/Getty Images
Julia Duffy joined Designing Women in its sixth season as Allison Sugarbaker, a cousin of Julia and Suzanne who was brought in following cast changes. She had already earned major recognition for Newhart, receiving multiple Emmy nominations for her role as Stephanie Vanderkellen, and her arrival helped boost ratings during that season.
After leaving the series, she continued working steadily in television, with roles on shows like The Mommies, Drake & Josh, and recurring parts on Shameless and Looking. She’s recently appeared on The ‘Burbs and Palm Royale.
In Memoriam
CBS/Everett Collection
Dixie Carter led the series as Julia Sugarbaker and delivered many of its most memorable monologues. After Designing Women, she continued acting on television and on stage, including a recurring role on Desperate Housewives, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Carter died on April 10, 2010, at age 70 from complications of endometrial cancer.
Meshach Taylor became a fan favorite as Anthony Bouvier. After the show ended, he starred in Dave’s World and continued working steadily in television with guest roles across multiple series. He died on June 28, 2014, at age 67 from colorectal cancer.
Where to Watch Designing Women
Designing Women is available to stream on Hulu.
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