3rd Rock from the Sun: What happened to the actors and actresses?

This unconventional sitcom followed a group of aliens posing as a human family, studying Earth’s culture and hilariously fumbling through everyday life. The show, which ran from 1996-2001, earned many accolades, including multiple Emmys and Golden Globe Awards.

As D. Solomon, John Lithgow led the group of quirky aliens in their mission to study human life. He was the youngest alien, but the oldest human and his impeccable comedic timing made him a fan favorite as he mastered the human art of dad jokes.

Post-'3rd Rock,’ John Lithgow’s career skyrocketed. He's since earned multiple Emmys (for ‘Dexter’ and ‘The Crown’), a Tony (for ‘Sweet Smell of Success’) and was even nominated for Grammies for his spoken word and music albums for children. He’s also penned whimsical children’s books and two poetry books about Trump.

Kristen Johnston played Sally Solomon, the tough, no-nonsense security officer turned fashion-forward human female. Her brash humor was another highlight of the silly show.

Johnson is still acting, with notable roles on ‘Sex and the City,’ ‘Mom’ and ‘Day Time Divas.’ She was diagnosed with lupus in 2013, and in 2012, she released a memoir saying she “married” drugs and alcohol after 3rd Rock’ ended but has been sober for over a decade. Sadly, she lost her sister to addiction.

As Dr. Mary Albright, Jane Curtin was the object of D. Solomon’s affection, balancing her own professional life as an anthropology professor with the aliens’ antics. She originally signed on for just seven episodes, but said she loved the role and stuck around.

The SNL-alumna, sometimes referred to as the Queen of Deadplan, is still making her mark on Hollywood at 75 years old. With recurring parts on shows like ‘The Librarians’ and ‘United We Fall’ she’s inspired future generations of comediennes.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrayed Tommy Solomon, the “oldest” alien stuck in a teenager’s body, navigating acne and Earthly dating rituals.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s career skyrocketed after 3rd Rock,’ with roles in hits like ‘Inception’ and getting a Golden Globe nomination for starring in '500 Days of Summer.’ Today, he’s a respected actor, director, and founder of the online media platform HitRecord. In 2010, his brother also sadly died of an overdose.

French Stewart played Harry Solomon, who had a transmitter implanted in his brain and became responsible for alien communication. But he’d often find himself hilariously lost in translation. French Stewart said in a 1998 interview, “The way the character was originally described to me was he would be an idiot on any planet. So he’s got to be the biggest idiot in the universe!”

French Stewart made his way back to the small screen, mostly with minor roles in big sit-coms like ‘Roseanne,’ ‘2 Broke Girls,’ ‘Mom,’ ‘CSI,’ ‘That 70s Show,’ and many more. He’s also really gotten into the theater, where he’s starred and produced a variety of shows.

As Officer Don Orville, Wayne Knight stole hearts as Sally’s lovable, bumbling love interest, making alien encounters surprisingly endearing. In the end, he admits that he only became a police officer because he thought he’d be safe around other officers.

Wayne Knight’s role on ‘3rd Rock’ overlapped with his other famous role on ‘Seinfeld,’ and while he had appeared on some shows, he has really turned to voice work, giving life to characters in animated films like ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ and ‘Legend of the Three Caballeros.’

Elmarie Wendel played the Solomons’ quirky landlord, Mrs. Dubcek, dishing out pearls of wisdom between martini sips. A hilarious human, she helps set an example for the alien family.

Sadly, Elmarie Wendel passed away in 2018, at age 89. Besides starring on ‘3rd Rock’ she grew up traveling around with her musical family, performing at clubs including the Grand Ole Opry. She was on Broadway and continued to work in TV after ‘3rd Rock.’

Simbi Khali played Nina Campbell, Dr. Albright’s secretary, enduring the aliens’ shenanigans with a mix of sass and sarcasm. She also ended up becoming the confidant of Sally.

Simbi Khali stepped away from the limelight compared to the other stars, she has appeared in several shows, including ‘We Were Soldiers,’ ‘That 80s Show,’ ‘The Bernie Mac Show’ and ‘Weeds.’ But this has allowed her to spend more time with her two children.

In perhaps the most famous of the guest roles, Shatner played the king of the universe known as The Big Giant Head. We all know what Shatner’s been up to: going to space, ‘Boston Legal’ and cementing his status as a Hollywood legend.

Image: 3rd Rock from the Sun, NBC