Jordan Karlesson
The story of Arrested Development is almost as unique as the storylines featured in the critically acclaimed, unconventional TV series starring Jason Bateman.
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The sitcom, shot in mockumentary style, debuted on Fox in November 2003. While Arrested Development didn’t ever enjoy a large viewership, critics showered the show with so much praise that Fox renewed it for two more seasons.
The comedy series not only earned six Primetime Emmy Awards but appeared on Time’s, Entertainment Weekly’s, and Rolling Stone’s lists of best TV shows ever.
After originally ending in February 2006, Arrested Development continued building a niche audience. In fact, the show — which satirized an eccentric, affluent family — was so beloved that Netflix brought back the show for two additional seasons.
Over the course of its run, the critically acclaimed TV show racked up an incomparable list of guest actors who played recurring characters. To name just a few: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ben Stiller, Henry Winkler, Ed Begley Jr., Liza Minnelli, Charlize Theron, Amy Poehler, Carl Weathers, and Jane Lynch.
As for the main cast, here’s a rundown of their career and personal accomplishments after Arrested Development wrapped its fifth and final season in March 2019.
Jason Bateman (Michael Bluth)
After Arrested Development, Bateman continued adding to his filmography, which he started with Little House on the Prairie in 1981. This past April, he wrapped up the Netflix crime drama Ozark, which ran for four seasons. Bateman was also one of the show’s executive producers and directors. Netflix premiered Season 3 of the show in March 2020 and Season 4 in two parts earlier this year. Bateman scooped up a Primetime Emmy Award for best direction of a drama series in 2019. He’s working on multiple movies and TV projects, including Ben Affleck’s Nike film — and slipping in the occasional vacation with his wife and Jennifer Aniston.
Will Arnett (George Oscar Bluth II)
In February 2020, he started hosting Fox’s reality-TV show Lego Masters, which revolves around building Lego projects. The show is currently in its third season. Arnett and Bateman also co-host the podcast SmartLess with Will & Grace actor Sean Hayes. It premiered in July 2020 and almost immediately became one of the most popular podcasts. Earlier this year, he starred in Netflix’s Murderville, a partially improvised, comedic murder-mystery. Each episode features Arnett trying to solve a crime with a guest star who knows nothing about the plot. Arnett will appear in Taika Waititi’s sports comedy-drama Next Goal Wins, which stars Michael Fassbender and is set to hit theaters in April.
Jessica Walter (Lucille Bluth)
Walter died of natural causes in March 2021. She was 80 years old. Her former Arrested Development cast mates immediately praised her. “R. I. P. Jessica Walter,” Bateman said on Twitter. “What an incredible career, filled with amazing performances. … She was one of a kind.” Will Arnett added, also on Twitter: “Jessica Walter was a deeply talented person. We first met on a pilot in ‘96 and I was instantly blown away. I’m fortunate to have had a front row seat to her brilliance for 25 years.”Meanwhile, David Cross tweeted: “I just heard the sh—y news about Jessica Walter[,] an absolutely brilliant actress and amazing talent. Lucille Bluth is one of TV’s greatest characters.”
Michael Cera (George Michael)
Now 34 years old — he was still a teen when Arrested Development started — Cera continues to act and play music. He stars in Amy Schumer’s Life & Beth comedy-drama series, which Hulu renewed for a second season earlier this year. Also, he will appear in Greta Gerwig’s live-action Barbie movie, due in theaters in July. Cera showed off his bass-playing skills as a touring member of indie-rock band Mister Heavenly. Last but not least, Cera became a dad roughly a year ago.
Jeffrey Tambor (George Bluth Sr.)
After Arrested Development, Jeffrey Tambor went relatively quiet, likely due to controversies that came to light before the TV series ended. However, he did appear in Magic Camp, a fantasy-comedy released in 2020. Sadly, Tambor’s legacy includes sexual misconduct allegations that led to his departure from Transparent. Tambor earned a slew of awards for his starring role as a trans woman in the comedy-drama.
David Cross (Tobias Fünke)
Following Arrested Development, David Cross continued with his career as a stand-up comic (he started at age 17). His comedy recordings earned him two Grammy Award nominations, and he related his latest one — I’m From the Future — earlier this year. Cross regularly lends his voice to projects ranging from video games (Grand Theft Auto) to animated TV shows (Big Mouth, Bubble Guppies) to the wacky sci-fi comedy movie Sorry to Bother You. Now 58, Cross is married to actress Amber Tamblyn, and they have a child together.
Alia Shawkat (Mae “Maeby” Fünke)
Alia Shawkat continues to enjoy considerable success in various roles on TV. She starred in Search Party, which wrapped its five-season run on HBO Max earlier this year. Also, she is part of the main cast on The Old Man, the Jeff Bridges action-drama that FX recently renewed for a second season. Additionally, she has a growing filmography that includes the critically lauded movie First Cow; Being the Ricardos with Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem; and Zoe Kravitz’s debut film, Pussy Island, which is currently filming.
Tony Hale (Byron “Buster” Bluth)
Of all the actors in the main cast of Arrested Development, Tony Hale got the biggest career boost. He parlayed his success into a main role on Veep, getting six consecutive Emmy Award nominations (and winning two) along the way. He currently stars in the Disney+ series The Mysterious Benedict Society, Season 2 of which recently premiered. Similarly, he regularly lends his voice to children’s films, including Toy Story 4 and The Angry Birds Movie 2. Tony Hale is married to make-up artist Martel Thompson, with whom he has a daughter.
Portia de Rossi (Lindsay)
Portia de Rossi retired from acting after Arrested Development ended its run. Currently, she helps with various philanthropic efforts. Also, she is the owner of General Public, an art curation and publishing company. Portia de Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres celebrated their 14-year wedding anniversary two months ago and recently sold their Beverly Hills home for $8.8 million.
