Sarah joined the cast in 2009 as one of the interns from “rival” hospital, Mercy West, when it merged with Seattle Grace. Due to her faith, her character struggled with many difficulties, especially seeing good people die.

Her relationship with Jackson was both tumultuous and heartwarming, especially after they lost their baby to Spina Bifida. April married Matthew and left Seattle to continue working with the homeless.

Sarah has appeared in a few guest roles since leaving Grey’s Anatomy, but her success has largely come from Hallmark movies like Christmas in Vienna and Reindeer Games Homecoming.

She also played the lead role in the 2020 film Indivisible, based on the true story behind the film. In addition to acting, Sarah has also directed episodes of the TV shows Grey’s Anatomy and Mixed-ish.

Jackson Avery, a plastic surgeon at Grey-Sloan Memorial, had to live up to the legacy of his world-famous surgeon grandfather Harper Avery. He had a relationship with fellow surgeon April Kepner, and they had two children, but their first child passed from a birth defect, straining their relationship.

The couple broke up in Season 12. Jackson later invited April to join him in Boston to take over the Harper Avery Foundation, which they both accepted, resulting in their departure from the show.

Jesse Williams produced the Academy Award-winning short film Two Distant Strangers in 2021. The actor has been active in many other projects outside of Grey’s Anatomy. He has appeared in films such as Selah and The Spades, and Random Acts of Violence.

Williams starred in the Broadway revival of Take Me Out. He has also produced a number of projects, including a documentary and a short film called Two Distant Strangers. This film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short Film in 2021.

Arizona joined Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as the new head of pediatric surgery and developed a crush on Callie. They eventually got married, but their marriage was strained due to their disagreement about having kids.

Arizona lost her leg in a plane crash where the team lost Mark and Lexie. After some affairs, a surprise baby, and a custody battle, Arizona eventually moved to New York to be with Callie and their daughter.

Jessica Capshaw has since appeared in Dear Zoe, as well as several other TV shows. This includes a recurring role in the legal drama series For the People and a guest role in the comedy series Big Shot.

She also appeared in the Lifetime movie A Christmas Wish and voiced the character of Jetstream in the animated series Harley Quinn.

Link, head of orthopedic surgery, is known for his brilliance with children and their injuries. He’s also passionate about using 3D printers to create prosthetics with superhero themes. His relationship with Amelia began after she found out she was pregnant with his baby.

Although Link had initial fears about being a father, he eventually chose to support Amelia and be there for the birth of their son, Scout Derek Shepherd Lincoln. Chris Carmack remains a regular cast member on the show, with no upcoming projects announced.

In addition to his acting career, Carmack has also pursued a music career and released his debut album, Pieces of You, in 2018.

He continues to balance his acting and music endeavors while also portraying Dr. Atticus “Link” Lincoln on Grey’s Anatomy. And we’re glad he’s still around!

Lexie was Meredith’s half-sister who had a strong desire to establish a relationship with her. Lexie also had an on-and-off relationship with Mark Sloan, who she shared a deep love for. The couple had a tumultuous relationship that included Mark fathering a child with Callie Torres.

In season eight, both Lexie and Mark passed away tragically in a plane crash while on their way to perform surgery. Chyler Leigh discussed her exit with the show’s creators to ensure that it was done properly.

After leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Chyler Leigh landed a leading role in the TV series Taxi Brooklyn. This show aired from 2014 to 2015.

She then went on to star in the series Supergirl, which premiered in 2015 and ran for six seasons, with Leigh portraying the character Alex Danvers.

The first episode of Grey’s Anatomy featured Meredith getting out of a stranger’s bed, only to discover he was her boss at work. Meredith aimed to make her own name in the medical field, despite her famous surgeon mother’s legacy.

Meredith’s relationship with Derek is a focal point of the show and one that everyone has been cheering for. She faced love, heartbreak, and loss. After Derek’s passing, Meredith continued to dedicate herself to her family and career.

In 2022, Ellen Pompeo announced her departure from the show, and the writers moved Meredith and her kids to Boston to continue her story. We’re excited to see what’s next for Ellen, though!

Ellen Pompeo has primarily focused on her work on Grey’s Anatomy over the years, but she’s also appeared in a few other projects. She starred in the film Life of the Party in 2018, where she played a supporting role. Pompeo also executive produced the limited series Paradise in 2021, which aired on IMDb TV.

Mark Sloane was a character on Grey’s Anatomy who had a complicated history with the main characters. He was introduced in season two and became known as “McSteamy.” He had affairs with both Derek’s wife, Addison, and Derek’s love interest, Meredith.

Despite his early troublesome behavior, Mark redeemed himself and became a series favorite. He had a tumultuous relationship with Meredith’s sister, Lexie, and also had a fling with Callie, resulting in the birth of their daughter, Sofia.

Eric Dane, who played Mark Sloane, left Grey’s Anatomy to take on the main role in the TV series, The Last Ship. Since leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Eric Dane has been busy with various projects. In addition to his starring role in The Last Ship, he’s also appeared in several movies, including Valentine’s Day, Marley & Me, and Burlesque.

He also had a recurring role in the HBO series Euphoria as Cal Jacobs, and appeared in the FX series Pose as a character named Vince Winters. In 2021, he starred in the Netflix film Stowaway alongside Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette.

Dr. Andrew DeLuca is introduced in a dramatic way in Grey’s Anatomy, bringing in patients from an ambulance and declaring himself a surgeon. Unfortunately, his first day at Grey Sloan Memorial goes awry as the other interns reject him, and he’s attacked by Jo’s boyfriend, Alex.

Andrew makes friends with Jo and rekindles a romance with an ex, but she has to leave to avoid being deported. Andrew then kisses Meredith, beginning their relationship. He later takes the fall for her insurance fraud, and they confess their love for each other. Sadly, Andrew exited the show in Season 17.

Giacomo Gianniotti, who played Dr. Andrew DeLuca on Grey’s Anatomy, has continued to pursue acting after leaving the show. The actor is set to appear as Diabolik in the movie Diabolik – Ginkgo Attacks.

He’s appeared in several movies, including Acquainted and The Catcher Was a Spy, and has also had recurring roles in TV shows such as Murdoch Mysteries and The Good Doctor. Additionally, Gianniotti has directed several episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and has expressed interest in pursuing more directing opportunities in the future.

Greg played a popular character in Grey’s Anatomy, known for his arrogance, but he’s best known for his SAG award-winning role as Richard Fish in Ally McBeal. He portrayed a talented neurosurgeon in Grey’s Anatomy, often saving patients with neurological issues.

Despite his perpetual flirting, his short-lived relationship with Teddy ended when she left him for Owen. During the episodes that take place in 2020, Dr. Tom struggles with the virus, witnessing people passing on and losing his love interest to a rival, leading him to accept a position in Boston.

You can catch the actor in Firefly Lane on Netflix. But he also had recurring roles on shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Unicorn, as well as guest appearances on The Flight Attendant and 9-1-1: Lone Star.

In addition, he has lent his voice to several animated series, including Big Hero 6: The Series and Harley Quinn. Germann has also appeared in films such as Tallulah and The Last Word.

Dr. Preston Burke, a tough but brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, developed a relationship with Cristina, and they decided to marry, despite his intolerance for her mistakes. On the day of the wedding, he left Cristina waiting at the altar, citing cold feet.

Isaiah Washington’s exit from the show was due to negative public comments he made against co-star T.R. Knight. After he made some derogatory remarks, the show didn’t want to be associated with him.

Since then, Washington has moved on to roles in other shows, like The 100. In 2022, he co-wrote, directed, and starred in the film Corsicana. Isaiah Washington has also appeared in The CW’s drama, The Last Ship.

He has also starred in several films, including Blue Caprice, Blackbird, and Cut Throat City. Additionally, Washington has produced and directed several projects, such as his directorial debut, the film Made in America.

The typical nerd with an overprotective mother, Levi battled socially and lacked self-confidence, resulting in him being very clumsy, which affected his work. His family helped him get through medical school, but at the price of being involved in every decision he had to make.

Nico Kim, an orthopedic fellow, winked at Levi during a surgery. Levi had never dated anyone before and wasn’t sure about his romantic attractions. During a severe wind storm, Levi and Nico were trapped in an ambulance, where he told Nico he thought he could be gay. Nico, swayed by Levi’s story, kisses him, and they embark on a relationship.

Jake came out on the show and in real life at the same time. Borelli announced just how overjoyed he was to play a gay character that was missing from TV shows when he was growing up.

He’s still currently on the show, but has also been in several other TV shows, such as Station 19 and NCIS, and movies, including The Thing About Harry.

Dr. Richard Webber was the first Chief of Surgery, aka The Big Boss, at Seattle-Grace and, although intimidating, was also kind to the terrified interns. He knew Meredith’s late mother, having worked with her before, and could see Meredith had inherited her mother’s medical talents.

Dr. Webber lost his wife, somehow got electrocuted, and helped Meredith with the insurance fraud, which got him fired, albeit temporarily. He’s still roaming the halls of Grey Sloan Memorial to this day. Honestly, he’s the glue that holds Grey’s Anatomy together.

James is still a regular on the show, the longest-standing actor in the series. Away from his professional career, he enjoys horseback riding and roping cattle.

He’s been taking fewer acting jobs as he’s been getting older. But James Pickens can also be seen on The Conners and Station 19, and heard on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

Alex was introduced as a rude intern at Seattle Grace Hospital, but his brilliance in medicine, particularly with children, made him an invaluable asset to the hospital. He was involved with several characters, including Izzie, Meredith, and Jo, with whom he ultimately got married.

However, after discovering that Izzie had his children, he left Seattle to be with them. Justin Chambers, who played Alex, decided to leave the show after 15 years.

Since leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Justin Chambers has appeared in a few projects. He played a recurring role in the Netflix miniseries The Dangerous Book for Boys in 2018.

He also starred in the film Grey Lady in 2017 and had a supporting role in the drama film The Public in 2018. In addition to his on-screen work, Chambers has also done voice acting for video games, including The Legend of Tarzan in 2016 and Final Fantasy Type-0 HD in 2015.

Addison shocked viewers in the season one finale as no one knew she and Derek were still married, which made things awkward with his new girlfriend, Meredith. After the love triangle was resolved and Addison and Derek divorced, producer Shonda Rimes created the spin-off Private Practice with Kate as the lead. The show had successful crossovers with Grey’s Anatomy but ended after five seasons in 2013.

Kate Walsh was not done with Seattle Grace, though, because she made a return to Grey’s Anatomy in its 18th season as Dr. Addison Montgomery. Her appearance was highly anticipated by fans, who were excited to see her character back on the show after such a long absence.

Kate’s performance on Grey’s Anatomy was praised by viewers and critics alike, and her return added an extra layer of nostalgia to the show’s already emotional storyline. Kate has since appeared in 13 Reasons Why and The Umbrella Academy on Netflix.

In addition to her work on television, she has also appeared in several films, including the comedy-drama Girls Trip and the action-thriller Honest Thief. Walsh has also continued to work on stage, appearing in productions of If I Forget and 365 Days/365 Plays.

Izzie was a tenacious character who overcame a tough upbringing to become a successful doctor. She fought hard to save the life of her patient and love interest, Denny, but was devastated when he ultimately passed away.

After being diagnosed with cancer, she married Alex Karev, but was later fired and left the show in season six. Katherine Heigl’s departure from Grey’s Anatomy was marred by tension, and it was reportedly due to her removing her name from an Emmy nomination.

After leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Katherine Heigl went on to star in several movies, including Life as We Know It, Killers, and One for the Money. She also starred in the NBC political drama series State of Affairs.

In 2020, she starred in and produced the Netflix series Firefly Lane, based on the novel by Kristin Hannah. Heigl has also been actively involved in philanthropic work, including working with organizations such as the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, which focuses on animal welfare, and the American Cancer Society.

Owen Hunt came to Seattle Grace from serving overseas and took the position of head of trauma surgery. His unstable personality intertwined with being a love interest for Cristina Yang was an interesting story arc. His relationship with Cristina was strained and eventually came to an end when she left for a better position in Switzerland.

Owen then starts a relationship with Amelia, but he has an affair with Teddy, which results in a pregnancy. Then it’s discovered Amelia has a brain tumor. Things get messy, and they divorce. Owen adopts a baby given up by a teenage substance abuser, and Teddy gives birth to a girl that they name Alison. Eventually, Owen and Teddy unite and get married.

Kevin McKidd is still on the show, and makes the occasional guest appearance in Station 19. He has also acted in a few movies in recent years, including T2 Trainspotting and Tulip Fever. You can also catch him in a few episodes of Six Four.

Kevin’s busy in his personal life too. He got married in 2018 and welcomed two children soon after — a son in 2018 and a daughter in 2019. He also has two children from his first marriage.

Derek, played by Patrick Dempsey, was initially introduced in Grey’s Anatomy as a married man, which caused a stir among fans when it was revealed that he had a complicated past with Meredith. Their relationship was one of the central storylines of the show, with ups and downs, including a marriage and a devastating passing.

After a much-anticipated reconciliation, Derek was involved in a fatal car accident. He made an appearance in a dream sequence to tell Meredith it wasn’t her time to go and that she had to wake up from her coma. Patrick had been thinking of leaving the show for a while, so to keep his and Meredith’s love frozen in time, the writers wrote him out.

Since leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey has appeared in various films and television shows. He starred in the films Bridget Jones’s Baby and The Art of Racing in the Rain, as well as the TV miniseries The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair.

Dempsey also executive produced and starred in the TV series Devils. In addition to his acting career, Dempsey is an avid race car driver and has competed in various races around the world.

Cristina proved to have a natural ability for cardiothoracic surgery, and Preston Burke took her under his wing, giving her extra attention, if you know what we mean. When he got hurt and developed a hand tremor, jeopardizing his surgeries, she covered for him. They quickly formed an unusual relationship, eventually getting engaged.

The marriage wasn’t meant to be, with Burke leaving Cristina at the altar. After he left, Cristina had on-off relationships with Owen Hunt and Shane Ross. She actually married Hunt, but the relationship was doomed because she didn’t want kids, and he did. Cristina eventually moved to Switzerland, where she bought a hospital and thrived.

Since leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Sandra Oh has been keeping busy with numerous acting projects. The talented actress has gone on to star in Killing Eve, earning her a second Golden Globe, with her first coming from her performance as Cristina Yang.

In 2013, she starred in the independent film Window Horses: The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming and lent her voice to the animated movie The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. In addition, Oh has made appearances in various TV shows and films, including American Crime and Catfight.

George was a beloved intern who fell in love with Meredith at first sight. After their one-night stand, George moved on to Callie, whom he eventually married. However, their relationship was strained after he discovered Callie had a fling with Mark Sloan.

George had a one-night stand with Izzie, but they ultimately fizzled out. He enlisted and was fatally injured in a bus accident before he could be deployed. T.R. Knight left the show due to a “breakdown in communication with the show creators.”

T.R. Knight has continued to work in television and theater. He appeared in the television shows The Good Wife, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Genius, among others.

He also had a recurring role in the Hulu series, 11.22.63, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. In theater, he starred in the Broadway productions of It’s Only a Play and Noises Off, as well as the off-Broadway play Pocatello.

Callie was a recurring character turned regular on Grey’s Anatomy. She became romantically involved with George, whom she later married, but their relationship deteriorated after he had a one-night stand with Izzie. Callie later discovered she was bi after a flirty encounter with Erica Hahn, but their relationship didn’t last.

She eventually married Arizona Robbins, but their marriage faced challenges after Callie became pregnant with Mark Sloane’s child. After the plane crash where Mark and Lexie were lost, Callie had to approve the amputation of Arizona’s leg. This decision led to their marriage’s downfall.

Sara Ramirez, who played Callie, is now focused on their singing career since leaving the show. Along with their music, though, Sara has continued to pursue their acting career.

They landed a lead role in the CBS drama Madam Secretary, where they played the character Kat Sandoval from 2017 to 2019. They have also lent their voice to the character of Queen Miranda in the Disney animated series Sofia the First and the spinoff series Elena of Avalor.

Camilla Luddington is a British-born actress who joined Grey’s Anatomy in season nine, taking on the role of Dr. Jo Wilson. She was initially only a guest star, but by season 10, her character proved very popular, and she became a regular.

Jo’s difficult past was revealed, including the fact that she changed her name to avoid her ex-husband. Camilla Luddington’s sensitive and powerful portrayal of the character has garnered praise from fans and critics of the show.

The actress appeared in several other TV shows, including Californication, True Blood, and The Royals. In 2020, she starred in the Netflix holiday film The Christmas Setup.

Camilla is still on the show, saving lives as an OB-GYN. Her character has had quite the arc, from meeting Alex and eventually marrying him and then him leaving, to meeting baby Luna whose mom passed away giving birth, and, after a lot of struggles, becoming her adoptive mother. We look forward to where her story goes from here.

Amelia Shepherd is Derek Shepherd’s little sister and first appeared on Private Practice with her former sister-in-law, Addison Montgomery. When Private Practice ended its run in 2013, Amelia moved over to Seattle Grace, and Caterina became part of the main cast of the mother show from season 11.

While working with her former sister-in-law Addison, she had many struggles, including the loss of a newborn. She also had a failed marriage to Owen, a brain tumor diagnosis, and a surprise pregnancy. The character still roams the halls of the hospital and even occasionally guest stars on Station 19.

Besides Grey’s Anatomy, Caterina Scorsone has appeared on the TV series Missing and starred in the Lifetime movie 1-800-Missing. In 2013, she appeared in the film The November Man with Pierce Brosnan.

Scorsone also lent her voice to the animated series Ready Jet Go! and Pound Puppies. Caterina is still on the show. Meanwhile, she also occasionally guest stars on the spin-off, Station 19.

The no-nonsense and formidable Miranda Bailey initially hated her interns but became a maternal figure to them over time. She gave birth during a perceived threat to the hospital and applied for a pediatric surgery fellowship.

But her husband threatened divorce if she accepted, which made them break up. Chandra Wilson has won awards for her portrayal of Miranda, who returned as an attending general surgeon in Season 19.

Chandra has also lent her voice to various animated TV series, including American Dad! In 2018, she directed an episode of Grey’s Anatomy and has since gone on to direct several episodes.

Additionally, she has made appearances on other TV shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Good Wife. Chandra has won numerous awards for her portrayal of Miranda Bailey. She’s still on the main show but also appears on Station 19 as a recurring character.

The ’80s were a wild time for physical fitness. Armed with leg warmers and an excessive amount of sweatbands, ’80s stars brought it when it came to working out. They filled VHS tapes with hours of sweat-inducing routines. Let’s check in to see where they are today.

Denise Austin was quite a big deal. After graduating, Austin began teaching fitness classes, releasing exercise tapes and writing books. Her television program, Getting Fit with Denise Austin, ran on ESPN2 and still airs on ESPN Classic.

Denise Austin still loves being a part of the fitness world. She told SHAPE magazine, “I still have so much fun promoting fitness. It never goes ‘out of style’ or gets old!” Austin’s ESPN show eventually moved to Lifetime Television and was renamed Fit and Lite. The show was canceled in 2008, but Austin moved on to other projects. She released her most recent workout tape in 2014 called Yoga Booty Lift. She continues to stay naturally fit and eats well to this day without skipping meals.

By the time Jane Fonda released The Jane Fonda Workout, she had already established herself as a household name as an actress. Her workout video became the highest selling home video with over one million copies sold. Baby boomers were so eager to get their hands on her workout tape that they began buying VCRs in heaps to sweat along with Jane. Her workout video series of 23 videos sold an incredible 17 million copies in total.

Jane Fonda eventually took a long break from exercise videos to focus on her acting career and her private life. 15 years after her last workout video, Fonda released two new films on DVD in 2010. With the new format came a new target audience, older women. Fonda retired from acting in the early 1990s but made a return to the big screen in 2005’s Monster-In-Law. She currently stars in the Netflix original series Grace and Frankie with comedian Lily Tomlin.

Not all workout stars from the ’80s came from film backgrounds like Jane Fonda. Kathy Smith took her interest in running and expanded it into a workout video empire. Since 1980, her workout tapes have sold more than a million copies. She created an exercise and nutrition program called Project: You! Type2. She worked with the American Diabetes Association to help those suffering from type 2 diabetes manage their lifestyle within the confines of their disorder.

Few workout stars have come close to Kathy Smith’s success within the workout industry. She is called the “titan of the workout industry” due to her incredible success. Throughout her career, Kathy Smith has made over $500 million through a combination of her fitness tapes, books, equipment, and apparel. Her workout success landed her in the Video Hall of Fame. She is the International Council on Active Aging’s spokesperson, a position she landed due to the success of her book, Moving Through Menopause.

She might have been billed as an ice princess, but Kerrigan was far from royalty. Her father worked tirelessly at multiple jobs so that Nancy could skate. His determination and her hard work helped Nancy become one of the best skaters in the world. Her performance at the Junior National Championships in 1987 put her on the map. In 1989 she finished fourth at the senior National Championships and would soon dominate the sport. She earned a bronze medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics, setting the stage for 1994.

Of course, Kerrigan would soon be tangled up in the Tonya Harding drama. Nancy’s face became plastered across the world as she wept in pain, crying “Why, why, why?” She recovered from her injuries and took the silver medal in Lillehammer. After retiring from competition, Kerrigan joined the production of ice shows. She worked on Champions on Ice, Broadway on Ice, and a musical adaptation of Footloose. Recently, she competed on Dancing with the Stars, but was eliminated in the seventh week.

Tamilee Webb became a household name in the exercise world due to her involvement with two acclaimed fitness series, Buns of Steel and Abs of Steel. Her involvement in Greg Smithey’s workout videos put her right at the epicenter of the ’80s and ’90s workout craze. The series’ were heavily promoted through infomercials and led to over $10 million in VHS sales. This helped her secure a position as a fitness expert for FitTV, a property of Discovery Communications.

Tamilee Webb has no intention of giving up on the fitness lifestyle anytime soon. Most recently, Webb released Buns of Steel 3, Abs of Steel 1, and Arms and Abs of Steel as a bundled item. They are available on DVD as one collection. You might not think that a fitness guru would also be quite brilliant, but Webb certainly is. She has a master’s degree in exercise science and also runs her own company. She is the CEO of Webb International.

Raquel Welch is one of the most beautiful women ever to walk the planet. As a side project from her acting career, Welch wrote a book, Raquel: The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program, giving tips and instruction on aerobic and yoga exercises as well as lifestyle tips. She also produced a handful of fitness and yoga videos based on the book which was directed by Andre Weinfeld. Welch got her break in Hollywood in Fantastic Voyage (1966).

Now 77, Raquel is still stunning. As she aged, her acting became significantly better. No longer was she speaking only three lines and appearing in scant bikinis like in One Million Years B.C. Raquel was becoming a true movie star in addition to becoming an icon. She won a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in The Three Musketeers. 13 years later, Welch received another Golden Globe nomination for Right To Die. Men’s Health listed her as the number two best looking woman of all time.

Confidence was never lost on Tony Little. His ability to rock that ponytail alone qualifies him as confident. In addition, Little referred to himself as “America’s Personal Trainer.” When you lead to $4 billion in the sale of fitness products, you can rock whatever hairstyle you want. Little began making fitness videos while recovering from a car accident. Most of Little’s products were sold on home shopping television networks such as HSN and QVC. He is known for his product, the Gazelle, an elliptical.

Tony Little was deeply affected by his father leaving him and his mother when he was young. Still, Little was able to rise above it to become the success that he is today. Due to his cartoonish large smile, ponytail, and absurd workout infomercials, Little has always been the target of parody. Fortunately, he is able to laugh at himself, as well as poke fun at others in the industry such as Fabio and Richard Simmons. He appears in a TV show here and there.

Only so many people can pull off the mononym. Cherilyn Sarkisian is a bit of a mouthful, but Cher captivated the public with not only her exceptional singing voice and acting skills but also her interest in fitness. Cher was every bit the ’80s star, but her popular fitness book, Forever Fit: The Lifetime Plan for Health, Fitness, and Beauty was released in 1991. She followed it up the next year with two workout videos – CherFitness: A New Attitude and CherFitness: Body Confidence.

The 71-year-old Cher has never really left the spotlight. She might not be releasing any exercise films anytime soon, but she rocks a banging body. Cher fans were in for a treat at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. She made her first award show performance in over 15 years, singing Believe and If I Could Turn Back Time. With her stunning bodysuit, Cher announced, “I can do a five-minute plank, ok?” letting the crowd know that she’s still got it.

’80s workout tape collections were incomplete without Richard Simmons. His eccentric personality and outrageous fashion were only topped by his unrelenting energy and ability to command a workout class. He was not afraid to show physically unfit people sweat along with him in his fitness videos, and never failed to offer inspirational advice and help his viewers feel better about themselves.

Even though he has retreated from public life since his heydays in the ’80s, Simmons continues to embrace his inner extrovert, complete with his famed sparkling outfits. Since 2014, Simmons seemingly fell off the face of the earth. He stopped appearing at major public events and eventually began avoiding the public altogether. Simmons continued to own his Slimmons gym, but it closed in 2016. In 2017, police visited his home for a “welfare check.” Death rumors aside, police found Simmons alive and well.

Chris Evert began training for tennis before she started first grade. Her father was a former tennis player and began coaching her when she was five. After winning the U-16 National Championship, Evert was invited to play in the US Open in 1971. Incredibly, she lost in the semi-finals although she had just started driving. Evert won 18 Grand Slams titles over the course of her career, notably starting a rivalry with Martina Navratilova. She has the record for most consecutive years with a Grand Slam title.

Nearly 20 years after she entered her first Grand Slam, Chris Evert retired from tennis in 1989. She had dominated for two decades, winning 154 singles titles including her Grand Slam titles. Chris also took home 32 doubles titles. One crazy note from her career: Evert reached the semifinals 273 times out of 303 tournaments in her career. She was married three times, all to professional athletes. Currently, Evert runs a tennis academy in Florida and works on ESPN as part of their Grand Slam broadcasts.

With a brilliant marketing campaign, Jake Steinfeld launched a fantastic career as a fitness guru. His company, Body By Jake pushed him to the top of the fitness industry, making him an icon in the process. Many people credit Steinfeld with popularizing the personal fitness training industry. Jake started his own fitness lifestyle network, the 24-hour FitTv, making plenty of cash off of it by selling it to News Corp. He then started ExerciseTV, an on-demand fitness television network.

Jake Steinfeld had such a knack for business that he turned his training business into a massive company called Body By Jake Global. Throughout his life, Jake has been quite the entrepreneur. In addition to his fitness networks, Jake also started a weight loss program called FitOrbit. In 2001, Jake founded the first professional outdoor lacrosse league, Major League Lacrosse. Steinfeld was one of only 22 Americans chosen to be an Olympic torchbearer for the 2012 London games. He now hosts a podcast.

Throughout the ’80s, Heather Locklear was one of the most popular actresses on television. Whether as Sammy Jo Carrington in Dynasty or Stacy Sheridan in T.J. Hooker, Locklear always put on a good show. With her incredible physique, women wanted to be her and men wanted to be with her. Her workout videos, Personal Training Sessions, had people believing that they could look as stunning in a leotard. They might not have looked as good, but she whipped them into shape.

Celebrity trainer Garrett Warren of the Woodland Hills Athletic Club might know the secret to her sustained success. He said, “Heather is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, but also one of the most professional. She was always on time, incredibly committed and very driven when it came to her workouts.” At 56, Locklear still looks incredible. It’s been some time since her last workout video, but Locklear still is hard at work in television.

Regardless of her output for the rest of her life, Olivia Newton-John will always be known as Sandy in Grease. While no one can forget the first time they saw her strut her stuff in all black, Newton-John is also known for her most successful studio album, Physical. The title track spent ten weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. She then layered the suggestive lyrics on top of an aerobics themed video as she pranced around in her exercise attire.

Olivia Newton-John has long moved on from her ultra ’80s Physical period but continues to tour and make music. Her most recent album, a Christmas album with Australian pop singer John Farnham titled Friends for Christmas, peaked at number one in Australia. In 2015, she appeared as a guest judge on both RuPaul’s Drag Race and Dancing with the Stars. You recently could have caught her live during her Las Vegas residency at the Flamingo Hotel.

By the time Jamie Lee Curtis appeared in Perfect, a 1985 film starring John Travolta, she had become a huge movie star due to John Carpenter’s Halloween. Perfect told the story of the rise of Los Angeles health clubs in the 1970s and was based on a series of articles in Rolling Stone magazine in the ’70s. The film did not do well, but it placed Curtis into the aerobic culture. The athletic community was grateful for the press it brought them.

Thanks to her appearances in Carpenter’s Halloween series as Laurie Strode, Curtis became widely known as the “Scream Queen.” In addition to Halloween, she starred in Prom Night, Terror Train, and Roadgames, solidifying her claim to the name. In 2015-2016, she even appeared in a series called Scream Queens. Curtis has actively continued acting in films and television. Unfortunately, she has not appeared in any exercise-related films in some time. We’ll just have to settle for more Halloween films.

Just north of the border, Cynthia Kereluk began cultivating a fanbase as the exercise guru of Canada. Her stunning figure came from a combination of hard work and having great genes. Kereluk’s beauty was so undeniable that she won Miss Canada in 1984 and competed in Miss Universe later that year. Between 1985 and 2000, Kereluk hosted an exercise program titled Everyday Workout. It aired in both Canada (on WTN) and the United States (on Lifetime) giving her a large multinational audience.

Beyond aerobics, Kereluk never had much of a career. Her looks landed her a few small parts in B-movies such as Overnight, Mark of Cain, and The Pink Chiquitas, but her acting career never took off. She was able to live off of her three-decade spanning show for some time though. With her show in the rearview, Kereluk found another way to get her blood pumping – love. She married Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers in 2007 at a surprise ceremony in British Columbia.

It is impossible to talk about ’80s stars without the inclusion of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Before his incredible acting career, Arnold was an exceptional bodybuilder. As a 20-year-old, he won the Mr. Universe title. He is considered one of the greatest bodybuilders ever, capturing the Mr. Olympia title seven times. Arnold still holds the record as youngest Mr. Olympia ever, winning in 1970 at age 23. He retired from professional bodybuilding following the 1975 Mr. Olympia event. Surprisingly, he returned in 1980 to take the crown one last time.

As great of a bodybuilder as he was, Arnold was looking for stardom beyond barbells. The beginning of his career was a little tough due to his thick accent, but he persevered and become one of the biggest action stars in history. His life took another turn when he announced his candidacy for governor of California. Soon the Terminator became the Governator. He served as California’s governor from 2003 to 2011. After stepping out of public office, Arnold returned to Hollywood.

Better known for his onscreen successes, Lou Ferrigno, was a great bodybuilder before heading to Hollywood. After graduating from high school, he won the title of Mr. America. Only four years later, he would move on to winning Mr. Universe. At one point in his career, he trained with Arnold Schwarzenegger. His attempt to defeat him as Mr. Olympia became the subject of a documentary, Pumping Iron. The film gave Ferrigno fame he never expected and led to his Hollywood life.

After Pumping Iron, Ferrigno landed his biggest role as Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk. He was a perfect fit for the role as his bulging muscles were quite appropriate for Banner’s green alter ego. Ferrigno is proud of his work as the Hulk. In 2000, he began playing a fictionalized version of himself on The King of Queens. Kevin James’ character would frequently berate him with Hulk-related jokes. He hasn’t fully left his bodybuilding past behind. He appeared on the cover of Flex magazine in 2017.

The exercise movement in the ’80s would only be so powerful without the influence of Judi Sheppard Missett. Sheppard Missett launched one of the most successful fitness franchises of them all – Jazzercise. She founded a company that would eventually have 8,300 franchisees across the world all toting her fitness routines combining dance, resistance, and strength. Each routine bounces along to upbeat popular music for a total body workout. She initially trained franchisees remotely through VHS tapes.

Sheppard Missett is looking good and feeling great to this day. In an op-ed for the Huffington Post, Sheppard Missett wrote about her long relationship with fitness and how it impacted her career. Incredibly, Judi claims that “I feel about 30. Then I look in the mirror, and I don’t see a 30-year-old. What I do see is someone who looks pretty good, is active and healthy, and has a serious spark to her.”

Tonya Harding was born into a blue-collar family in Portland, Oregon and began skating at age three. She learned many skills from her father like hunting and car mechanics but always wanted to skate. Harding started turning heads in the late ’80s as a skater and by the ’90s was one of the best in the world. After a disappointing fourth place finish at the 1992 Olympics, she came gunning for the gold in 1994. Unfortunately, scandal followed her to Lillehammer.

Leading up to the Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Harding’s biggest competitor, Nancy Kerrigan, was tragically struck with a club to her knee. Rumors swirled leading up to the competition that Harding was involved in the beating. Eventually, it was revealed that Harding’s ex-husband hired the man who beat Kerrigan. Harding finished eighth at the Olympics. She eventually pled guilty to conspiring to hinder the prosecution. In the early 2000s, she started a boxing career, leaving the sport with three wins and three losses.

By the time Suzanne Somers became the spokesperson for the Thighmaster, she had already established herself on the silver screen. She starred on ABC’s Three’s Company as Chrissy Snow for the first five seasons. According to Complex.com, “As the spokeswoman for the Thighmaster, she [Suzanne Somers] is largely responsible for the invention of the infomercial … we would never have had the joys of ShamWow, Shake Weight, and Miss Cleo’s Psychic Friend’s Network if she hadn’t blazed that trail.”

Suzanne Somers is best known for her roles on Three’s Company and Step by Step but never truly let herself be defined by one job or one industry. In addition to acting, she also is an author, singer, businesswoman, and spokesperson. She made her Broadway debut in 2005 in The Blonde in the Thunderbird, a one-woman show. She continues to stay in the news for a variety of controversial stances on medical treatments and subjects, but will always be remembered for the Thighmaster.

Charlene Prickett was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in the 1940s and focused her career on simple workouts that anyone can do. With simple workout moves, Prickett’s workouts attracted many older people as well as those looking to add athletics to their daily routine slowly. Not everyone loved Charlene’s workouts. Many claimed that the videos had too much talking in them and not in a constructive and motivating manner. Her videos were still popular but were off-putting to many.

Charlene not only instructed classes in her videos, but she also wrote and directed them. During her time as a fitness star, she was known as the “Queen of the TV Gym.” Her workout video credits include It Figures, Step It Off, The Pricket System series, and Step Right. She released fewer films in the late ’90s but came back with a few in the early 2000s. Today, her whereabouts are unknown. She has stayed out of the public eye and even her website domain does not work.

As a young girl in California, Cathy Crosby excelled at tennis and began playing competitively. She ranked as high as seventh in the United States. After she graduated from the University of Southern California, Cathy became focused on one of the biggest tournaments in the world, Wimbledon. Around the same time, she began landing roles in various television shows. Everyone wanted to have her pretty face around. Vince McMahon brought her onboard as a guest commentator at Wrestlemania 2.

Crosby reached her goal of playing in Wimbledon, doing so twice, but eventually left the sport in the late ’60s. She became a big star as the host of That’s Incredible, an ’80s reality show in which people performed various stunts and showed off their unusual talents. She also played Wonder Woman before Lynda Carter became known for the part. She had a high profile relationship with NFL star Joe Theismann, which ended with her suing him for $4.5 million.

At the tail end of the ’80s, Marianna Komlos began lifting with the intention of being a bodybuilder. She began a carer in bodybuilding in 1993, winning the middleweight title at the British Columbia Championships in 1997. The editor in chief of Flex, Jerry Kindela, said about Komlos, “Marianna’s one of the most beautiful bodybuilders I’ve ever seen.” She eventually moved into a career as a fitness model and WWE star. She was known as Marianna or “Mrs. Cleavage,” the manager of Beaver Cleavage.

Tragically, Marianna did not have the chance to live a full life. Her career as a bodybuilder and model would come to a halt due to a bout with breast cancer. It was one battle she could not win. Komlos died in 2004 at the young age of 35. Fortunately, Marianna was able to enjoy married life briefly before her passing. She married mixed martial artist and stunt performer Paul Lazenby months before she died. Komlos will always be remembered for her combination of strength and beauty.

Sharon Bruneau started her career as a fashion model, but after contracting a bad case of pneumonia, she lost a lot of weight and had to quit. Upon her recovery, Bruneau began strengthening her body with weights and starting competing in fitness competitions. She later appeared on the covers of Muscle & Fitness and Flex, and had been signed by Weider Health and Fitness publications who took a chance on her and was one of their first ever female representative from 1991-1998.

After competing in the 1994 Ms. Olympia contest, Sharon switched to fitness competitions but then gave it all up a year later in 1995. From then, she took on some small acting roles in movies including Tornado Run (1995), Nemesis 2: Nebula (1995), Nemesis III: Prey Harder (1996), and R.S.V.P. in 2002. Recently, Sharon has found a new love for inspiring others through motivational speaking and workshops which she does internationally, speaking about health and fitness and how it impacted and changed her life.

Coming from the Philippines at a young age, Debbie Dobbins adapted quickly to life in Oregon. She became heavily involved in sports in high school and college, playing track and field and basketball. After school, she got sucked into the new aerobics fad and started taking classes. Dobbins moved to Los Angeles at 24 to pursue work in the fitness industry. She found a job as an instructor and a fitness model, as well as working as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Raiders.

Debbie Dobbins seemed prime to take over the fitness world, coming in second at the 1993 Miss Galaxy Fitness competition. She sadly never got the chance to fight for first again. Dobbins died at the end of 1993 due to smoke inhalation from a fire at her house. People were shocked by her death, and Hard Copy magazine even speculated that foul play led to her death, a claim that has never been confirmed. The fitness world lost a young titan too soon.

Tennis was in the blood of the Austin siblings. Tracy and her four siblings all became professional tennis players, but none would reach Tracy’s level of success. She elevated her game above her siblings and won two US Open titles. When she first won in 1979, Austin became the youngest US Open female champion ever, a distinction she still holds today. She also threw in a 1980 Wimbledon Championship in mixed doubles for good measure. Austin is the youngest inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Austin could have gone down as one of the greatest tennis players ever. However, injuries let her body down. Between her back and recurring sciatica, Austin was no longer as effective. She tried to make a comeback in 1988, but it ended after Austin was involved in a near-fatal car accident. Austin was not ready to leave tennis completely, so she became a commentator for NBC and USA Network during their coverage of the US Open and French Open. In 2010, she started working for the Tennis Channel.

It would be impossible to make this list withoutJamie Lee Curtis’ onscreen partner in Perfect. Travolta played the Rolling Stone reporter that meets Curtis’ fitness instructor character. He joins the club and following some crotch thrusts naturally falls for her. What you might remember from the critical and box office flop is the knee-weakening wink he tosses at her as he participates in her class. For a time, Travolta was truly irresistible.

Perfect came at an imperfect time in Travolta’s career. Following a decade of incredible success, he began finding himself in many disappointing projects. The always-charming Travolta would dig himself out of his rut with Look Who’s Talking. It led to over a decade of even greater success than he had in the ’70s. Pulp Fiction put him on the map with young and old moviegoers. No college dorm hall would ever be void of Vincent Vega.

Most people did not even realize that Fabio Lanzoni had a last name. He became world-famous as a model and became known only by a mononym, Fabio. His incredible physique drove women crazy as he graced the cover of magazines and became famous for his connection with romance novels. When he was not lending his name to novels, Fabio was writing an exercise book and fitness video titled Fabio Fitness. No one will ever forget that head of hair.

Romance novels put Fabio at the top of the game, but he wanted more. He took his hair and his looks with him to Hollywood. Fabio has appeared in numerous films and television shows in his career. Generally, Fabio appears as himself because it is so hard to separate the character from his persona. Memorably, he became the spokesperson for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! He has many business ventures, including a brief attempt at fashion retail with Sam’s Club.