Where You've Seen The Cast Of Home Economics Before
"Home Economics" follows Tom (Topher Grace) as he writes a book about his immediate family, specifically himself and his siblings Sarah (Caitlin McGee) and Connor (Jimmy Tatro). The families begin to reconnect when Connor moves back to San Francisco, having a standing Sunday brunch and regular play dates for all the cousins. The siblings handle setbacks, celebrate victories, and learn to get along while their lives grow more complicated and new opportunities and issues arise. Tom is given the chance to be a ghostwriter while he finishes his latest project, Jimmy finds love on more than one occasion, and after a long search, Sarah begins settling into a new job.
The cast has appeared in everything from legal thrillers to major motion pictures. Some even appeared in the same shows together, while others are alumni of popular series with decades between their appearances. The cast has done it all, from lead roles in popular shows to playing questionable characters in historical biopics. Here's where you might have seen the stars of "Home Economics" before.
Caitlin McGee as Sarah
Sarah, the middle sibling in "Home Economics," is a therapist to at-risk youth and is struggling even more than her older brother after she's laid off. She and her wife are moms to two adopted children. Money has always been a sore subject, as the couple couldn't afford to have a wedding when they got married, and their need for cash even causes Sarah to try unique career fields, like being an online therapist for people with pets.
If you are a fan of the short-lived series "Bluff City Law," you may recognize Caitlin McGee. She played Sydney Strait, a former corporate lawyer that rejoins her father's law firm after the death of her mother despite leaving it just three years before. The father-daughter duo handled civil rights cases like helping a friend keep their farm and even taking on a case against the Army Corps of Engineers. McGee also had a guest role in "Grey's Anatomy" as a pregnant woman with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, played Vonnie in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and was Sue in "Mythic Quest," the hit Apple TV+ series about a video game studio.
Jimmy Tatro as Connor
Connor is the youngest of the three siblings, and the most financially stable. He runs a private equity firm, making great money, but seemingly at the expense of his personal life: He's going through a divorce from his wife Emily (Justine Lupe) while struggling to connect with his siblings, going as far as asking Tom to help him write a wedding toast just to spend time with him.
YouTube regulars may recognize Jimmy Tatro from his comedy skits. He began his channel "LifeAccordingToJimmy" in 2011 and has over three million subscribers on the platform. As he transitioned from YouTube to television and movies, he appeared in comedy films "Grown Ups 2" and "22 Jump Street"; his success continued, earning him a spot in "Boo! A Madea Halloween" and a leading role in the Netflix series "American Vandal," which followed Tatro as Dylan Maxwell, a high school student accused of drawing inappropriate graffiti on teacher cars. His television work also includes the actor taking on the recurring role of Bill in "Modern Family" and lending his voice to the animated series "The Mighty Ones."
Tatro's film career has also taken off, bringing him roles in "The Wolf of Snow Hollow," "Stuber," "Bad Education," and Pete Davidson's "The King of Staten Island." "California King" sees him in a lead role alongside Joel McHale and Victoria Justice.
Karla Souza as Marina
Marina is Tom's wife and a former lawyer who quit her job to stay home and raise their three children. She encourages Tom to ask Connor for help in the money department, considers going back to work at her law firm, and has a secret group with Sarah's wife to complain about the family they married into.
Karla Souza is most well-known for her role in the Shonda Rhimes legal thriller "How to Get Away with Murder," in which she starred as Laurel Castillo alongside Viola Davis' Annalise Keating. Laurel is one of the first-year law students that is chosen by Annalise to intern with her, putting her right in the middle of the lawyer's chaotic career and life. That isn't to say the student is squeaky-clean herself: Her father was the kingpin of an organized crime ring, and she learned a thing or two from him about heists.
Before playing a law student, Souza had a successful career on Spanish-speaking television. She was in 120 episodes of the telenovela "Verano de amor," was one of the leads of the series "Niño Santo," and won the ACE Award for Best New Actress for her role in the 2012 film "Suave patria."
Audiences may also recognize her from the English-language films "Jacob's Ladder," "The Sleepover," and the 2022 film "Day Shift."
Sasheer Zamata as Denise
Denise, Sarah's wife, is a teacher. She harbors a crush on Emily, has secret meetings with Marina, and has a freeloading sister who seems blissfully ignorant of Denise and Sarah's financial status.
Fans of the popular late-night variety sketch series "Saturday Night Live" may recognize Sasheer Zamata as a member of the main cast from 2014 through 2017, portraying celebrities like Rihanna, Lupita Nyong'o, and Beyoncé. Her other characters included Janelle, the host of the YouTube series "How 2 Dance with Janelle," and Keeley, a contestant on the show's "Black Jeopardy!" Before "SNL," Zamata was in a variety of short films and "CollegeHumor" videos.
Post-"SNL," the actor and comedian played Ayana in the Hulu series "Woke," has had recurring roles in "Loosely Exactly Nicole" and "Corporate," and guest roles in "BoJack Horseman," "The Last O.G.," and "People of Earth." Audiences may also recognize her from films like "I Feel Pretty," "The Weekend," and "Spree" — and remember her voice from the Oscar-nominated animated film "The Mitchells vs. the Machines."
Nora Dunn as Muriel
"Home Economics" is uniting actors that have been on the same shows, but not always at the same time. Like Zamata, Nora Dunn is an alumna of "Saturday Night Live"; the only difference is she was a cast member in the 1980s. She survived the mass firing at the end of the 1985-'86 season, but don't take that to mean she was always on the side of the producers. In 1990, she boycotted an episode hosted by Andrew Dice Clay because she didn't agree with his type of humor. She defended this decision in an interview with Salon in 2015, saying, "[Clay] was a phenomenon, but if you're going to examine him, he shouldn't be the host. We didn't examine the hosts of 'SNL' ... we made them look good."
Dunn was also a judge in "How to Get Away with Murder" for two episodes, and that's just one of the many series that's seen her making a recurring appearance. She was rival author Tess Brown in "Bones," a doctor in "Entourage," a CEO in "Best Friends Whenever," and has a number of one-off roles under her belt on shows like "CSI: Miami," "Law & Order," and "Everybody Loves Raymond."
Phil Reeves as Marshall
Phil Reeves, who plays Marshall, the father of Tom, Sarah, and Connor, is well known for his role as Andrew Doyle on the HBO series "Veep." As Andrew, the actor took on several high-stakes political roles like being a senator, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Vice President. Before "Veep," Reeves had recurring roles on "My Wife and Kids" as various doctors, as Charles Swedelson on "Girlfriends," and on "Parks and Recreation" as Paul Iaresco, with guest appearances on "Roswell," "Desperate Housewives," and "The Office."
His post-"Veep" resume includes stints on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "The Detour," and "Black Monday." He's also continued guest starring, with roles on "Love, Victor," "Castle," and "Arrested Development." And that doesn't even include his film career — he's Wayne Rink in the classic romantic comedy "13 Going on 30," which may be where many recognize him from. Reeves has also been in several other comedy films, including "Blades of Glory," "Evan Almighty," and "Taking Chances," and he was additionally in the Matt Damon-led "Downsizing."
Tetona Jackson as Jojo
In Season 2, Denise's sister Jojo appears, hoping to live with her and Sarah; as she becomes a more active presence among the family, Connor develops a romantic interest in her. Before wooing a billionaire as part of a sitcom, Tetona Jackson started her career as a dancer, appearing in the children's programs "Victorious" and "Austin & Ally." She then had a guest role in the series "Happyland" and was in the movie "Stolen from Suburbia."
Jackson went on to appear in the films "Maximum Ride," "Dear Diary I Died," and "Save Me from Love." Soon after, she nabbed her first leading television role Hulu's "All Night" as Cassie Fulner, one of the high school graduates participating in a lock-in. The series only lasted one season, and after it ended, she returned to her dance roots with the film "All Styles" and nabbed another main role in the BET show "Boomerang."
After the television films "The Housewives of the North Pole" and "Blood on Her Badge," Jackson joined the cast of "Home Economics." At the same time, she had a guest role on the CW series "Dynasty." Other projects include the horror film "Severed Road" and the television movie "Work Wife."
Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur as Mr. Zarrow
Before playing a teacher at the school Sarah secures a position at in Season 2, Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur was seen as Jean Baptiste Bosou in Netflix's "Space Force." His career goes back further, however — he made his screen debut in 2009 with the short "Gloria & Eric," and his next project, in 2013, was the film "Full Circle."
After another break, Saint-Fleur's career picked up quickly. He was in two shorts in 2019, "Goodnight Alta Vista" and "Simply Having," and the television miniseries "What Say You?," which followed a court case. He moved over to comedies, playing Bruno on "The Good Place" before joining the cast of "Space Force." The actor also had a guest role on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
"Home Economics" marks the first major project that sees Saint-Fleur in more than a guest capacity. In the recurring role of Mr. Zarrow, he interacts with Sarah as she navigates her new counselor position and even helps her direct the school musical "Annie." He continues to keep busy off the "Home Economics" set with outside projects, including the short "Enjoined."
Lidia Porto as Lupe
Connor's housekeeper Lupe takes care of him and his daughter Gretchen (Shiloh Bearman), right down to drawing whipped cream smiley faces on his pancakes. She's proud to be Columbian, as noted when she tells Marina "nobody's perfect" when she finds out Tom's wife is Mexican.
Lidia Porto is a familiar face, and for very good reason — she's been in a number of popular shows, from Marvel series to American-style telenovelas. She's had guest roles on "Friday Night Lights," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "NCIS: New Orleans," and "Fresh Off the Boat," to name a few. She's also had multi-episode roles on "Jane the Virgin," "American Housewife," "Arrested Development," and "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan."
That isn't to say Porto's career has only been guest appearances. She had a main role in the television adaptation of "Get Shorty" as Amara De Escalones, a gang leader and owner of the Nevada casino where the show's protagonist Miles (Chris O'Dowd) works. Topher Grace had a recurring role on the show as well — one more way "Home Economics" continues to reunite former castmates.
Danica McKellar as Alison
As the headmaster of Windmount Academy, Alison deals with privileged students and parents, tries to raise money for a planetarium that won't include Pluto, and educates students on Frida Kahlo. She's played by Danica McKellar, who will forever be known for her portrayal of Winnie Cooper in the 1980s dramedy "The Wonder Years."
Following the end of that series, McKellar had a recurring role on "The West Wing" as Elsie Snuffin, a writer who worked on a political campaign. She's also voiced a variety of super characters on "Young Justice," and guest starred in comedies like "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Big Bang Theory." She's also been a judge in several competition shows like "King of the Nerds" and "Domino Masters," and played a main character in Netflix's "Project Mc2."
Over the last decade, McKellar has branched out into a series of Hallmark films. Her holiday catalog includes "Coming Home for Christmas," "Christmas at Dollywood," and "You, Me & the Christmas Trees"; she's also been in several of the Hallmark "Matchmaker Mysteries" movies.
Nicole Byer as Amanda
In "Home Economics," Nicole Byer is Amanda, the book editor Tom works with in Season 2. Fans of cooking shows may recognize her as the host of Netflix's "Nailed It!," a series that follows struggling home bakers as they try to recreate professional-level work. What audiences may not know is the comedian has an extensive resume that includes popular comedies, podcasts, and animated shows.
Comedy audiences may recognize her from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," where she played Trudy Judy, the sister of Pontiac Bandit Doug Judy (Craig Robinson). She was also in episodes of "Comedy Bang! Bang!," "30 Rock," and "Young & Hungry." Her voice has been featured in the animated comedies "BoJack Horseman," "Bob's Burgers," and "The Simpsons." In addition to comedies, Byer has voiced characters in children's shows like "Rugrats," "Amphibia," "Big City Greens," and "Star vs. the Forces of Evil."
When she isn't guest judging on shows like "Lego Masters" and "The Masked Singer," you may hear her on one of your favorite podcasts. She also hosts several of her own, including "Why Won't You Date Me?" and "Best Friends!" You can also catch her in the sitcom "Grand Crew" as realtor Nicky Koles.
Jordyn Curet as Shamiah
Shamiah, the adopted daughter of Sarah and Denise, isn't Jordyn Curet's first role, but it's certainly the one that exposed this young actor to a wider audience. Her career started with the 2010 television movie "Lilly's Light," a live-action musical about a lighthouse. That was followed by a lengthy gap, with her next project arriving in 2016.
That year saw Curet land parts in several short films, including "The Wishing Zone" and "8 1/2." In 2017, she was a guest star on the popular Disney Channel series "Bizaardvark," playing the character Savannah in an episode about a science fair. She did another string of short films the following year before landing a role in Netflix's "Marriage Story."
Her career has continued to grow from there: She secured a role on "The Neighborhood," was a host of the children's show "Life Hacks for Kids," and played a voice role on Hulu's anthology series "Monsterland." She also played the recurring role of Alexandra on "Raven's Home," the spinoff of "That's So Raven." Her major film roles include Young Ingrid in "Black Widow" and Jacara in "Lilly's Light: The Movie."
JeCobi Swain as Kelvin
Despite his young age, Jecobi Swain already has quite the resume. Before playing Kelvin, the adopted son of Sarah and Denise, he made an uncredited appearance in the 2016 film "Mother's Day," followed by two short films, the television movie "Hometown Christmas," and "Honey: Rise Up and Dance."
He also starred in the McKenna Grace-led film "Troop Zero" as Ray-Ray and appeared on a variety of television shows like "Claws," "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," and "Obi-Wan Kenobi." He's lent his voice to "Little Ellen," "Minnie's Bow-Toons," and "Duck & Goose."
Swain continues to branch out with outside projects during his time away from "Home Economics." He's the voice of Jayden Jones in the Disney Junior series "Firebuds," plays Freddy Barnett in the Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates film "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret," and has been cast in the shows "Superkitties" and "My Dad the Bounty Hunter." If you don't recognize him right now, you're all but certain to in the future.
Topher Grace as Tom
Tom is the oldest of the three siblings, but not the most well-off. He's an author who's contemplating asking his younger brother for a loan in the pilot episode because his last book didn't sell well. His sister isn't always pleased with his books, even calling his newest work about a prison baseball team sexist because there are no women, and is concerned when it's revealed his work in progress is about the entire family. Audiences even see him stumble through flirting as he tries to prove to his wife he can still attract women, popping a bouncy castle, and — in most episodes — falling.
Topher Grace is most recognizable for his role as Eric Forman in "That '70s Show." The nerdy, clumsy guy of the group, he deals with his father's scrutiny and eventually goes to Africa to teach. Eric isn't present for the show's final season, only returning in the finale, but he was the main male character for most of the show's run.
More recently, Grace can be spotted in the anthology series "Black Mirror," where he plays Billy Baur, CEO of a social media company, in the episode "Smithereens." His film work includes "Interstellar," where he portrays NASA scientist Getty, and he plays white supremacist David Duke in Spike Lee's "BlacKkKlansman." He also hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 2005.