It has been over 30 years since The Wonder Years premiered on international TV
It has been over 30 years since The Wonder Years premiered on international TV. The show made its way to India a while later and the kids here grew up watching Kevin Arnold and all the other lovable and relatable characters of the show. From Kevin's older sister – Karen, the wannabe hippie, to Winnie, the girl-next-door, to Wayne, Kevin's tormenting old brother, these characters taught us wisdom, and what it means to be a good person. Here's a look at some of the characters from the show and where are they now. These days when you are cooped up at home and wish to cherish the older and simpler times, watch The Wonder Years currently airing in India on Star World, every Monday to Friday at 6 pm!
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Fred Savage (Kevin)
From young star of The Wonder Years, to the director of award winning TV shows like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Modern Family, Happy Endings, Fred Savage, proved to be great at both – acting and directing. As he played Kevin in The Wonder Years, Savage turned out to be so good that he became the youngest ever Best Actor nominee at the Primetime Emmy Awards. His acting career came full circle when he appeared in Once Upon in Deadpool in 2018, with Savage appearing as himself in a Princess Bride-inspired wraparound where Deadpool has kidnapped him and reads the movie's story back to Savage. Clearly, he has had an eventful journey from The Wonder Years to directing amazing shows and we hope to see more of him!
David Schwimmer (Karen's husband)
Before being the nerdy, anxious, and dinosaur-loving Ross on FRIENDS, David Schwimmer was the cool, motorcycle-riding boyfriend of Kevin's elder sister, Karen. Schwimmer had not yet become a household name: The Wonder Years ended in 1993, and FRIENDS debuted the following year. And after playing Ross, Schwimmer went on to land movie and TV roles, on NBC's Will & Grace and the 2019 film The Laundromat. That's not it! Remember Melman the giraffe in the Madagascar movies? It was Schwimmer's voice! He also starred as Robert Kardashian on The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. His performance as the lawyer also earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in 2016!
Danica McKellar (Winnie)
Winnie Cooper is one character which evokes in us, many fond memories of childhood from the days when we watched the show. Danica played Winnie, the on again and off again girlfriend of Kevin Arnold. She is not only an amazing actor, but she also harbours love for numbers. From playing the girl-next-door and hence becoming a household name, McKellar went on to get a Mathematics degree from UCLA. She has been an advocate for more kids getting into math and has even authored four popular books on the subject, including the best seller, 'Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape.'
In her acting career, she lent her voice in 'Young Justice' the young conterpart to the famous adult team 'Justice League'. She also appeared on shows like The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother.
Giovanni Ribisi (Jeff)
If you have ever been the new kid in the school, chances are you identifed with the character of Jeff the most. Introduced to viewers in the latter part of the series, Ribisi was Kevin's close buddy, Jeff. Ribisi went on to act in a host of TV shows and films. Remember Phoebe's dim witted, long lost brother Frank? That was Giovanni! One of the many successful stints perhaps was also his lead role in Sneaky Pete, the Amazon Original co-created by Bryan Cranston. And whats more, he has also had a busy movie career – apperaed in films like Avataar, The Rum Diary, Gangster Squad, Ted, Saving Private Ryan, and many more.
Daniel Stern
One of the prominent characters from the show was one you never really got to see. Daniel Stern was the omniesint voice of the older Kevin Arnold. It is probably hard to believe the hapless burglar from Home Alone was the subdued future voice of Kevin. He also directed several of the episodes of The Wonder Years, showcasing just how talented he was! This versatile actor got his start in the 1979 movie 'Breaking Away' and gained fame playing the prominent and funny roles in City Slickers and Home Alone franchises. He went on to teach media in schools, and did many acts of virtuosity that earned him the "Call to Service Award" from the then President Obama!
Jason Hervey
There's always one character everyone loves to hate. Jason, who played Kein's older brother Wayne, was one such. Now that he is done tormenting his younger brother, these days Jason has taken a back seat in acting and works behind the lens as a voice artist and producer. He has produced sports specials for shows like See Dad Run, Hardcore Pawn: Chicago, Outlaw Country and also the World Championship wrestling.
Josh Saviano
What would a good coming-of-age comedy be without a sidekick, a buddy, a BFF? In The Wonder Years, Kevin's geeky-looking best friend, played by Josh Saviano, gained the status of TV's most popular and memorable nerds. Just as The Wonder Years Paul ended up at Harvard, Saviano himself took a similar trajectory and went to Yale University and later became a lawyer. In 2015, the Josh launched a law firm and celebrity brand consultancy.
Fun fact – for many years, he was rumoured to have grown up to be the American singer Marilyn Manson! This was back in 1994 when the internet was becoming a mainstream.
Relive your 'Wonder Years' and watch the ideal comfort TV show from the 1980s, airing in India on Star World, weekdays at 6 PM.
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