Come Back Down to Earth and Catch Up With the Roswell Cast

The 90s were stock full of supernatural series, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Charmed. But it wasn’t until 1999 that audiences got a television show that focuses on aliens. The sci-fi series, Roswell aired for three seasons, the Roswell cast producing major stars like Katherine Heigl, Jason Behr and Colin Hanks.

The show revolves around three alien/human hybrids who also appear to be normal teenagers living in Roswell, New Mexico. When Max (Behr) saves the life of a human girl (Shiri Appleby), they form a bond that becomes a threat to the aliens' universe.

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Catch up with the Roswell cast and see where those aliens are today.

Shiri Appleby as Liz Parker: Roswell cast

The actress, who is best known for her breakout role in the Roswell cast, broke into the acting world at a young age. Some of Shiri Appleby’s earlier works include I Love You to Death (1990), guest spots in Doogie Howser, M.D. (1993), 7th Heaven (1997) and Beverly Hills, 90210 (1999).

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In 1999, Appleby booked the lead role on Roswell, but she shared that she almost didn’t get the part. “I was 19 years old when I shot the pilot. I was actually a sophomore in college,” she recalled. I had auditioned for the other two female roles twice and on my fourth or fifth audition they let me audition for Liz … It was the first time I'd hustled and gone through the back door to get in. That was the role that changed everything for me in this business and gave me a career.”

After Roswell, the actress booked roles on Havoc (2005), Life Unexpected (2011), UnREAL (2018) and Your Place or Mine (2023). Appleby also pivoted towards directing, working on projects like Young Sheldon (2023) and Roswell, New Mexico (2020). She also appeared in the Roswell reboot for three episodes. Appleby married chef Jon Shook in 2013 and the couple have two children together.

Jason Behr as Max Evans

Roswell’s lead actor, Jason Behr, started acting at age five, but has really been on the scene since the early 90s. Prior to starring in the sci-fi series, Behr had major roles in Sherman Oaks (1997), Push (1998) and Dawson’s Creek (1999).

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Behr recalled how he felt when reading the script, explaining he loved the concept. “When I first read the script I was really drawn to the two worlds that Jason Katims put together,” Behr said. “There’s a very real, honest human emotional feeling to it, and it had all the metaphors of being a teenager and being somebody who was really trying to find themselves.”

Interestingly, while filming the series, Behr was dating his co-star and on-screen sister, Katherine Heigl. The couple met on set in 1999 and stayed together until 2002, right around the time that the series ended.

After Roswell, Behr’s roles took a darker turn, as he starred in The Grudge (2004), Skinwalkers (2006), The Tattooist (2007) and Senseless (2008). Most recently, he had roles in Roswell, New Mexico (2020) and Supergirl (2021). Behr is married to KaDee Strickland and the couple have one child.

Katherine Heigl as Isabel Evans: Roswell cast

Actress Katherine Heigl has had quite the impressive career over the years. Prior to her role in the Roswell cast, she starred in multiple movies such as My Father the Hero (1994), Wish Upon a Star (1996) and Bride of Chucky (1998).

In an interview, Heigl talked about her popular Roswell character, Isabel Evans. “She’s basically this girl that puts out an air of being very confident, very strong, almost kind of untouchable … in reality she has a lot of vulnerabilities about being an alien and being different. She just really wants to lead a normal life.”

After Roswell, Heigl’s career took off. She starred in Knocked Up (2007), 27 Dresses (2008) and The Ugly Truth (2009). Meanwhile, the actress booked Grey’s Anatomy in 2005, where she played Dr. Izzie Stevens for six seasons. Most recently, Heigl starred in Suits (2019) and her series, Firefly Lane (2023).

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Majandra Delfino as Maria DeLuca

Majandra Delfino rose to fame as Maria DeLuca on Roswell, but she had a few roles prior to her breakout part. Delfino had roles in The Tony Danza Show (1998), The Secret Life of Girls (1999) and Katie Joplin (1999).

Delfino shared that when she found out Maria's love interest would be Brendan Fehr’s character, she was less than pleased. “We did not get along when we first met … I was so upset. I was like, ‘My character is going to end up with his character … I went to the creator and was like, ‘Absolutely not.'”

Of course, her disdain for Fehr didn’t last long as the pair went on to date in real life, too, although their relationship was rocky. After Roswell, the actress had roles in Life As We Know It (2010), State of Georgia (2011) and Friends with Better Lives (2014). Most recently, Delfino and Fehr brought their own series to life, Baron and Toluca (2022), where they play on-screen love interests yet again.

Brendan Fehr as Michael Guerin: Roswell cast

Roswell’s Michael Guerin was portrayed by actor Brendan Fehr. Prior to his time on the series, Fehr starred in Disturbing Behavior (1998) and during the series he was featured in Final Destination (2000). After Roswell, and his on-again, off-again relationship with Delfino, Fehr had roles in The Long Weekend (2005), CSI: Miami (2008), Bones (2010) and The Night Shift (2017).

Fehr explained how suddenly his part in the Roswell cast became a big deal. “Roswell was something that came really quick in my career,” he explained. “I had only been acting about a year when I was on a fairly major or legitimate television show at the very least. Doing billboards and covers of magazines and famous kind of overnight.”

Nick Wechsler as Kyle Valenti

Before he was Kyle Valenti on Roswell, Nick Wechsler had roles in Full Circle (1996) and  Team Knight Rider (1998). Although he starred in every episode of Roswell, Wechsler admitted that he “didn’t get the career from it.” He continued, “It’s just that they [Heigl, Appleby] had a larger role [on the show] and were more likely to get people to develop some interest in them … and really nurture their careers.”

After the series ended, Wechsler had plenty of minor roles until he booked Revenge in 2011. When the series ended in 2015, he had stints on multiple shows, including Chicago P.D. (2017), Shades of Blue (2018) and This is Us (2022).

William Sadler as Jim Valenti: Roswell cast

Sheriff Jim Valenti, portrayed by William Sadler, was a major character in the Roswell cast. Before the hit series, Sadler had featured roles in Die Hard 2 (1990), Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994).

But even after these big parts, it wasn’t until Roswell that Sadler realized how important fans were to a popular show or movie. “There were a couple of years there where it was [fans'] involvement that kept [Roswell] on the air,” he explained. “They kept that show from being cancelled by sending bottles of Tabasco sauce to the producers and the network, saying, 'For God's sake, please keep this show around.'”

Sadler booked dozens of major roles after the series, including Kinsey (2004), Man on a Ledge (2012) and Power (2018). Most recently, the actor had roles on A Stage of Twilight (2022) and Full Circle (2023).

Colin Hanks as Alex Whitman

Despite being the son of famous actor Tom Hanks, Colin Hanks got his breakthrough role on Roswell. He explained, “The first job I ever got was a pilot for the television show Roswell. That was my college learning ground. I left school because I started getting work as an actor and learned how to act for the camera on [the show].”

Hanks only had one role prior to Roswell and that was That Thing You Do! (1996). After the show, the actor had parts in Orange County (2002), which he left Roswell to film; 11:14 (2003), The House Bunny (2008) and The Good Guys (2010). Most recently, Hanks had major roles in Talking Tom and Friends (2021) and Life in Pieces (2019).