Mike & Molly’: Then and Now: Catch Up With Melissa McCarthy, Billy Gardell, Katy Mixon, Swoosie Kurtz and More!

Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell lead the cast on the CBS sitcom Mike and Molly about a teacher and police officer whose romance began at a Chicago Overeaters’ Anonymous meeting.

The plus-sized actors were at the forefront of the body positivity movement, which promoted acceptance and inclusion, during the show’s 127-episode run from 2010-2016.

Mike and Molly won two Emmys, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for McCarthy in 2011.

Brought to us by Two and a Half Men (2003-2015) masterminds writer Mark Roberts and coexecutive producer and TV legend Chuck Lorre, who also worked on Grace Under Fire (1993-1998), Dharma and Greg (1997-2002),  Big Bang Theory (2006-2019) and Mom (2013-2021), the show handled the stages of love, dealing with the in-laws and the journey to parenthood with humor and heart.

“The funny is easy, but when you have to play a romantic moment or a sad moment, you have to really trust your partner's going to be there for you,” Gardell told People in 2024. “I learned from Melissa to trust and be able to do those romantic scenes, which I didn't think I would be able to do. But because of the trust level with her, she made it safe to do that.”

Rounding out the cast was Reno Wilson, who played Mike’s police-officer partner and BFF Carl; Katy Mixon, who played Molly’s ditzy marijuana-smoking and funeral home beautician sister Victoria; Swoosie Kurtz, who played Molly’s heavy-drinking, easy-to-anger mom Joyce; Rondi Reed, who appeared as Mike’s bossy mom Peggy.

And then there was Nyambi Nyambi, who was sarcastic Senegalese waiter Samuel, who worked at Mike and Carl’s favorite greasy-spoon restaurant, Abe’s Diner; Louis Mustillo, who played Vince, Joyce’s chauvinistic on-off boyfriend and ultimately husband; Cleo King, who portrayed Carl’s wise grandmother Rosetta McMillan; and David Anthony Higgins, who played awkward pal Harry, who comes out as gay.

Recurrent roles went to 21 Jump Street (1987-1991) alum Holly Robinson Peete, who played Carl’s girlfriend Christina from 2011-2014, and Family Matters (1989-1998) star Reginald VelJohnson as Carl’s preacher Brother Heywood from 2010-2013.

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The guest stars were notable: Susan Sarandon played Molly’s favorite author J.C. Small from 2013-2014. She was arrested for DUI by Mike and Carl during the “Who’s Afraid of J.C. Small?” episode in season four. Kathy Bates played Peggy’s world traveler best friend Kay McKinnon from 2014-2015. Margo Martindale played Mike’s Aunt Rosemary in 2015. In addition, the late WKRP (1978-1982) and Head of the Class (1986-1990) star Howard Hesseman appeared as Otis on the episode “Mike Likes Lasagna” in 2012.

'Mike and Molly' cast then and now

Find out what happened to the cast after the lights went down on the Mike and Molly set.

Billy Gardell as Mike Biggs Mike and Molly Cast

The Pennsylvania native, who had already made audiences laugh on comedies such as 2003’s Lucky, Yes, Dear from 2000-2006, and My Name Is Earl from 2007-2009, pre-Mike and Molly, would continue to do so after it ended.

From 2019-2024, Gardell played the title role of an American who falls in love with his Nigerian nurse on the Lorre-created CBS comedy Bob Hearts Abishola.

There’s a lot less of him to love than during his Mike and Molly days. Gardell was inspired to lose 170 lbs. during the COVID-19 pandemic. A combination of bariatric surgery in 2022, plus ongoing dietary and lifestyle changes, have worked wonders, and he weighed in at 207 lbs. in 2024.

“The idea of not being here for my wife or my kid motivated my change, motivated me into I will commit to whatever it takes to get healthy,” he told People in 2024. “Sometimes you need help and you have to be humble enough to ask for help in order for that to happen.”

He maintains his weight loss through a combination of daily walks, thrice-weekly workouts and a healthy diet of lean meats and vegetables. He allows himself to splurge once a week, but nowadays he will have “two slices of pizza as opposed to the entire pie.”

In 2023, he told Entertainment Tonight he was grateful for the “little victories” that accompanied losing weight, such as "not having to take a deep breath when I tie my shoes" and being able to shop "at a normal store."

Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn

The Emmy winner, who got her start on cousin Jenny McCarthy’s self-titled MTV comedy show in 1997, played lovable chef Sookie on Gilmore Girls from 2000-2007 and best friend Dena on Samantha Who? from 2007-2009, before taking on the title role in Mike and Molly.

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Not only did she headline the show, but she also directed four episodes.

While on Mike and Molly, she starred in major comedy films including the 2016 Ghostbusters remake, 2015’s Spy, 2011’s Bridesmaids, 2012’s This is 40 and 2014’s Tammy and 2013’s The Heat.

Since the show ended, the Illinois native has been seen on TV on the 2021 thriller Nine Perfect Strangers and 2022 comedy God’s Favorite Idiot.

She has been married to actor/writer/producer Ben Falcone since 2005. He is the father of their daughters Georgette and Vivian.

She didn’t sweat her size during her time on the show. "I've been every size in the world,” she told More in 2013. “Parts of my twenties, I was in great shape, but I didn't appreciate it. If I was a 6 or an 8, I thought, 'Why aren't I a 2 or a 4?' Now I feel like I have two great kids and the dreamiest husband on the planet, and everything else is just a work in progress."

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Katy Mixon as Victoria Flynn Mike and Molly Cast

After Mike and Molly, Mixon starred on ABC comedy American Housewife from 2016-2021.

In 2019, she sued her nanny for fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract for trying to extort her family, People reported.

Later that year, the nanny, Laree Hammer, sued her husband Breaux Greer for sexual harassment. The lawsuits were resolved in 2020 and allegations were dropped in both complaints.

Mixon and Greer are parents to son Kingston and daughter Elektra.

Swoosie Kurtz as Joyce Flynn

Best known for her turn on 1991-1996 drama Sisters, Kurtz appeared on comedic fantasy Pushing Daisies from 2007-2009 prior to life on Mike and Molly.

“I relish playing this very sexually active character who’s no stranger to the grape, ” Kurtz told Variety of her favorite scene, which took place during the episode entitled “After The Lovin’” in season one.

After Mike and Molly wrapped, she went on to comedies Man With a Plan from 2017-2020 and Call Me Kat from 2021-2023.

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Reno Wilson as Officer Carl McMillan Mike and Molly Cast

After Mike and Molly wrapped, Wilson was on crime comedy Good Girls from 2018-2021, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air revival Bel-Air in 2022.

Prior to Mike and Molly, he was seen on romantic comedy If Not For You in 1995, sports drama The Hoop Life from 1999-2000, sci-fi comedy The Chronicle from 2001-2002 and crime drama Blind Justice in 2005.

He played Theo’s (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) best friend on The Cosby Show for his 1988-1989 television debut.

Nyambi Nyambi as Samuel

Nyambi appeared on crime drama The Good Fight from 2017-2022.

He could tell the show was unique during the pilot episode.

“We knew that we had something special — the makings of family,” he told Variety.

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Louis Mustillo as Vince Mike and Molly Cast

Post-Mike and Molly, Mustillo starred on 2022-2023 comedy Cooper’s Bar. Before his turn on the show, he could be seen on crime drama High Incident from 1996-1997 and soap The Young and The Restless from 2008-2009.

Rondi Reed as Peggy

After Mike and Molly, Reed could be found on three-episode stints of the 2016 drama Masters of Sex, 2021 comedy Why Women Kill and the 2022 comedies B Positive and How We Roll.

Reed’s favorite Mike and Molly scene took place during the “Three Girls and an Urn”  episode in season four.

Reed recalled the pivotal moment.

She told Variety, “Twenty years before, [Kathy Bates] directed me in a pilot for CBS, and I thought how amazing it would be to act with her. And then the dream came true. Lucky me.”

She previously appeared in movies including 1992 comedy Mo’ Money,  1997 comedy Jungle 2 Jungle and 1999 sci-fi thriller The Astronaut’s Wife.

Cleo King as Grandma Rosetta McMillan Mike and Molly Cast

King voiced principal Opal Lowry on animated comedy Hoops in 2020.

Of her favorite scene on Mike and Molly, she told Variety, “The most life-changing for me was when Grandma had to explain to Carl why she had taken him in when he was a child. It was so real and so pure — touching because I had just adopted a son in real life.”

It took place in an episode titled “McMillan and Me” during season four.

David Anthony Higgins as Harry

Higgins could be found on B Positive from 2020-2022.

His favorite take from Mike and Molly took place on the “St. Patrick’s Day” episode during season three.

“The scene where [Harry] tells Victoria that he’s gay is the closest I will ever get to playing the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet,” he told Variety.

Prior to Mike and Molly, he appeared on TV comedies Ellen from 1994-1998, Malcolm in the Middle from 2000-2006 and Nickelodeon boy band vehicle Big Time Rush from 2009-2013.

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