Back to Wisconsin! Fans of That ‘70s Show could not be more excited when its new spinoff series was announced but many wondered if their favorite characters would return.
The premise of the reboot, aptly titled That ‘90s Show, follows Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti’s daughter, Leia, played by Callie Haverda, who visits her grandparents for the summer at her dad’s childhood home. Topher Grace and Laura Prepon starred as Eric and Donna, respectively, in the original series, which aired for eight seasons from 1999 to 2006.
The Netflix spinoff was first announced in October 2021. At the time, it was announced that Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp were set to reprise their roles as Eric’s parents, Red and Kitty Forman, respectively.
“ … What’s that in my old 70’s Show chair?” the Rambo III actor wrote via Instagram in February 2022, alongside a photo of the new show’s script. The Wandavision actress posted a similar image at the same time. “And we have arrived,” she wrote in the caption.
In April 2022, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Grace and Prepon were also returning for the reboot. Prior to the creation of That ’90s Show, the Home Economics star expressed his desire to reunite the cast.
“I would do it for sure because that was a very wonderful time for us,” Grace told THR in May 2018. “We were all very close, having that experience every single day with each other. It was great to broadcast it out once a week, but, like, I’m still great friends with those guys. So the fact that someone would pay us to go [hang] out together.”
While the actor was enthusiastic about a reunion, he was skeptical that it would actually come to fruition. Despite Grace’s doubts, That ‘90s Show not only managed to bring back the Formans but three more original cast members as well. Ashton Kutcher (Kelso), Mila Kunis (Jackie) and Wilmer Valderrama‘s (fan-favorite Fez) returns were all announced in April 2022.
The only original cast member not slated to return is Danny Masterson, who played Hyde. In November 2022, the judge in The Ranch alum’s sexual assault case declared it a mistrial after the jury could not come to a unanimous vote. Masterson — who is accused of sexually assaulting multiple women — is set to be tried in March 2023. He has denied the claims.
Keep scrolling to see which That ‘70s Show stars are returning for That ’90s Show:
Back to Wisconsin! Fans of That ‘70s Show could not be more excited when its new spinoff series was announced but many wondered if their favorite characters would return.
The premise of the reboot, aptly titled That ‘90s Show, follows Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti’s daughter, Leia, played by Callie Haverda, who visits her grandparents for the summer at her dad’s childhood home. Topher Grace and Laura Prepon starred as Eric and Donna, respectively, in the original series, which aired for eight seasons from 1999 to 2006.
The Netflix spinoff was first announced in October 2021. At the time, it was announced that Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp were set to reprise their roles as Eric’s parents, Red and Kitty Forman, respectively.
“ … What’s that in my old 70’s Show chair?” the Rambo III actor wrote via Instagram in February 2022, alongside a photo of the new show’s script. The Wandavision actress posted a similar image at the same time. “And we have arrived,” she wrote in the caption.
In April 2022, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Grace and Prepon were also returning for the reboot. Prior to the creation of That ’90s Show, the Home Economics star expressed his desire to reunite the cast.
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“I would do it for sure because that was a very wonderful time for us,” Grace told THR in May 2018. “We were all very close, having that experience every single day with each other. It was great to broadcast it out once a week, but, like, I’m still great friends with those guys. So the fact that someone would pay us to go [hang] out together.”
While the actor was enthusiastic about a reunion, he was skeptical that it would actually come to fruition. Despite Grace’s doubts, That ‘90s Show not only managed to bring back the Formans but three more original cast members as well. Ashton Kutcher (Kelso), Mila Kunis (Jackie) and Wilmer Valderrama‘s (fan-favorite Fez) returns were all announced in April 2022.
The only original cast member not slated to return is Danny Masterson, who played Hyde. In November 2022, the judge in The Ranch alum’s sexual assault case declared it a mistrial after the jury could not come to a unanimous vote. Masterson — who is accused of sexually assaulting multiple women — is set to be tried in March 2023. He has denied the claims.
Keep scrolling to see which That ‘70s Show stars are returning for That ’90s Show:
Credit: Courtesy Of Netflix
Kurtwood Smith (Red Forman)
Smith was one of the first actors who was announced to return for the spinoff. The RoboCop star is reprising his role as Eric’s dad, Red, who is one of the main characters in the new series.
In the January 2023 trailer, Red remains the grumpy curmudgeon as he was in the original series. He asks his wife why she opened the house up again after “all the dumbasses were gone.” There is also a reference to his iconic “my foot in your ass” line.
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Debra Jo Rupp (Kitty Forman)
Alongside Smith, Rupp’s involvement in the project was revealed right away. The Big actress reprised her role as Eric’s mom, Kitty, and is also a main character on the Netflix show.
“And we have arrived,” she captioned a photo of her official script while on set in February 2022.
In the trailer, Kitty is a doting grandmother who wants to take care of her granddaughter and her new friends. She accidentally gives Leia and her friends Eric’s old stash of pot from when he was a teenager.
Credit: Patrick Wymore/Netflix
Topher Grace (Eric Forman)
While Grace is reprising his iconic role from the original series, he revealed in September 2022 that he would only appear in “the first episode” but enjoyed seeing his old castmates.
“It was really like Christmas. It was a gift,” he said to Entertainment Tonight at the time. “They are all such amazing, amazing people who are so influential in my life and who I became. To be able to go back and not just hang out with them together, which was so much fun, but then to be able to work again with them … it was great.”
The trailer shows Eric sitting on top of his car next to his wife Donna having a heart-to-heart like they used to in the series. He also can be seen talking to his parents about fatherhood at their family’s kitchen table.
Credit: Patrick Wymore/Netflix
Laura Prepon (Donna Pinciotti)
In addition to reprising her role as Donna, Prepon also got to direct an episode of the Netflix series.
“It was so fun. It’s all the same sets,” the Orange is the New Black alum exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2022. “When I first went there, I cried. I’m just, like — the nostalgia is so strong and it was such an incredible time in my life.”
During the last half of the trailer, Donna can be seen talking to her husband about their daughter as they sit on his on his old car like they did when they were teenagers.
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Ashton Kutcher (Michael Kelso)
After the announcement of his involvement in the new series, Kutcher reflected on how he felt about “going back into the basement.”
“It’s funny and it’s weird,” he told Entertainment Tonight in July 2022. “It was super nostalgic and really odd. Going back into the basement — just going back into the set was weird. And then being around everyone, it’s just bizarre.”
For a brief second, Kutcher makes an appearance in the trailer alongside his wife.
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Mila Kunis (Jackie Burkhart)
Ahead of the series premiere, Kunis teased about working with Kutcher, whom she met on the set of That ‘70s Show. Their characters had an on and off romance throughout the series before the pair went on to tie the knot in real life.
“My husband and I are together in it. Which is weird because we shouldn’t have been, My character would be with Fez,” the Black Swan actress told Access Hollywood in September 2022. “Also, Kelso was married at the end of That ‘70s Show. Now we are married with a kid [on the show]. It is very cute.” (The two share daughter Wyatt and son Dimitri in real life.)
Kunis can be seen in the trailer standing alongside her on (and off) screen husband.
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Wilmer Valderrama (Fez)
In May 2022, Valderrama posted a clip of himself dressed in one of his old costumes from the original series. “Red? Let’s try this Amédica word again.. 😏,” the NCIS actor captioned a video via Instagram. “Yup, still fits… .”
The trailer for the new show revealed that Fez has become a successful hairstylist in the gang’s hometown.
Credit: Patrick Wymore/Netflix
Don Stark (Bob Pinciotti)
In the trailer for That ‘90s Show, Stark — who played Bob Pinciotti, Donna’s father — made his first appearance. The January 2023 clip confirmed his return to the show.
Credit: Patrick Wymore/Netflix.
Tommy Chong (Leo Chingkwake)
Chong revealed he was returning to the show in May 2022.
“They never gave me instructions, so I don’t know if I’m supposed to say anything or not,” he revealed while appearing on The Dave Mark Show. “I really don’t give a s—t to tell you the truth. That’s what I’m known for … I’m back as Leo.”
For a brief second in the series trailer, Leo appears outside the Forman’s home.
