Calista Flockhart's breakout role as the titular attorney earned her a Golden Globe award in 1998, as well as the cover of Time magazine as the face of feminism that same year. During her five-year run on the show, Flockhart was plagued by rumors that she was suffering from an eating disorder due to her extremely slim physique.

After Ally McBeal, Flockhart landed another lead role, this time on ABC's Brothers & Sisters, which ran for five seasons. She currently stars on Supergirl as media mogul Cat Grant. She and actor Harrison Ford have been together since 2002 and were married in 2010. They have an adopted 16-year-old son.

Germann played Ally's smarmy colleague and law school classmate, firm partner Richard Fish. The character is most known for his catchphrases ("Bygones") and having a fetish for wattles, the loose skin on a woman's neck.

In recent years, Germann has had small parts on shows including NCIS, Once Upon a Time, House of Lies, Law & Order: SVU and How to Get Away with Murder. He currently has a recurring role on Netflix's Friends from College, which premiered earlier this year and has been picked up for a second season.

Playing sexy office assistant Elaine Vassal earned Krakowski her first Golden Globe nomination, for supporting actress, in 1999.

Krakowski may have been an unknown when she was cast on Ally McBeal, but she went on to have starring roles on NBC's 30 Rock and Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - two shows that have earned her five Emmy nominations combined.

Already an established theater and screen actor when he landed the role of John Cage, MacNicol's momentum didn't stop when Ally McBeal went off the air. He subsequently had memorable roles on shows including Numbers, 24, Grey's Anatomy and Veep. In 2016, he received an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor for Veep; however, his nomination was rescinded because he appeared in too many episodes to qualify as a guest.

Already an established theater and screen actor when he landed the role of John Cage, MacNicol's momentum didn't stop when Ally McBeal went off the air. He subsequently had memorable roles on shows including Numbers, 24, Grey's Anatomy and Veep. In 2016, he received an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor for Veep; however, his nomination was rescinded because he appeared in too many episodes to qualify as a guest.

Carson starred on Ally McBeal as Ally's roommate, prosecutor Renee Raddick, at the same time as she was playing Carla Reece, a recurring character on ER. However, she was fired from both shows amid allegations of erratic behavior and drug use, as well as brushes with the law.

Carson reprised her role of Renee Raddick in 2012 for a guest appearance on the series finale of the NBC drama Harry's Law. In a 2015 interview with Essence, Carson opened up about her struggles with bipolar disorder and said that she was moving back to Los Angeles to resume acting after a 10-year hiatus which she spent recovering in New York. Her most recent role was in 2017's The New Edition Story on BET.

Bellows played Billy, Ally's childhood crush/college sweetheart and "the one who got away" - until she finds herself working with him (and his wife, Georgia) at her new law firm. The two briefly rekindled their relationship, but Billy was subsequently diagnosed with a brain tumor and died in Ally's arms in Season 3. He returned (as a ghost) for the series finale.

Bellows has had a number of film and television roles, including 24: Redemption, Boss and FlashForward. Most recently, he starred on USA's short-lived drama Eyewitness. He and his wife, actress Rya Kihlstedt, have two children.

De Rossi shot to fame playing ice queen Nelle Porter, an ambitious young attorney who joined the firm in Season 2. Nelle inspires jealousy among her female colleagues and dates Peter MacNicol's John.

De Rossi has had a number of significant television roles since her Ally McBeal days, most memorably as the aloof Lindsay Funke on Arrested Development. Her other credits include Nip/Tuck, the short-lived comedy Better Off Ted and, most recently, Scandal. She's also famous for her off-screen life, having been married to Ellen DeGeneres since 2008. In her 2010 autobiography, Unbearable Lightness, De Rossi discusses suffering from bulimia and anorexia nervosa while she was filming Ally McBeal.

Coming off of her starring role on Melrose Place, Thorne-Smith initially auditioned for the title character on Ally McBeal, but was instead cast as attorney Georgia Thomas, the wife of Ally's ex, Billy. Georgia was written out of the show at the beginning of Season 4, but made occasional guest appearances for the remainder of the show's run.

Thorne-Smith has maintained a steady career as a television actress, with series regular roles on shows like According to Jim and Two and a Half Men. She and her husband, businessman Roger Fishman, have a 9-year-old son together.

Though she's a singer, not an actress, Shepard was a mainstay on Ally McBeal as the composer/singer of the show's title theme and, more importantly, the performer at the lounge where the Cage/Fish attorneys often gathered after work. During her time on the show, as a music producer and "musical voice," Shepard collaborated with artists including Barry Manilow, Al Green, Gladys Knight, Sting, Randy Newman and fellow cast members Jon Bon Jovi and Robert Downey Jr. Her songs appeared on three Ally McBeal soundtracks, including a Christmas-themed one.

Shepard has released a number of albums since her Ally McBeal days, the most recent of which is 2015's Rookie. She and her husband, Michael Froom, have one child together, and Froom also has a daughter from his previous marriage to musician Suzanne Vega.

Probably the most talked-about character on the show, Liu's Ling Woo was an abrasive attorney who had a mystical knowledge about sexual pleasure and was also the best friend of Portia de Rossi's Nelle Porter. During Ally McBeal's run, the character of Ling was the only significant fictional character of Asian descent on American television, and led to Emmy and SAG Award nominations for Liu.

Liu became a household name thanks to Ally McBeal, going on to star in movies including Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and the Kung Fu Panda franchise. Her television career hasn't slowed down either: Liu currently stars on the Sherlock Holmes-inspired CBS drama Elementary, and previously had roles on Southland, Dirty Sexy Money and Cashmere Mafia.

Robert Downey Jr. joined the show in its fourth season as Ally's love interest Larry Paul. The plan called for the two to wed in the Season 4 finale, with Season 5 being about their life as a married couple, but Downey was written out of the show due to his struggles with drug addiction and related arrests and Larry broke up with Ally via a brief farewell letter. Downey's consolation prize after his pink slip? A Golden Globe award for the role.

After being fired from Ally McBeal, Downey was basically never heard from again. Just kidding! After a few more run-ins from the law, Downey got sober and was able to revive his acting career, with significant roles in films like Gothika, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Zodiac. He also got an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe nod for the comedy Tropic Thunder. But most notably, in 2008 he made his debut as Iron Man, a role that cemented Marvel as a power player in the film industry and one he's reprised in several subsequent films, including Iron Man 2 and 3, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Captain America: Civil War and the Avengers franchise. In 2010, he won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the legendary detective in Sherlock Holmes. He married producer Susan Levin in 2005 and they have two children together.

LeGros joined the cast at the end of Season 3 as Mark Albert, an eccentric new attorney hired to replace the deceased Billy. He was upped to a series regular in Season 4, and the character was rewritten to be a totally normal guy who went on to date Cindy and Elaine. LeGros never returned to the show after Season 4, and there was never an explanation provided for the disappearance of his character.

LeGros has had a steady acting career with small roles in films and television. He joined his Ally McBeal co-star Robert Downey Jr. in 2007's Zodiac, and his TV credits include Law & Order: SVU, Justified, Grey's Anatomy, The Good Wife and Person of Interest.

Hall's Corretta Lipp was originally brought on as a recurring character in Season 4 and upped to a series regular in Season 5. Her memorable moments on the show include giving John Cage a "man makeover."

Hall is probably most recognized for playing Brenda Meeks in the Scary Movie franchise. She's also had roles in films including Girls Trip, Think Like a Man and its sequel, and the Barbershop franchise.

Jenny Shaw, played by Nicholson, was yet another new hire to the Cage/Fish law firm in Season 5, when she was brought on by Ally as an associate. After she's fired by Ally midway through the season, Jenny and Glenn (James Marsden) decide to start their own firm together.

Nicholson went on to have significant roles on Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Masters of Sex. She was also nominated for a SAG Award for her role in the 2013 film adaptation of August: Osage County. Most recently, she starred on the short-lived USA drama Eyewitness and will next be seen in NBC's Law & Order: True Crime series about the Menendez Brothers. She and her husband, British actor Jonathan Cake, have two children together.

Another Season 5 newbie was James Marsden's Glenn Foy, who became a brief romantic interest for Ally but quit the firm out of loyalty to his fired friend Jenny, with the two of them branching out to start their own law firm.

Though Marsden was already something of a heartthrob when he was cast on Ally McBeal thanks to his role on Second Noah and in the original X-Men film, he's gone on to have a huge acting career that includes standout roles in both comedies and dramas. He's reprised his role as Cyclops in subsequent X-Men movies, and had a memorable guest arc on 30 Rock as Criss Chros, the gorgeous yet dim-witted boyfriend and later husband of Tina Fey's Liz Lemon. He's currently starring on the HBO series Westworld.

Rounding out the additions to Ally McBeal's Season 5 cast was Hopkins' character, Raymond Millbury. A former colleague of new Cage/Fish associate Jenny Shaw, Raymond catches Ally's eye when he's opposing counsel on a case. But it's actually he and Jenny who embark on a romantic relationship.

Hopkins has had a number of small and leading roles since his Ally McBeal days, most notably on Cold Case, Pepper Dennis, Swingtown and as Courteney Cox's love interest on Cougar Town. He also reunited with Flockhart for a brief stint on Brothers & Sisters. Recently, he portrayed the ill-fated character Liam on ABC's Quantico.

You probably don't remember her on Ally McBeal, but it's true: a young Hayden Panettiere played a pivotal role in the show's final season as Ally's long-lost daughter, Maddie. The 10-year-old shows up on Ally's door one day, the result of a mix-up at the egg bank where Ally froze her eggs a decade prior. In the series finale, Ally decides to quit her job at the law firm for Maddie's sake (despite the fact that she's made partner), and move to New York City, where Maddie's family is.

Panettiere went on to be a leading lady in her own right, first on Heroes and currently on Nashville. She's also made headlines offscreen, speaking openly about her struggles with postpartum depression. Panettiere and her husband, heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, have one daughter.

In Season 5, Ally hired John Michael Higgins' Steven Milter as her therapist.

One of those actors who seems to be in everything, John Michael Higgins has had small roles in a seemingly endless array of movies and television shows, including Arrested Development, Community and, pre-Ally McBeal, Seinfeld. But he's probably most recognizable as one of the frequent players in Christopher Guest's mockumentary films, including Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. He's also currently starring alongside Nicole Richie in NBC's comedy Great News.

Work! Hamilton star (and Tony winner) Renee Elise Goldsberry's first acting role was on Ally McBeal, on which she played a backup singer for Vonda Shepard's resident bar band on the show. She also appeared in the short-lived companion series Ally.

After Ally McBeal, Goldsberry starred as Evangeline Williamson on One Life to Live for four years and went on to play Geneva Pine on The Good Wife, in addition to a number of smaller roles on shows like Royal Pains, The Following and Younger. In 2017, she played the title character in HBO's adaptation of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. But her big break came in 2015, when she was cast as Alexander Hamilton's sister-in-law/true love Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway juggernaut Hamilton. It wasn't her first turn on the Great White Way, however: Her other stage credits include The Lion King, The Color Purple and Rent.

Three-time Oscar nominee Dyan Cannon was already legendary when she landed the recurring role of Judge Jennifer "Whipper" Cone on Ally McBeal.

After Ally McBeal, Cannon's acting career slowed a bit. Her most recent credit is the 2010 TV movie Women Without Men.

Renee Elise Goldsberry isn't the only Rent alum to have appeared on Ally McBeal. And in fact, it was Martin's performance in the hit musical that attracted the attention of Ally McBeal creator David E. Kelley, who tapped Martin to play Ally's boyfriend, Dr. Greg Butters, in Season 1. Ally's relationship with Greg fizzled after she had a brief affair with her former flame Billy.

While he was filming Ally McBeal, Martin approached Law & Order creator Dick Wolf to put his name in consideration to replace Benjamin Bratt, who was leaving the show. He got the role, and played Det. Ed Green on L&O from 1999 to 2008. He subsequently had a recurring role on Smash and currently stars on The CW's The Flash.

Ally McBeal might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name "Jon Bon Jovi," but the rock superstar appeared in quite a few episodes in Season 5 as Victor, a handyman Ally hires and later dates.

Bon Jovi continues to record and tour with his band. Their most recent release was 2016's This House Is Not for Sale. After Ally McBeal, he also appeared on episodes of The West Wing and 30 Rock as himself.

Along with his Rent co-stars Jesse L. Martin and Renee Elise Goldsberry, Diggs was also tapped for Ally McBeal. In Season 4, he played the recurring character Jackson Duper, a new lawyer at the firm who has a relationship with Renee (and who becomes an object of infatuation for Ling and Elaine).

After he got dropped from Ally McBeal, Diggs went on to have leading roles on Private Practice and TNT's Murder in the First, as well as smaller parts on shows including The West Wing, Grey's Anatomy, Will and Grace and The Good Wife. He's currently playing Angelo Dubois on Fox's hip-hop drama Empire.

Ricci had a memorable turn on Ally McBeal as formidable young attorney Liza "Lolita" Bump, who starts out as John Cage's nemesis but later becomes a perfect partner for him after she's hired at the law firm. She later has a hot 'n' heavy relationship with Richard.

Ricci's role on Ally McBeal helped her break out of the child actress mold she had created thanks to early roles in movies like The Addams Family and Casper. After the show ended, she made guest appearances on shows including Grey's Anatomy and The Good Wife, as well as having a leading role in the short-lived series Pan Am. In 2015, she played the title role on Lifetime's limited series The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, and currently stars as Zelda Fitzgerald on Amazon's Z: The Beginning of Everything, which premiered earlier this year and has been renewed for a second season. Her movie career hasn't slowed down either, with credits including Monster and Black Snake Moan. In 2013, she married actor Owen Benjamin and their son, Freddie, was born the following year.

Coming off a public split with Ellen DeGeneres (who would go on to date Heche's Ally McBeal co-star Portia de Rossi), Heche joined the show in Season 4 as John's girlfriend Melanie, who suffers from Tourette syndrome. Their relationship ends when Melanie turns down John's marriage proposal, saying she doesn't believe in lifelong monogamy.

Post-Ally McBeal, Heche's lengthy TV career has included leading roles on shows like Men in Trees, Hung and Save Me, as well as a lengthy arc on Everwood. She'll next be seen in NBC's new drama The Brave.

Edelstein charted relatively new territory in television when she joined Ally McBeal in Season 4 for a brief arc as a transgender woman named Cindy McCauliff. Cindy dates Mark (James LeGros), who initially doesn't know she's transgender. Their relationship ends after he finds out.

Edelstein's biggest TV role to date is playing Dr. Lisa Cuddy on House from 2004 to 2011, but she's also had smaller roles on shows like Felicity, The Good Wife and Castle. Since 2014, she's starred as Abby McCarthy on Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce.