Live Facts of Life Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hahn, Allison Tolman and Gabrielle Union Join Ann Dowd
Jennifer Aniston is headed to Eastland.
The Friends vet is returning to her sitcom roots for one night only as part of ABC‘s Live in Front of a Studio Audience (airing Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 8/7c), the network has announced. She’ll play Blair Warner during a live re-staging of The Facts of Life, succeeding original portrayer Lisa Whelchel.
Rounding out the Facts of Life cast are Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision) as Jo Polniaczek, succeeding Nancy McKeon; Allison Tolman (Fargo) as Natalie Green, succeeding Mindy Cohn; and Gabrielle Union (L.A.’s Finest) as Tootie Ramsey, succeeding Kim Fields.
As previously reported, Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale) will play Eastland housemother Mrs. Garrett, succeeding the late Charlotte Rae.
The next Live in Front of a Studio Audience special will feature reenactments of Diff’rent Strokes and Facts of Life. The Diff’rent Strokes cast includes John Lithgow (3rd Rock From the Sun) as Phillip Drummond, Kevin Hart (True Story) as Arnold, Damon Wayans (My Wife and Kids) as Willis, and Dowd as the aforementioned Mrs. G.
The first Live in Front of a Studio Audience special aired May 2019, and recreated episodes of All in the Family and The Jeffersons. That was followed by a second installment in December 2019, featuring a new reenactment of All in the Family and a classic episode of Good Times.
The legendary Norman Lear — whose Embassy Television produced both Diff’rent Strokes and Facts of Life — will return as an executive producer, alongside Jimmy Kimmel, Brent Miller, Kerry Washington, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and Jim Burrows.
Are you looking forward to reenactments of Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes?
uh why are 40 and 50 year olds playing children and teens? Seems like odd casting to me – will be more of a distraction than anything – IMO. Why not use other classic sitcoms that had adults as the main cast? Like the first batch.
40 and 50 year olds are children and teens to Norman Lear. 😝
Very true. We should all be so lucky to live the life he has.
If this was re-casting for an actual running show ,yes,i’d agree. But this is just enough of a strange deviation,
especially with such big Names, it’ll probably draw viewers just out of curiousity,to see how the re-creation handles it.
Exactly. This’ll make it funny, nobody needs a convincing recreation, we could just watch the originals. I love this idea!
Older adults were also cast for Diff’rent Strokes. Amicably it’s an old script read.
If George Clooney’s character is in this episode, they’ll need an actor who’s 120.
This whole concept is ridiculous. I guess there’s no new ideas out there so they just keep redoing the old stuff. Television had gotten so boring.
It just for fun. I remember these shows and I love the idea of recreating them Live.
It’s a one time special. It’s not like they are rebooting the shows with these casts.
I got that, still boring
Then don’t watch. Problem solved. For you and others who think it’s dumb. The rest of us can enjoy it for what it is…a fun trip down memory lane.
Exactly! I enjoyed the others and hope to enjoy these.
I disagree. These episodes are very much like plays. They put on the same plays and musicals all the time. Why can’t they do the same with TV?
Not to mention that adults play children and teens in the theater as well (eg. You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!)
No one’s Clockwork Orangeing you to watch it, C.
There are new ideas, but people like nostalgia and executives like to use ideas that will bring in money for the investors. So you get multiple versions of the same thing because they know it will get viewers and bring in money, with just the occasional new thing making it through, mostly because there’s a name or two in the cast they know will bring in viewers.
Great cast…except Gabrielle Union. Ugh!
Gabrielle is toxic in real life but she was fun in LA’s Finest. Let’s be honest. Playing Tootie isn’t going to be a challenge.
Excuse me? How dare you make a comment like that about Gabrielle. She’s a strong, caring, and loving wife and mother. Just because you don’t agree with the choices parents make to help improve the lives of their children doesn’t make them toxic it just makes you ignorant and judgmental.
Calm down, honey. Gabrielle is a known race baiter and trouble maker and it’s taken her years to develop that history and reputation. Of course that doesn’t mean she’s not a good actress just like Roman Polanski’s antics doesn’t mean he’s not a good director.
As for being a loving wife, it’s too bad her husband isn’t half as loving of her as he is of random women.
From what little bit I’ve seen of GU being herself on random shows. she appeared to be in a bad mood or irritated by something. seems to be a prickly type, not one to be a performer in “show biz”.
She reminds me of my third grade teacher back in Pennsylvania. I was scared of that one!
Your reads are off. She always looks pleasant, funny, and happy to talk it out. When you choose not to like someone because something they say didn’t sit right with you, everything about them irritates you. I’ve been there with plenty of these Hollywood types but I don’t constantly berate them.
Chill out, doofus. Just how long have you had this fixation with Gabrielle? Calling out injustices is not a crime. If that’s her experience, she can talk about it rather than fake smile it to death to some pompous entitled a** face in charge. People over 40, who still live in their parent’s basement, shouldn’t make assumptions or judge anyone, get your life together, troll.
Wow. So many insults crammed into one comment decrying judging others. LMAO!
FYI it’s not an “injustice” to not be let into a store after hours. Or to claim racism when the security guard in question was of the same color as her. And let’s not get into her America’s Got Talent fiasco where she claimed racism when white Julianne Hough got fired from the same show on the same day. Those who run around crying racism all the time are the biggest racists around.
Rape is an “antic”?
Read my comment again and then read yours. No who is being ignorant and judgmental?
Facts are facts.
Plus you started the conversation by slamming her. Don’t try to play innocent once others agree with you.
My point is that I don’t like her as a person but she’s fine as an actress and so I didn’t, unlike you, go “ugh” when I saw her name listed.
I do find it interesting too that the one and only black cast member of the show is only one that made you go “ugh”. Hmm….
I wasn’t replying to you if you look hard enough.
yup, she’s a racist.
I was really hoping for Leslie Jones as Tootie!
You typed “Leslie Jones”. I read “Leslie Jones”. I pictured “Leslie Jordan” and was *so* *confused* until I realized my error.
Hahahaha…it would be EPIC with Leslie Jordan as Tootie! 😝
Leslie Jordan is always hilarious. 😁
If Mr. Jordan was in this, I would watch it, dvr it, and watch it often! BUT NO SUCH LUCK. Aint going to watch.
HAHAHAHAH OMG that would be total insane. I would so watch that.
No. I believe they’re sticking with people who can actually do comedy.
Since they’re going with grown a** adults I was hoping for Kim Fields.
If that’s the case, all of the girls could have played their characters again. Here’s to hoping they’ll make appearances.
ew, gross
It will be nice to how the old show done. As for Freddie Hightower is a really good actor for the kind of roll he’s playing. That has to be really difficult to play.. I admire him very much.
It’s for a bit of fun and a laugh not historical accuracy.
If they’re going to cast actors in their forties and fifties to play teenagers, why not just cast the original actresses? They’re only a few years older.
This!
Sigh. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
Jenn Aniston is overrated. Bad casting, ugh!
Media keeps her relevant not talent and “successful” projects…
We were so mad they ruined Live Jeffersons by making all the females “Hwood” casting as if Gabrielle was busy to represent what made that show great and funny..the talented Hershey sisters! JHud jammed the theme song Jamie Will Ferrell were funny and Marla making surprise appearance was a shocker! Let’s stop the live shows please!!!
Who said they ruined the Live Jeffersons? And I loved the guess appearance.
You lost me at Aniston.
I’m a fan of these actresses, but count me as one who would’ve liked to have seen the original cast members. If they were interested and available.
Well, she definitely has the incredible hair to play Blair. But this is still very weird.
This would have been a great opportunity for a Friends reunion. Courtney Cox as Jo, Lisa Kudrow as Natalie, Aisha Tyler as Tootie…
Actually, Aisha Tyler as Tootie would have been perfect!!
Aisha Tyler would have been a better choice for Tootie.
The original actors for facts are all alive except Mrs G. Why not use them?
What’s the chances they could get Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney? Probably the two biggest stars that got their start on this show.
Leo was Growing Pains.Different network also.
Is this going to be their 30th high school reunion special?
The age range is 40 to 52
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
They normally reenact a popular episode so I don’t think so.
This stunt casting is just stupid. This would’ve been an amazing opportunity to showcase some younger talent in these roles instead of actors who are the same age as the cast is now. Hard pass!!
According to the announcement of the “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” back in 2019 the entire series is to feature “All-Star casts for live recreations ” of beloved 1970s sit-coms in one-time specials .That’s the whole point.
Casting adults in these roles feels more like camp / parody rather than homage. Also, the OG crew must feel pretty slighted as they are not too far off in age to these actresses.
This is sooooo wrong it’s circled back to right again.
Aisha Tyler nailed the role of Tootie on the Talk’s one halloween episode .. i honestly dont know how i feel about these castings
Why. Why must they ruin great old shows.
I hate the casting older actors playing teenagers. With that said, who is playing Kimberly on Diff’rent Strokes. Unless the episode they’re recreating she wasn’t in, she’s the one missing cast member. Hopefully we’ll find out who it is before it airs next week,
Why aren’t they using the original actors? It didn’t make sense.
The whole official premise announced in 2019 for the”Live in Front of a Studio Audience” specials is for viewers to see “All-Stars” ( read Big Name celebrities in acting ) re-enact the parts from famous sit-coms’ episodes.
And there are no teen stars to fit the bill? Or even some 20-something stars?
Granted the decision to cast actors who are obviously not matched to the original characters’ ages is a different creative take-but it is NOT meant to be taken as a serious attempt at a re-make. Think of variety show/comedy skits where people obviously are either much older or younger than the well-known roles they are imitating.It’s just entertainment.
People are taking this way too seriously. Thank you for your input… :-)
I am not a fan of Union, buy I do like the other choices.
Jesus, if they’re gonna age up the kids so much, why not get the originals back where possible?!