Our insatiable appetite for '90s nostalgia is showing no sign of dissipating. It seems that not a day goes by without the announcement of yet another reboot of a classic '90s show. Revivals have one principal function: they remind us of the good old days, transporting viewers to a seemingly simpler time, which is much needed in this post-Covid world. But this renewed interest in the '90s has also led us to wonder what happened to the many forgotten faces of the era.
With gender discrimination being rife in Hollywood, it's a shameful inevitability that it's actresses who bear the brunt of being left obliterated from memory. We once knew and loved these actresses, but now we are left wondering, "whatever happened to her?" Let's find out what happened to these forgotten actresses of the '90s.
10 Lark Voorhies
Famed for her role as the vainglorious Lisa Turtle on Saved by the Bell, Lark Voorhies has been absent from our screens for almost 30 years. Following the show's end, she had bit parts and guest roles in a number of shows including Family Matters and, somewhat more recently, Robot Chicken.
Sadly, her career was disrupted by her struggle with mental health disorders. But now fans can rejoice as Voorhies, 47, will soon be spotted in the Saved by the Bell reboot, which will show how Lisa Turtle's life turned out after graduating from Bayside High School.
9 Sean Young
Although best remembered for her performance in '80s classic Blade Runner, Sean Young's career continued well into the '90s, with major roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and A Kiss Before Dying. But one can't help but notice that the talented actress' career pretty much ended in the '90s, save for the odd role in critically panned straight to DVD fare.
It turns out that Young's integrity would be her downfall. Long before MeToo, Young spoke out about sexual harassment in Hollywood, which effectively left her blacklisted from the industry, as producers spread rumors that she was "difficult" to work with.
8 Clea DuVall
Fans of quirky indie flicks will always remember Clea DuVall in 1999's But I'm a Cheerleader, in which she played the love interest of Natasha Lyonne's protagonist. Whereas her erstwhile co-star has bounced back from various struggles - both in her career and personal life - DuVall has seemingly vanished from our screens.
She has had guest roles in TV shows such as Heroes and Bones, and was also acclaimed for her performance in Ben Affleck's Argo. These days, DuVall is happiest behind the camera, having directed 2016 dramedy The Intervention and romcom Happiest Season, which was released last year.
7 Amy Yasbeck
Known for acting in numerous oddball '90s comedies, mainly the Problem Child movies and Mel Brooks' Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Amy Yasbeck hasn't appeared in a movie since 1998. The sudden and unexpected 2003 death of her husband, John Ritter, caused Yasbeck to take a break from acting.
These days, she devotes much of her time towards raising awareness of heart disease, which killed her husband. She has also had a number of one-off roles on TV series, including That's So Raven and Modern Family.
6 Ione Skye
The daughter of Scottish folk musician Donovan, Ione Skye was one of the most stunning actresses of the '90s. But the Wayne's World star has all but vanished from the limelight. Ever since the '90s ended, she has been reduced to uncredited bit parts and short films. Sadly, this is largely due to her struggles with addiction.
In recent years, she has been able to bounce back, with a small role in NBC crime caper Good Girls. However, acting is no longer Skye's priority, as she prefers to spend her time painting.
5 Karyn Parsons
There is no sitcom that encapsulates the aesthetic of the 1990s better than The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But we can't help but wonder what happened to the Banks' family's shopaholic eldest daughter, Hilary, or rather, the actress who played her. Despite a couple of movie roles here and there, Karyn Parsons isn't interested in acting these days.
Deciding to lend her name to a good cause, Parsons started the Sweet Blackberry Foundation, which focuses on highlighting the achievements of African-Americans to school kids. She has also written children's books.
4 Jenna Leigh Green
Possibly the original mean girl, Jenna Leigh Green is most famous for playing Sabrina's vindictive nemesis, Libby, on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. After the show ended, the roles largely dried up for Green, who was reduced to bit parts. This was perhaps due to her being typecast since epitomizing the mean girl trope.
But Green isn't too fussed about this, as she comically describes herself as "That girl from that show" in her Instagram bio. Mostly dedicated to theatrical work nowadays, Green starred in Wicked on Broadway.
3 Rachel True
The Craft (1996) is undoubtedly a modern cult classic. The truth is, all of the main cast are pretty much forgotten, from Robin Tunney to Fairuza Balk. But whereas those actresses have had the odd movie and TV role since, there is one star who is persona non grata: Rachel True.
As Rochelle, Rachel True's role in The Craft drew attention to racist bullying at a time when Hollywood was overwhelmingly white in its casting choices and apathetic with regards to addressing racism. These days, True works as a tarot-card reader in LA and is also an author and artist.
2 Linda Fiorentino
Star of Men in Black and Kevin Smith's wacky 1999 movie Dogma, Linda Fiorentino was once an award-winning actress. But she hasn't acted since the 2000s, and even then she was only in direct to DVD movies. Like many other actresses, her career was cut short due to claims that she was "difficult". In a BBC interview, Kevin Smith said that Fiorentino was "the biggest pain in the *** I ever worked with".
Following her retirement, she was embroiled in the Anthony Pellicano case. A Hollywood "fixer", Pellicano was convicted of wiretapping and it was reported that Fiorentino attempted to help get him a lighter sentence.
1 Peri Gilpin
As fans anxiously await the Frasier reboot, we can't help but wonder what ever happened to Peri Gilpin, who played the titular psychiatrist's sassy producer. Since Frasier ended, Gilpin has had numerous small appearances in TV shows, from Desperate Housewives to Grey's Anatomy.
A mom of 2, Gilpin devotes most of her time of her kids and also campaigns for various causes fighting discrimination against the LGBT+ community and people of color.