Everyone had a show growing up, specifically during their teen angst years, that they'd watch as a complete guilty pleasure and would earn some unsolicited opinions from their parents. For many, MTV's Awkward was that exact show. It encompassed the embarrassing and coming-of-age scenarios teenagers could relate to, or in some cases, study if they hadn't experienced them yet. The show ended in 2016, and we need to know what the cast is up to now.
New Acting Horizons
Ashley Rickards, who played protagonist Jenna Hamilton, has appeared in a handful of projects since Awkward's finale. She currently plays A'sha in the Emmy-nominated series ctrl alt delete which depicts, "A workplace comedy set in a women's health clinic, following the kooky employees and the stories of the women+ who come through the clinic. Inspired by true stories from women and clinics all over the country."
The short-form series' episodes only last a few minutes but the show is still running since its 2017 debut. Rickards also starred in the 2017 film The Outcasts. She surprisingly connected to her character's inability to fit in. The actress mentioned in a red carpet interview after a correspondent asked her about her high school experience, "If the outcasts are here," she gestured different subsections with her hands, "And the popular kids are here. I was like over here. I was definitely sitting alone at lunch."
Rickards most recently took a bone-chilling turn with her career in her newest thriller Smiley Face Killers. The very much real murders and history behind the film fall in line with Rickards' decision to tackle real-world roles. This one takes on a heavier ambiance than her previous on-screen appearances.
Same Ole Matty McKibben
Beau Mirchoff who played Jenna Hamilton's half do***ey/half heartthrob Matty McKibben went on to star as another lover boy and fans can't take their eyes off of him. He joined ABC Family's hit and progressive show The Fosters as Jamie Hunter. He's a lawyer who develops into Callie's love interest and makes big bucks in Los Angeles.
His role entertained viewers enough to continue Jamie's story into the spinoff series Good Trouble that follows Callie and Mariana to their new lives in LA. Mirchoff shared his favorite parts about working alongside Maia Mitchell who plays Callie with Young Hollywood, "She's a fantastic person. She's also from Australia but she doesn't speak in her Australian accent most of the time. Sometimes it slips out and you're like, 'Ah! You're from down under.'" Mirchoff added the last line with a laugh and delivered plenty more jokes during the same interview.
The actor also joined the television series Now Apocalypse alongside Nickelodeon star Avan Jogia. IMDb showcases what newcomers should expect of the show, "While on quests to pursue love, sex, and fame with his friends in Los Angeles, Ulysses' premonitory dreams make him question the possible presence of a dark and monstrous conspiracy." Unfortunately, after one season, Starz decided to not go forward with the edgy and boundaries-pushing network experiment.
More Leading Roles
Jillian Rose Reed's longest-lasting accomplishment since her years as blunt and loveable Tamara Kaplan is rather unexpected. She just finished her third season as a voice actress for the Disney animated series Elena Of Avalor. She told YouTube interviewer Alexis Joy about her time as a voice actress, "It's really fun! I get to go to work in my workout clothes or in my pajamas and it doesn't even matter," she said with a sweet laugh, "It's Disney's first Latina princess and I play her best friend."
Disney as of recent has decided to discontinue the series, but the inspiration Reed has offered to young viewers who can see characters come to life who look like them and connect to their ancestry made for a moving few years. She fully appreciated the message her role gave to children growing up with Elena Of Avalor.
Jessica Lu played Jenna's best friend Ming Huang and wore the perfect amount of beanies to show off her cute bob hairstyle. Seriously, beanies and short hair are undeniable twin flames. Anyway, she acted in a recurring role as Joy Chen in the dramedy God Friended Me. The show opens with an atheist living in NYC who gets a mysterious friend request from God. This creative take on faith was also disappointingly canceled in 2020. This year is taking away any form of joy we get from our favorite niche TV shows. But we won't get into that.
Right now is a scary time for actors to find roles, considering filming delays and quarantine-related recovery. We're not complaining about ensuring safety. It's just the wrong time to count tallies off all the series that are getting canceled because of the world's current predicament. These are some mega-talented performers and they'll surely find more roles that fit the next phase in their careers.