Why the Party of Five Cast Still Matters: Where the Salingers Are in 2026

Why the Party of Five Cast Still Matters: Where the Salingers Are in 2026

If you grew up in the 90s, you probably spent a good chunk of your Tuesday nights crying over the Salingers. That old Victorian house in San Francisco felt like a second home, and the Party of Five cast felt like actual family. Honestly, the show was heavy. It wasn't just another teen soap; it was a raw look at grief, addiction, and what happens when five kids are suddenly left to raise themselves.

Fast forward to 2026. The flannel shirts are vintage now, and the "kids" we watched struggle through the late 90s are industry veterans. Some are horror icons, others are Hallmark royalty, and one is currently headlining a massive Yellowstone spin-off.

The Eldest: Matthew Fox and the Move to The Madison

Matthew Fox played Charlie Salinger, the guy who had to grow up way too fast. He was the reluctant guardian with the permanent five-o’clock shadow. After the show ended in 2000, Fox famously landed on a little island called Lost. Playing Jack Shephard made him a global superstar, but it also seemed to burn him out.

For a while, he basically vanished. He moved to Oregon, flew his own planes, and stayed away from the Hollywood machine. But the "hiatus" is officially over. As of 2026, Fox is making a massive splash in the Taylor Sheridan universe. He recently joined Michelle Pfeiffer in The Madison, the latest chapter of the Yellowstone saga. It's a grittier, more "visceral" role—exactly what he told interviewers he craved back in his Salinger days.

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Neve Campbell: The Reigning Queen of Scream

Neve Campbell was the heart of the show as Julia Salinger. While filming Party of Five, she was simultaneously becoming the face of 90s horror as Sidney Prescott in Scream. It’s a role she’s still synonymous with today.

In a move that thrilled fans, Neve is back for the latest Scream sequel in 2026. After a public salary dispute a few years back kept her out of the sixth installment, the producers clearly realized they couldn't do it without her. When she isn't dodging Ghostface, she’s been killing it on Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer as Maggie McPherson. Off-screen, she’s still with partner JJ Feild, and they’ve got two sons who probably think their mom is the coolest person on the planet.

Scott Wolf and the Medical Drama Shift

Scott Wolf was the ultimate 90s heartthrob. As Bailey Salinger, he went through the show's most intense arc: a battle with alcoholism that felt incredibly real for network TV at the time.

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These days, Scott has traded the family restaurant for a hospital scrub. He spent years on Nancy Drew as Carson Drew, but his big 2026 project is the medical drama Doc. He’s essentially become the reliable, warm father figure of modern television. Interestingly, he recently went through a major personal shift, too. He and his wife of two decades, Kelley Marie Limp, announced their separation recently, though they remain focused on co-parenting their three kids.

Lacey Chabert: From Violin Prodigy to Hallmark Queen

It is almost impossible to talk about the Party of Five cast without mentioning Lacey Chabert. She was only eleven when the show started! We watched her grow from the precocious, violin-playing Claudia into a full-blown star.

If you turn on the Hallmark Channel at any given moment, there’s a 90% chance Lacey is on screen. She has filmed over 40 movies for the network. She’s essentially the face of the brand. She even reunited with Scott Wolf in 2023 for A Merry Scottish Christmas, playing siblings once again. It was a total nostalgia trip for everyone who missed the Salinger dynamic.

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The Rest of the Crew: Where are Sarah and Griffin?

The supporting cast was just as vital to the show's DNA. Here is a quick look at where the rest of the gang ended up:

  • Jennifer Love Hewitt (Sarah Reeves): She’s been a staple on 9-1-1 for years now. She also just reprised her role as Julia James in a new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel.
  • Jeremy London (Griffin Holbrook): Jeremy’s path has been a bit rockier, with some public personal struggles, but he’s still active in the indie film scene and runs a YouTube channel called London’s Most Wanted.
  • Scott Grimes (Will McCorkle): You’ve definitely heard his voice—he plays Steve Smith on American Dad!. He also starred in The Orville and had a role in the massive 2023 hit Oppenheimer.
  • Paula Devicq (Kirsten Bennett): The woman who eventually married Charlie Salinger has kept a lower profile lately, but she last appeared in the film Finding Julia.

Why We Are Still Obsessed

The 2020 reboot on Freeform tried to capture the same magic by focusing on the Acosta family and the immigration crisis. It was a smart, timely take, but it only lasted one season. There’s just something about the original 1994 chemistry that can’t be bottled twice.

The original cast remains incredibly close. Lacey Chabert has mentioned in recent interviews that they all still talk and support each other's projects. For a show about siblings who only had each other, it’s comforting to know that bond actually translated into real life.

If you’re looking to catch up with the Salingers, most of the original series is currently streaming on platforms like Hulu or Amazon Prime. Watching it now, the 90s fashion is a choice, but the emotional weight still hits just as hard.

Actionable Next Steps:

  • Watch the Reunion: Check out A Merry Scottish Christmas on Hallmark+ to see Scott Wolf and Lacey Chabert’s modern chemistry.
  • Stream the Original: Revisit Season 3, Episode 15 ("Intervention") for what many critics still consider one of the best portrayals of addiction in TV history.
  • Follow the New Projects: Keep an eye out for Matthew Fox in The Madison on Paramount+ to see his first major TV role in years.