Child Stars of ‘Everybody Hates Chris’: Where Are They Now?
The internationally syndicated sitcom Everybody Hates Chris left the air in 2009. Fourteen years after it ended, here’s what the younger casts are up to now.
Simply put, it’s Chris Rock meets the “Wonder Years.” But instead of suburbia, he lives in a working-class family in Bed-Stuy, New York, in the 1980s. The award-winning sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris ran from 2005-2009 and earned multiple awards for its biting and satirical racial commentary.
Terry Crews (Julius) from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Tichina Arnold (Rochelle) from Martin are already well-known actors in the business. The younger cast from the highly regarded series also became staple names in Hollywood.
Child Stars of ‘Everybody Hates Chris’: Where Are They Now?
Tyler James Williams as the protagonist ‘Chris’
Photo credits: (left) IMDb “Everybody Hates Chris, (right) Instagram @willtylerjames
The sitcom’s name cannot explain it better. Chris, the “little dude across the street,” is despised by nearly everyone. His parents favored his siblings, and he faced racism from his bully and the “terminally Caucasian” Ms. Vivian Morello. If that doesn’t break his spirit yet, Chris is constantly robbed or, as Jerome says: “let me hold a dollar.”
Tyler James Williams has a long list of acting credits in his name. He got his start as a child actor with several appearances on hit shows, including “Saturday Night Live,” “Little Bill,” and the children’s program “Sesame Street.”
After his breakout role in the sitcom, Williams starred in the Disney Channel movie “Let It Shine” as songwriter Cyrus DeBarge in 2012. He later scored mature roles in “Dear White People,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.”
Now, he plays Gregory Eddie in ABC’s hit comedy “Abbott Elementary,” a school teacher in an inner-city Philadelphia primary school and love interest of Janine Teagues. In 2022, he won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Abbott.
On the big screen, Williams also scored roles in “The Wedding Year” and the 2021 Oscar-nominated movie “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.”
In a recent interview with Men’s Health in January this year, the 30-year-old actor opened up about his experience with Crohn’s disease.
Imani Hakim as Chris’ younger sister Tonya
Photo credits: (left) IMDb “Everybody Hates Chris, (right) Instagram @imanihakim
Tonya, played by Imani Hakim, is the family’s sole daughter. She’s a walking mini-me of her mother and is often spoiled by his father, Julius. She also recites Rochelle’s line perfectly. “You know what? I don’t need this mess! My father has two jobs.”
After the show wrapped, she took the role of the Olympic medalist Gabby Douglas in Lifetime’s biopic “The Gabby Douglas Story” in 2014. Hakim also starred in and produced the independent film “Dinner Party,” which earned several nods Vancouver and Studio City Independent Film Festival in 2021.
One of Hakim’s more recent roles was on the “Mythic Quest,” an Emmy-nominated series created by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creators and stars. She currently plays “Dana,” a game-tester-turned-livestreamer in a successful game design company. The actress also appeared in “Will Trent,” “Burning Sands,” “Chocolate City: Vegas Strip,” and “A Southern Hunting” film.
Tequan Richmond, the popular and likable brother, Drew
Photo credits: (left) IMDb “Everybody Hates Chris, (right) Instagram @tdashrich
Drew, Chris’ younger brother, outperformed him in every area. He mastered Billy Ocean’s moonwalk, was blessed with athleticism, and stood taller than him. He also had a way with the ladies since he was the “good-looking brother” of the family.
Before his breakout role as Drew, Tequan Richmond, played Ray Charles Jr., the son of musician Ray Charles in the motion picture “Ray” in 2004.
After “Everybody Hates Chris’, Richmond went on to star in other TV series such as “Love That Girl,” “The Upsetting,” “Boomerang,” and “Blood on Her Badge.” Away from his comedic wits, the actor shifted to thriller with “Blue Caprice” together with Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington. Like Hakim, the actor starred and produced the film “Nowhere, Michigan.”
Richmond also ventured into music and released several mixtapes under the rap moniker T-Rich.
Vincent Martella, as Greg Wuliger, Chris’ school friend
Photo credits: (left) IMDb “Everybody Hates Chris, (right) Instagram @thevincentmartella
After his start in Everybody Hates Chris, as confidant and schoolmate of Chris in Corleone Junior High School, Vincent Martella became a prominent name in the voice acting world. Most popularly known in Disney Channel original series Phineas and Ferb, where he voiced Phineas Flynn. He also did voice work in the video game Final Fantasy XIII sequels and in the animated film “Batman: Under the Red Hood.”
In another children’s show, he was cast as “Scoop” in the Nickelodeon sitcom Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.
In pursuit of adult roles, he appeared in the comedy film Role Models with Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott. Similar to his Everybody Hates Chris co-star Williams, Martella appeared on the fourth season of Walking Dead.
Travis Flory as Joey Caruso, Corleone Junior High School’s bully
Photo credits: (left) IMDb “Everybody Hates Chris”
If Chris’ two-hour commute and riding three busses isn’t bad enough, Joe Caruso made it worse. The resident bully of a predominantly white school incessantly hurls insults at him for being black. He would often beat up Chris and his friend Greg that the school board blindly tolerated.
During the run of the revered sitcom, Travis Flory played the typecast role of “Redheaded kid” in the popular comedy “Step Brothers” and “License to Wed” in 2008. After the show wrapped, he made guest appearances on the TV series “Gary Unmarried” and “Melissa & Joey.” He was also cast in the 2015 World War II war drama “Little Boy” as the soda fountain clerk.
Paige Hurd as Chris’ love interest, Tasha
Photo credits: (left) IMDb “Everybody Hates Chris, (right) Instagram @thugginn
In a world where Chris is heavily disliked and unfavored by everyone, he meets the next-door neighbor Tasha Clarkson.
Paige Hurd was associated with his godfather, late rapper DMX, and even played his daughter in the 2003 action film “Cradle 2 in the Grave.” In the same year, she also appeared in the family-comedy movie “The Cat in the Hat,” loosely based on Dr. Seuss’s book.
Two years later, the actress joined the cast of Beauty Shop, starred by sitcom legend and rapper Queen Latifah. In her more present works, Hurd was the lead for “The Oval” by Tyler Perry and currently stars as Lauren Baldwin in Power’s spinoff TV series Power Book II: Ghost.
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