If you’re a fan of a good sitcom, then you’ve likely watched every episode of the heartwarming and hilarious show Reba. The family comedy stole viewers’ hearts everywhere over the course of its six seasons as fans fell in love with the characters and the beloved, and often inspiring, storyline.
Of course, the star of the series was none other than Reba McEntire, who played Reba Hart on the show. Reba centered around the titular character as she dealt with the unfaithfulness and divorce from her husband Brock and his subsequent marriage to Barbara Jean Booker. Naturally, the dissolution of the marriage didn’t just affect Hart and her husband ⏤ it changed things for everyone, including their three children. The Hart children, Cheyenne, Kyra, and Jake, had to make adjustments after the divorce, which led to growth in the children as siblings and individually.
Reba was an honest look at a family dealing with ups and downs and finding light and love in the process. Fans laughed, cried, and grew increasingly more invested in the story as babies were born, marriages celebrated, true and lasting bonds formed, and a lot of laughter shared. Unfortunately, the series only lasted 127 episodes before it was cancelled. While fans could have watched 127 more, they at least have the benefit of being able to keep up with most of their favorite actors and actresses from the show, several of whom have gone on to star in some notable projects.
Here’s what the stars of Reba have been up to since the show came to an end in 2006.
Reba McEntire
You can’t talk about Reba’s current career path without talking about her past. While many fans who began watching Reba already knew her, some weren’t aware of her incredible story. Singing “Away in a Manger” for her first-grade play, McEntire knew from a young age that she had a deep connection to music and that bond was strengthened by the relationship her family had to song as well.
Born into a talented family, Reba’s siblings Pake and Susie joined her in the band The Singing McEntires, performing at local events around town during their adolescence. The group even penned a song about their grandfather titled “The Ballad of John McEntire.”
The siblings went their separate ways when Pake graduated high school, and McEntire would go on to graduate herself before going to Oklahoma State University for elementary education, where she also minored in music. In 1974, she caught the eye of Red Steagall after performing the National Anthem at the National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City. Soon after, McEntire and her mother traveled to Nashville, TN, for a recording session so that Steagall could share her demos with industry professionals. Initially, McEntire’s mom hoped Steagall could help her siblings as well, but Steagall was building things up for himself and didn’t have that kind of pull.
In a chat with CMT, McEntire recalled the call her mom got when Steagall said he could take Reba on. “I’ve been thinking about what you said,” Steagall said. “I can’t take all three, but I can take Reba and possibly get her started and bring the other two in.” In October of 1975, McEntire had her first contract with Polygram/Mercury Records, and the rest is history. Her vocal talents have spanned multiple decades, and if you’re a fan of country music, then you’re a fan of Reba McEntire.
While the curtain closed on Reba’s sitcom (we’re crossing our fingers for a Christmas special one day or some sort of reunion), her country music and acting careers are still very much alive. McEntire has gone on to guest star, voice characters, and act in several films, television series, and specials, from Christmas films and a sophomore sitcom called Malibu Country. She’s got a presence and talent that fans love to watch and a voice that they can’t help but listen to, as music is deeply interwoven into who she is.
McEntire is on tour with her Reba: Live in Concert shows and has put out five studio albums in the last decade. She remains an entertainment staple, and fans who miss Reba can catch reruns on Hallmark and the UP network.
Christopher Rich
Christopher Rich played Brock Hart, Reba’s ex-husband and the father of her children, who fell for his dental assistant while married to Reba. If the tone of Reba had been any different, fans might have loathed his character, but Rich’s charm and charisma made Brock a likable guy.
Before he got his start as an actor, Rich went to the University of Texas and got a Masters from Cornell University in Theater Arts. He broke into the industry with a film role in Prisoners of Inertia as Dave and in the NBC soap opera Another World as Sandy Cory. After Reba, Rich had recurring roles in Melissa and Joey as Russell Burke and Boston Legal as attorney Melvin Palmer in addition to several parts in other series and made-for-TV films such as Christmas in the Heartland, Happily Divorced, and Holiday Road Trip.
Rich is married to Eva Halina Rich, with whom he has twin daughters and a daughter from his first marriage to Nancy Frangione. He’s a big fan of golf, as was his character on Reba, and he’s a family man who enjoys down time with his loved ones.
Melissa Peterman
Melissa Peterman played the sweet and kindhearted Barbara Jean, Brock’s mistress-turned-wife, and Reba’s would-be enemy turned reluctant best friend. Barbara Jean, seen as quirky and simple-minded, was also an innately positive character — a trait as admired as it was an annoyance to those around her.
Like Rich’s character, she was someone who should have been easy to hate, but she grew to become a fan-favorite. She wanted Reba and her family to accept her and genuinely cared about them as a family unit. As the series went on, they all warmed to Barabra Jean in their own ways.
Peterman’s talent led her to star in several other projects after Reba. From hosting gigs in game shows such as Pyramid and The Singing Bee to sitcoms like The Working Class and Baby Daddy, she continued to act and receive fan adoration for years. She’s also had roles in made-for-TV films and, like several of her co-stars, a Christmas movie. Peterman is the co-host of a podcast titled Living & Learning with Reba McEntire and she works with a non-profit theater company that helps at-risk youth in Los Angeles. She’s also married to John Brady and the two share a son named Riley.
Joanna Garcia Swisher
Swisher has had a love for acting since childhood, and she initially worked in local theater shows while finishing school. Disney discovered Swisher as a child, but her parents wanted to focus her attention on education, so it wasn’t until she was in high school that Nickelodeon “discovered” her for the second time. Her first starring role was in the beloved series Are You Afraid of the Dark? as Sam, and she had guest roles in Second Noah, Party of Five, and Freaks and Geeks before landing her role on Reba.
Swisher played Cheyenne in the series and was a fantastic addition to the cast. Her character, the popular cheerleader, became pregnant and married in high school, leading to a slew of new blessings and challenges. After Reba, she continued acting in everything from Privileged, Gossip Girl, Once Upon a Time, and most recently in the Netflix favorite Sweet Magnolias as Maddie Townsend. Swisher also stars in Hallmark films and uses her platform to raise awareness for causes, donating and working closely with multiple charities including We Reach. Additionally, she assists children in learning English as a second language and has two children of her own with her husband, Nick.
Steve Howey
Steve Howey took on the role of Van Montgomery in Reba, the quirky and hilarious boyfriend-turned-husband of Reba’s daughter, Cheyenne. Howey went to college on a basketball scholarship before realizing that he wanted to become an actor. He had guest roles in series such as ER, Get Real, and Any Day Now before landing his first breakout role on Reba. Montgomery was the kind of character who viewers loved instantaneously, and the part only ignited his passion for acting.
He continued and has enjoyed a lengthy career in the entertainment industry. From Ctrl and Shameless to SEAL Team and Sons of Anarchy, he’s played several roles and created quite a name for himself in television. Howey has also brought many beloved movie characters to life, including Daniel Williams in Bride Wars, Marcus in Something Borrowed, and Makewi in See You in Valhalla. In real life, Howey is a family man who loves spending time with his three children, who he had with with ex-wife Sarah Shahi.
Scarlett Pomers
Scarlett Pomers played Kyra in Reba and did the most growing up both on set and off. Although it caused some strife with her parents, Kyra found herself wanting to chase her dreams of becoming a musician all throughout the show. As it turns out, music was crucial to Pomers off-camera as well, and she still enjoys playing music even if she doesn’t do it as a career.
Pomers was absent for most of season five of Reba as a result of an eating disorder she was struggling with. Pomers has since become an advocate for those struggling with disordered eating after being released from her own treatment. It was important for Pomers to help those who may not be able to afford treatment and she devoted much of her time to that cause.
Pomers did not have acting roles after Reba, but she did have a career before her time on the sitcom. Fans might remember her from The Babysitter’s Club, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Star Trek: Voyager, A Ring of Endless Light, and Mighty Joe Young. She is now a photographer.
Mitch Holleman
Mitch Holleman played the youngest of Reba and Brock’s children, Jake, and was a well-loved character. Jake was the typical younger brother, constantly questioning the choices of his older sisters. Still, he loved his family, and it was evident that their close relationships off-camera impacted their bond on-screen.
Holleman starred in Bubble Boy and Daddio before playing the part of Jake on Reba. After the sitcom, Holleman voiced a role in Avatar: The Last Airbender and took on the role of Max in The Hangover. Holleman has continued to stay in the entertainment industry, and in 2019, became a host of a podcast called Extremely Internet, which discusses internet culture and history. You can find out more about the podcast via its Instagram account. Holleman married Emma Elizabeth Holleman in 2020.