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Living Single Turns 30! Where Are They Now?

One of our favorite 90s tv friend groups graced our screens for the first time in 1993..

We can’t believe that Living Single premiered 30 years ago! We laughed, cried, and fell in love with these characters and miss them dearly. Many of the cast members thrived in the entertainment industry after the show wrapped in 1998 while others stepped away from the spotlight. Here’s what the cast has been up to since 1993!

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah was a successful rapper prior to starring in Living Single as Khadijah James, called of the First Ladies of Hip-Hop. She went on to star in Set it Off (1996), The Queen Latifah Show , Chicago , Bringing Down the House , Hairspray , Last Holiday, Brown Sugar, and Girls Trip . She also became a film and television producer, wedding officiant, Emmy Award nominee, author, brand spokesperson, and award show host. The first female hip-hop artist to receive an Academy Award nomination. She has won Grammys, a Golden Globe, NAACP Image Awards, and a BET Lifetime Achievement Award. She is currently starring in CBS’ The Equalizer . She has one child with her partner, Eboni Nichols .

Kim Coles starred in In Living Colo r before her main role in Living Single as Sinclaire James-Jones. She then went on to star in roles for many shows including Frasier , The Geena Davis Show , One on One , and A Black Lady Sketch Show .

Erika Alexander- Maxine ‘Max’ Felice Shaw

Erika Alexander was our favorite attorney, Maxine Shaw, in Living Single . Life after the 90s classic, still involved acting as Alexander has starred in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , Half & Half , a couple of CSI franchises, Queen Sugar , Get Out , Insecure , Black Lightning , and Shining Girls just to name a few. She is currently playing Linda Diggs and Lady Marlboro in Wu-Tang: An American Saga . Alexander has also been credited as an author, social activist, and co-founder of Color Farm Media.

John Henton

After Living Single came to a close, John Henton, Overton in the show, booked the role of Milsap Morris in The Hughleys which aired from 1998 to 2002. Unfortunately, in 2000 Henton was involved in a car accident due to drinking and driving that left him severely injured. He did return to acting, but only in guest star roles through 2014.

Kim Fields- Regine Hunter

Before Kim Field s played Regine Hunter in Living Single , she was Tootie in The Facts of Life , establishing her name in the industry as a child. After Living Single , Fields became a director for Kenan & Kel and a number of Tyler Perry productions like Meet the Browns and House of Payne . She also continued acting by guest starring in a few shows: One on One , The Comeback , Cobra Kai , and Insecure . Fields also spent one season in 2015 on The Real Housewives of Atlanta , where she had a difficult time connecting to the other housewives. She is currently playing Regina Upshaw in The Upshaws and has two sons with her husband, Christopher Morgan.

Terrence T.C. Carson

When Living Single concluded, Terrence T.C. Carson who played Kyle Barker, dove mostly into voice acting for Rugrats , Star Wars video games and TV series as Mace Windu, Lilo & Stitch as Cobra, several characters in Clifford the Big Red Dog , Kratos in the God of War video games, and more. Carson also has released music since being Kyle Barker in Living Single , with the albums Truth in 2000 and Live in Beverly Hills in 2014.

Shaun Baker

Shaun Baker ’s character, Russell Montego in Living Single , was seen more in the later years of the show. After the show wrapped in 1998, he joined the cast of V.I.P. as Quick Williams and three episodes of NYPD Blue . Baker has been in films and tv series over the years but keeps a private life otherwise.

Mel Jackson- Ira Lee ‘Trip’ Williams

Mel Jackson was Trip Williams in the fifth and final season of Living Single . He appeared in a few other shows including The Parkers , The Division , and Half & Hal f. Jackson has not acted since 2015 but has been credited as a writer and a producer for several productions over the years. He is the co-executive producer for a project called Clinic that is in post-production.

Chip Fields- Laverne Hunter

Chip Fields is the mother of Kim and Alexis Fields. She acted alongside her daughter on Living Single as Laverne Hunter. Chip Fields was a successful actress long before Living Single as Rita Conway in The Amazing Spider-Man, Toni Johnson in Days of Our Lives , and Linella Gordon in Good Times . She became a director for some of our favorite shows post- Living Single such as Sister, Sister , Girlfriends , The Parkers , One on One , Meet the Browns , House of Payne , and most recently Nickelodeon’s Young Dylan .

Cress Williams- Terrence ‘Scooter’ Williams

Cress Williams ’ characterX— Scooter Williams, was seen the most in season two of Living Single . Williams has stayed booked and busy since the show’s conclusion starring in recurring roles and guest roles for Nash Bridges , Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , ER , Grey’s Anatomy , Prison Break , and Saturday Night Lights . He’s also known widely for his role as Lavon Hayes in Hart of Dixie and Jefferson Pierce in the beloved series Black Lightning . Williams is married and has four children.

Bumper Robinson- Ivan Ennis

Similar to Terrence T.C. Carson, Bumper Robinson became a well-known voice actor after starring in Living Single . He has voiced characters in shows and video games from Teen Titans , What’s New, Scooby-Doo? , Avatar: The Game , several Marvel , Star Wars, and DC projects, and The Walking Dead video games. He is the voice of Deadshot in the upcoming Suicide Squad video game. Robinson maintains a private life outside of acting.

Khalil Kain- Keith

Khalil Kain who played Keith in four episodes of Living Single , continued in the film and television industries after the show ended. He guest starred in Sister, Sister , and Moesha and had a prominent role as Patrick Peet in Bones with Snoop Dogg. Kain is also known for being Maya’s husband in the series Girlfriends and Bill in For Colored Girls . Kain also holds credits as a director and producer. He has two children, Luka and Noe.

Rita Owens- Rita James

Rita Owens is Queen Latifah’s mother and played Rita James alongside her daughter in four episodes of Living Single . Owens starred in The Cookout and The Cookout 2 in the 2000s, before battling with heart failure. Queen Latifah traveled back and forth from California to her hometown in New Jersey to take care of her mother for over a decade. Sadly, Owens passed away in 2018 .

Dorien Wilson- Rev. Leslie Taylor

Although Dorien Wilson only appeared in four episodes of Living Single as Rev. Leslie Taylor, his acting career has continued, with a long resumé to prove it. Wilson starred in hit shows like Goode Behavior , Boy Meets World , Moesha , The Parkers , That’s So Raven , House of Payne , and Bella and the Bulldogs . He was also seen in You Got Served as the doctor. He currently stars in the series, Inn-Tanglement .

Miguel A. Nunez Jr.- Goldie

Miguel A. Nuñez Jr. appeared as Goldie in season one of Living Single . He was also seen in the movie Life with Eddie Murphy and Bernie Mac, playing the character Biscuit. He’s also known as Harris Grant in The Family Business , and Tommy Reddick in Nashville . According to IMDb , he has several projects in production. He has two children.

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The 11 Most Essential Episodes of Living Single

This piece was originally published in February 2018. We’re republishing it today for the 25th anniversary of Living Single ’s premiere.

One of the most sincere pleasures I’ve had this year was rewatching Living Single shortly after Hulu made the entire series available in January . Running for five seasons beginning in 1993, Living Single centered on the professional and romantic lives of a group of friends living in Brooklyn: a hilarious, highly ambitious editor and magazine publisher Khadijah James (Queen Latifah, further cementing her ability to move through mediums with panache); Khadijah’s airheaded, sweet-natured cousin, Synclaire James (Kim Coles); the sharp-tongued, pugnacious attorney Maxine “Max” Shaw (Erika Alexander); the stylish, wig- and gossip-loving Regine Hunter (Kim Fields); the down-to-earth handyman Overton “Obie” Wakefield Jones (John Henton); and the exceedingly confident, finely dressed stockbroker Kyle Barker (T.C. Carson).

Before rewatching the series, I wondered if it would live up to my desires. Would I realize I was looking back on it through the lens of nostalgia? Thankfully, I quickly learned that Living Single remains amazing. The humor is sharp, the characters distinctive, the cast chemistry inviting, and the narratives the right balance between outlandish and poignant. Here are 11 of the best episodes of Living Single that exemplify why the show was one of the definitive ’90s sitcoms and continues to endure today.

“A Kiss Before Lying” (Season 1, Episode 4)

My favorite aspect of Living Single is the often venomous, lustful dynamic between Max and Kyle. They exemplify the idea that there is a thin line between love and hate. Max and Kyle’s tense relationship also grants Living Single its best physical humor, making it a crucial aspect to the heart of the series. “A Kiss Before Lying” has Max scrambling as her ex, Greg, who left her abruptly after five years because of her professional success, slinks back into her life with his fiancée in tow. Khadijah responds as any best friend would, encouraging Max to leave Greg in the past. Max has other ideas, though, setting up a dinner at Khadijah’s place and hilariously roping Kyle into pretending to be her man as a last-minute effort to flaunt a more perfect life than what she actually has. Erika Alexander and T.C. Carson are adept at physical humor, heightening the saccharine fake relationship and the silliness of this dynamic, making “A Kiss Before Lying” one of the most hilarious episodes in the series.

“Playing House” (Season 4, Episode 17)

The on-again, off-again relationship between Max and Kyle is undoubtedly the strongest relationship in Living Single , at least romantically speaking. (But I can understand arguments for the perfectly matched Overton and Synclaire, who stand out in episodes like “Never Can Say Goodbye,” or Regine’s own romantic history in episodes like “Do You Take This Man’s Wallet?” as she plans the wedding of an ex.) “Playing House” demonstrates just how drawn to each other these strong-willed people are, while balancing two strong story lines: Overton and Synclaire having the apartment to themselves when they try out living together, and Kyle using the cover of a trip to Japan to hook up with Max in a hotel. Regine knows something is up despite Max and Kyle continuing to pretend their relationship is currently on the back burner, adding a hilarious dimension to the episode.

“He Works Hard for the Money” (Season 3, Episode 8)

I loved Living Single as a kid, but one thing I forgot was just how many amazing cameos the series has. “He Works Hard for the Money” features one of my absolutely favorites: The marvelous, incomparable Eartha Kitt playing a famous actress named Jacqueline Richards, who is a new client at Kyle’s firm. In many ways, Kitt plays an outsize version of herself, poking fun at her own image as a grand, talented, lascivious diva. Kitt is hilarious as she purrs lines like, “Oh, the affairs this apartment has seen” and “I never do business without a drink” with aplomb. The dynamic between Kyle and Jacqueline is equal parts uproarious and tenderhearted as they develop a real friendship. Bonus points for the mention of Bette Davis and other classic Hollywood legends.

“Great Expectations” (Season 1, Episode 6)

Living Single is a series that finds its groove early on. Its strong voice, the distinctive quality of the characters, and its warm humor are all immediately apparent — that’s why it’s so hard to choose just 11 episodes. (If you’re looking for more, just binge seasons one through four. Trust me, it’s worth it!) But “Great Expectations” features a pop-culture trope that easily wins me over: a group of women getting dolled up together in the bathroom before a night out. Hijinks ensue, of course, once they get to the club. Max is saddled with a gold-toothed man who announces that he wants to “sop her up with a biscuit,” Khadijah proves to have high standards when it comes to her flirting partners,” Regine is pissed to learn that her one-of-a-kind dress is a popular look for many women in club, and Kyle strikes out despite his best efforts. It’s a fun, light episode that demonstrates the early strength of Living Single ’s casting and comedic capabilities.

“I Love This Game” (Season 2, Episode 2)

Another strength of Living Single is its great athlete cameos. Typically, these sports appearances cross into Khadijah’s work life as the editor of Flavor. “I Love This Game” elaborates on her personal love of basketball, in which real-life WNBA legend Cheryl Miller plays an old rival of Khadijah from her hig- school years. Miller easily bests Khadijah when they decide to settle their long rivalry in a one-on-one game, but thankfully Khadijah leaves with her dignity intact, if not with the bragging rights. What I love about this episode is Khadijah’s competitive spirit: Along with Max, whom I connect more with as time goes on, Khadijah is one of the early examples of a fiercely ambitious black woman I witnessed in pop culture as a kid. Even when her competitive edge gets the best of her, I can’t help but be inspired by her dedication and zeal.

“A Hair-Razing Experience” (Season 2, Episode 13)

Conversations about hair and respectability politics have existed within the black community for decades. In this episode, Living Single questions ideas of authenticity and culture when Kyle is told by an upper-management figure that his hairstyle stands in the way of gaining a managerial position on an important account. That this boss is also a black man makes the criticism sting further. Kyle spends the rest of the episode considering if he’s willing to trade his hairstyling — an extension of just how proud he is of his blackness, and a representation in his interest in a certain brand of authenticity — for a move further up in the corporate echelon. Kyle, of course, stays true to himself despite the possible risks.

“What Next?” (Season 1, Episode 27)

It’s astounding to think that the first three seasons of Living Single each had 27 episodes, but what’s even more astounding is the show’s overall consistency. Season one builds to a great finale that pits Khadijah’s current paramour, Alonzo, with childhood friend and old flame Terrence “Scooter” Williams (Cress Williams, who is currently the lead of Black Lightning ). Alonzo asks Khadijah to move in with him, but she has trepidation once Scooter returns to New York hoping to rekindle their romance. There are also great side plots, including Maxine’s frustration at work when she gets reprimanded for suggesting a wealthy, beautiful client get a prenup for her upcoming marriage. The episode ends on a stunning cliff-hanger: After a whole season of venomous insults and hilarious barbs, Max and Kyle drunkenly sleep together.

“There’s Got to Be a Morning After” (Season 2, Episode 1)

The season-two premiere has many pleasures: watching Khadijah and Scooter navigate their rekindled relationship, Synclaire’s dopey humor, Regine’s keen nose for gossip. But the highlight is seeing Max and Kyle’s reaction once they wake up in each other’s arms. Erika Alexander is a marvelous comedic actor. Watching the way her face contorts into a deep frown, and how every gesture communicates Max’s weird mix of lust and animosity toward Kyle is simply fun to watch. Honestly, I am putting this episode on the list for the melodious yet cutting manner Alexander says a single line once Max realizes the gravity of her situation: “Kyle, if I hear one word of this, I will kill you, burn you, and salt the earth where I bury you.” (This whole list could just be Max and Kyle–specific episodes. If you delight in watching these two spar as much as I do, I also recommend season two’s “ Singing the Blues ,” season four’s “ Never Can Say Goodbye ,” and season five’s “ Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore Part II .”)

“Doctor in the House” (Season 4, Episode 12)

I have always been interested in the ways black sitcoms handle class. Living Single doesn’t shy away from considering the multiplicity of the black experience and how it changes along lines of professional desires and class backgrounds: Consider Regine, whom Khadijah always reminds grew up in the projects but aims to wear the markers of wealth. “Doctor in the House” sees Khadijah join her anesthesiologist boyfriend, Charles, at a prestigious gathering where he’s receiving an award. But Khadijah bristles among the bougie black elite who look at her magazine Flavor as a cute side project and note how “ethnic” her name is. It gets worse from there, eventually putting a strain on her relationship with Charles. If for no other reason, I love this episode because it is situated in Khadijah’s arc about her desire for a partner and the importance her work has in her life.

“Mystery Date” (Season 1, Episode 19)

While Regine fancies herself as the best at pulling eligible men, it’s Khadijah who has the hottest men throughout the series — even catching the attention of various celebrities. In “Mystery Date,” Maxine, Regine, and Khadijah vie for the interest of a new neighbor in their brownstone played by Morris Chestnut. It’s Khadijah who comes out with a date, though he ends up not being as much of a catch as his good looks suggest. “Mystery Date” exemplifies how great Living Single is when it leans into arch, ridiculous humor that pits the very different yet equally strong personalities of the cast against each other. It’s brimming with great line deliveries and physical humor, and I’m especially fond of Queen Latifah’s fourth-wall-breaking performance. (If you’d like other blissfully ridiculous episodes, check out season one’s “ Burglar in the House ,” which shows Khadijah wielding nunchucks and “ Not Quite Mr. Right ” from season four.)

“Shrink to Fit” (Season 3, Episode 19)

Seeking psychiatric help for mental-health concerns remains a touchy concern within the black community, no matter where you’re from or your class background. “Shrink to Fit” represents the pop-culture perspective of this ongoing conversation. Khadijah has worn herself out, putting her strenuous career above her mental and physical health leading to a breakdown. She’s working a second job to keep Flavor afloat and she learns Scooter is seeing someone new, which sends her over the edge she was dangling from. She ends up reluctantly going to a psychiatrist played by A Different World alum Jasmine Guy.

Thankfully, the creatives behind Living Single aren’t afraid to lean into a bit of absurdity with this subject. Khadijah shows up for the appointment wearing shades and an obvious wig (probably swiped from Regine’s closet), dodging questions that touch the nerve of her own problems. “Psychotherapy doesn’t get much respect in our community,” Guy’s character notes. Living Single may only be 30 minutes and doesn’t return to this plotline, but its approach to the necessity of mental-health care in the black community proves to be potent. I also was deeply struck by how the episode considers the ways Khadijah puts everything before herself, to the point she doesn’t even fully enjoy the job she has poured so much effort into. “Shrink to Fit” exemplifies the continued impact of this series: great comedic acting, an ability to balance the farcical with the sincere, and a moving poignancy about the concerns of the audience it targeted that still resonate today.

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Living Single cast: Where are they now?

Let's go back to a '90s kind of world! See what the cast of Fox's groundbreaking sitcom has been up to since rooming together in a Brooklyn brownstone.

Before Friends came along, there was Living Single . In 1993, the race for Sunday night ratings was a tight one — critics agreed that the big contenders were CBS ' Murder, She Wrote and NBC's seaQuest DSV , but out of left field came a sitcom deemed underdog: Fox's Living Single . The show chronicled the adventures of four single ladies living in New York City, capturing viewers with its on-point comedy and catchy opening credits song. Featuring six Black comedic stars, the show quickly became the most popular sitcom of its era. See where the cast of Living Single has been since its 1998 finale.

Queen Latifah (Khadijah James)

Before playing the role of a successful magazine founder in NYC, Queen Latifah was known for her musical talent. Latifah's career began in the early-'90s with her album All Hail the Queen , which featured her hit single "Ladies First." In '93, the same year she landed Living Single, Latifah earned a Grammy for her single "U.N.I.T.Y." She landed her first leading film role in the critically-acclaimed Set It Off (1996) alongside Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica A. Fox .

She became even more of a household name in 2002 after her iconic performance in Chicago , for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Since then, Latifah has created her own daytime talk show, The Queen Latifah Show ; earned an Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie for the film Bessie ( HBO ), in which she portrayed blues performer Bessie Smith ; starred in films like Girls Trip (2017), The Tiger Rising (2022), and Hustle (2022); and held lead roles on the Fox musical drama Star and the CBS crime series reboot of The Equalizer .

Kim Fields (Regine Hunter)

Kim Fields grew up under the spotlight: Her mother, Chip Fields, was a singer, actress, and TV director. Years before landing the role of socialite wannabe Regine Hunter, Fields gained fame as Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey on The Facts of Life . Her role on the '80s coming-of-age sitcom launched her career.

After Living Single was canceled, Fields took on directing and has worked on a few of Tyler Perry 's movies and BET 's Let's Stay Together. In 2015, Fields joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta , although her gig only lasted one season. The actress' dive into reality continued as she competed in season 22 of Dancing With the Stars in 2016, finishing in eighth place. She stars alongside Mike Epps and Wanda Sykes on the Netflix comedy series The Upshaws .

Kim Coles (Synclaire James-Jones)

In the early-'90s, Kim Coles found success as part of the original cast of the sketch comedy series In Living Color . Due to the popularity of the show, Coles landed the role of the hilarious Synclaire on Living Single , which cemented her legacy in pop culture.

The actress went on to make appearances on shows like Frasier , Six Feet Under , and My Wife and Kids , and she had a recurring role on The Geena Davis Show in 2000 as Judy Owens. The actress was host of BET's game show Pay It Off and part of TBS ' comedy 10 Items or Less. Coles continues acting and making guest star appearances on television, including on shows like A Black Lady Sketch Show and Home Economics .

Erika Alexander (Maxine Shaw)

Erika Alexander got her break when she portrayed Pam Tucker on The Cosby Show , a part which secured her ascent to fame as a '90s sitcom star. Concurring with her role as Cousin Pam was her role alongside Whoopi Goldberg in the 1990 film The Long Walk Home .

After five years of playing Maxine on Living Single , the actress continued to work on TV, appearing in a recurring part on Judging Amy and making guest appearances on House , Grey's Anatomy , and Queen Sugar . She took on the role of Tess Shoemaker in Freeform 's sci-fi drama Beyond . Alexander also played a role in the acclaimed film Get Out (2017) and starred in season two of Amazon Prime 's Bosch , as well as Hulu 's Wu-Tang: An American Saga, the Roku original Swimming With Sharks , and Apple TV+ 's Shining Girls .

John Henton (Overton "Obie" Wakefield Jones)

John Henton's rise to fame happened by chance — he was discovered in 1991 by a comedy executive for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. After his set on the late-night talk show, Henton's career took off.

Post- Living Single , the actor starred on ABC 's The Hughleys with D.L. Hughley. In 2000, he was involved in a serious car accident that broke both of his legs and nine teeth, and shattered one of his eye sockets. After extensive reconstructive plastic surgery, he continued his work on The Hughleys. Henton subsequently made a few other guest appearances (in 2009 and 2014), but has seemed to stay away from television.

Terrence "T.C." Carson (Kyle Barker)

Prior to his role as the charming and successful Kyle Barker, Terrence "T.C." Carson performed on stage in musicals like The Wiz and Dreamgirls. He crossed over into comedy when he starred in the film Livin' Large! in 1991.

After Living Single, Carson became a successful voice-over actor, giving life to Mace Windu on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tales of the Jedi , Kratos in the PlayStation game God of War , and the Green Lantern on Justice League: Cosmic Chaos . He has also guest-starred on such shows as Nashville , Black Lightning , Star , and Last Call , and had roles in the films Hunther (2022) and Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls (2023).

Cress Williams (Terrence "Scooter" Williams)

Being the actor who played Khadijah's love interest (a notable music producer), Cress Williams is also well known for his participation in the era-defining Beverly Hills, 90210 as D'Shawn Hadell.

In the early-2000s, he was cast in another memorable role on Nash Bridges as Inspector Antwon Babcock. Williams' most notable characters also include Wyatt Mathewson, the hitman from the popular series Prison Break , and Tucker Jones, Miranda Bailey's first husband on Grey's Anatomy . He appeared on the CW 's Hart of Dixie and CBS' Code Black before landing the plum gig as the lead of Black Lightning , the CW action series on which he starred as the show's titular hero persona from 2018 to 2021.

Mel Jackson (Ira Lee "Tripp" Williams)

Prior to his role as Tripp on Living Single , Mel Jackson had made minor TV appearances until he landed a role in the film Soul Food in 1997. The actor was part of Living Single 's cast for its last year on air, and it helped push his career through the early 2000s.

Jackson appeared in the film Deliver Us From Eva (2003) as well as the TV series The Parkers and The Division . The actor continued to score small roles in television up through 2015.

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How 'Living Single' Influenced Everything From 'Friends' to 'Insecure'

Kim coles on the impact of ‘living single’ and ‘in living color’ in the ‘90s (exclusive), dan stevens reflects on working with late ‘sweetheart’ angus cloud (exclusive), gene simmons previews upcoming solo shows after kiss farewell tour (exclusive), inside kate middleton's decision to film cancer reveal (royal expert), kate middleton cancer battle: 'the view' hosts 'deeply remorseful' over conspiracy theories, arnold schwarzenegger reveals he’s using a pacemaker, diddy's houses raided by homeland security: what we know about bicoastal operation, 'yellowstone' actor claims airline kicked him off flight for refusing to sit by masked person, kate middleton: how sarah ferguson is showing her support amid her own cancer battle, kate middleton's cancer reveal: inside the making of and what charles and william knew, katy perry reacts to kelly clarkson covering her song 'wide awake', anne hathaway tears up watching 'the princess diaries' for first time in decades, shannen doherty shames skeptics who forced kate middleton's cancer diagnosis reveal, julianne moore on playing a 'scheming momma' in 'mary & george' (exclusive), michael jackson biopic: kat graham will play diana ross, plus more casting reveals, 'american idol': ‘bachelor’ alum juan pablo tears up over 15-year-old daughter camila’s audition, rebel wilson reveals 'a**hole' co-star she claims tried to ruin her career, oliver hudson on 'trauma' he experienced due to mom goldie hawn 'living her life', ‘90 day fiancé’: emily reacts to being in cameroon for the first time, 'the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare' cast reflects on on-set brotherhood (exclusive), taylor swift and travis kelce step out for lunch date in malibu, et looks back on the series starring queen latifah and its lasting impact on storytelling today..

Created by Yvette Lee Bowser and starring Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Kim Fields, Erika Alexander, T.C. Carson and John Henton, Living Single followed the personal lives and professional experiences of six friends living in a Brooklyn brownstone. Over the course of five seasons, which ran from 1993 to 1998, the series became a ratings hit for Fox and one of the most watched Black programs of the ‘90s. 

“It’s gonna look different from the other things,” Latifah said when ET was visiting the set in 1993. Indeed it did.

Aside from A Different World , which ended in 1993, not many Black sitcoms focused on a group of young, single friends, especially the likes of editor Khadijah James (Latifah), receptionist and aspiring actress Synclaire James-Jones (Coles), lawyer Maxine Shaw (Alexander), gossip Regina Hunter (Fields), handyman Overton Wakefield (Henton) and stockbroker Kyle Barker (Carson). 

“You’ve never seen these women before,” Fields said of the premise about “four Black women in that twenty-something age range who are in New York and trying to make it.” 

Years later, in 1999, Latifah revealed that what she was most thankful for about being on Living Single alongside her co-stars was for “people and kids and young women, [who] can look at that show and feel proud. They could feel comfortable with themselves, because here’s some people they probably look up to in a way. And they look normal. Everyone is not designed to be (hourglass gesture) this, so don't put them in a mold and feel like you have to be.”

In fact, if networks had it their way, Living Single may never have made the impression on audiences that it did without Maxine. Bowser revealed to ET in 2018 that executives wanted to cut her from the ensemble.

“I said to lose her would be to lose a huge part of me and the show,” she recalled. Ultimately, they reached a compromise, with the character moved into an apartment across the street. “I got more comedy from the fact that she was always there even though she didn’t live there. It turned out to be a great thing that she didn’t end up on the cutting-room floor but ended up being a huge part of that show, which was always the intention.” 

But no matter how groundbreaking it was or how hard they had to fight, the reason it was so successful is that it connected with audiences. “People say our characters remind them of themselves, their friends or their relatives. They all know someone like one of the characters,” Bowser told Ebony magazine at the height of its run.  

And in its 25-plus years since its debut on Aug. 22, 1993, Living Single ’s legacy lives on in everything from Friends -- by now, everyone has  heard Latifah’s remarks about the similarities between the two series -- to Insecure . Echoing Latifah’s comments, Coles recently recalled to ET  how the president of NBC said he wished he would have bought Living Single. “And strangely, a year later, Friends came on,” she says, adding “the big difference is the melanin.” 

However, there is no doubting that the show has had an everlasting impact onscreen -- whether it is the formula of multiple single friends living or working together to showcasing a variety of Black characters and stories to centering women in the narrative. 

A prime example is the hit film, Girls Trip co-starring Latifah, the BET+ adaptation of First Wives Club , and the upcoming Amazon original Harlem (working title) from writer and producer Tracy Oliver, who was very much inspired by ‘90s shows, like Living Single , growing up. “I was really spoiled. Like a lot of people that grew up in the '90s, we had so much on television,“ Oliver told Shadow and Act . 

And when it comes to her latest series starring Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson and Shoniqua Shandai as a group of college friends now living in the city, Oliver wanted to recreate that world of TV that’s largely dried up over the past few decades. “New York deserves an authentic portrayal of what it means to be young and Black, and intelligent, and working in the city, so that’s really what I want to do is a very New York Black and Brown comedy,” she told The Knockturnal . 

Last year, when Insecure creator and star Issa Rae was asked about her favorite series growing up, Living Single topped the list. But when asked whom she would cast in a modern-day reboot, she couldn’t say. “I think we could reboot it without compromising the integrity of the first one. But no disrespect because these are our legends! I don't know who I would cast,” she shared at the time . 

But Rae isn’t the only one who has been asked about rebooting or reviving Living Single . In July, Fields told ET they’re asked all the time. “We recognize how valued the show is -- not was but is,” she said. “But you can’t just run up and say, ‘Well, let's just show where they would be now 20 years later,’ whatever it is.” 

Despite that Insecure producer Prentice Penny gave audiences the next best thing on season 3: a fake ‘90s Black sitcom reboot within the HBO series’ recurring “show within a show” joke. 

“We were like, ‘Look, if no one else is going to reboot a show about us -- a Black show from the ‘90s -- then we will. We’ll create our own reboot,’” Penny recalled to ET , revealing that they came up with Kev'yn , an “original” series that is “very much a Martin , Living Single -type show” starring Bill Bellamy ( How to Be a Player ), Darryl M. Bell ( A Different World ) and Alexander, and then “rebooted” it. 

While the cast alone makes the “show within a show” even more believable, the presence of Alexander drove home the impact of Living Single as seen in Molly, Issa’s best friend and lawyer played by Yvonne Orji . (And it’s worth noting that Alexander told Jezebel she's a fan of Insecure . “I really love Issa Rae.”) 

The other added connection was the fact that Fields directed the mini episodes. “She knows that world better than anybody,” Penny said of bringing her onboard, while adding, “If our fake reboot could launch a real reboot, that would be the most amazing thing for sure.”

Until audiences get that reboot, they at least will be able to binge it on Netflix, which recently announced it is adding Living Single , Girlfriends and other classic Black sitcoms to its streaming service. 

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Where the Living Single Cast Is Today

Y vette Lee Bowser's sitcom Living Single hit Fox in 1993, and quickly became a beloved show. This TV show, partially inspired by the life of its creator, follows six Black friends from Brooklyn navigating their 20s as they try to make it in the big city. The show aired for five seasons, until 1998, and grew to become one of the most popular and influential African-American sitcoms of the '90s . So much so that many people regard it as the predecessor to Friends , the NBC show that premiered just a year after, with an extremely similar premise.

Although Living Single did not enjoy Friends ' massive success, it still ranked among Fox's most popular shows at the time, and managed to build a solid fan base over the years, who still remember it fondly to this day. It's been 30 years since the premiere of this TV show, and many of the original cast members are still involved in film and television. Here's what they're doing now.

Living Single

Release Date 1993-08-29

Cast Mel Jackson, Kim Fields, Queen Latifah, Erika Alexander

Main Genre Comedy

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah heads the cast of Living Single as Khadijah James, editor and publisher of the indie magazine Flavor. But even before landing this role, she was already well known for her career as a rapper and singer, a venture she managed to pursue over the years alongside her acting projects. After Bowser's TV series wrapped up, Queen Latifah moved on with her career, engaging in a wide variety of projects. In the late-90s, she created her own talk show, which aired for a while and was revived again in the 2010s for a few more years, and earned critical and audience acclaim for her performance in films such as Chicago , Hairspray, and Girls Trip .

In recent years, the actress and singer remained active in several projects, many of them in partnership with Netflix. She was featured in Adam Sandler's Hustle , Millicent Shelton's crime thriller film End of the Road and in Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop , a docuseries released last August. Currently, Queen Latifah stars in The Equalizer , the CBS reboot show that she co-created and executive produces.

Kim Fields plays fashion lover Regine Hunter, and like her castmate, Queen Latifah, she was already known in the industry long before landing this role: Fields took her first steps as a child star, and later gained widespread recognition for her role as Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey on the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life .

After her time on Living Single , Fields branched out in her professional endeavors, and in addition to working as an actress, she ventured out to pursue a career as a rap musician and director, something she still continues to do to this day. Over the years, in fact, she has directed episodes of shows such as Kenan & Kel , Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and Haus of Vicious , among many others, while also appearing in several holiday TV movies. She is currently featured in The Upshaws , a Netflix sitcom created by Regina Y. Hicks and Wanda Sykes, which has just been renewed for a fourth season.

Kim Coles joined the cast of Living Single to play receptionist and aspiring actress Synclaire James-Jones. Prior to the sitcom, she had gained popularity in the early-1990s as part of the original cast of In Living Color , a sketch comedy show that also starred Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier, and Kim Wayans, among others. After her stint on Living Single, she was featured in a few films, though she certainly concentrated mainly on TV projects.

Throughout the years, Coles appeared in several roles in shows such as Frasier , Six Feet Under, and 10 Items or Less , as well as starring as herself in TV competitions such as Celebrity Fit Club , The Mole and The Surreal Life . Coles' most recent role was Nurse Whitley King on the soap opera Days of Our Lives , a show that has been on the air for nearly six decades. She exited the role this past summer.

Erika Alexander

Erika Alexander rose to fame in the early-90s as part of the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show , and a few years later, she solidified her position in Living Single , where she played Maxine Shaw, a lawyer and Khadijah James' best friend. Throughout her career, Alexander took part in all kinds of projects, and she is still active in both film and television today.

After her stint on Living Single , the actress went on to land supporting roles in productions such as Judging Amy and Insecure , and also guest-starred on hugely popular shows like Grey's Anatomy , Criminal Minds, and CSI . Alexander also excelled as a horror film star, appearing in movies such as Jordan Peele's Get Out , I See You, and American Refugee .

In recent years, Alexander has been seen in the shows Wu-Tang: An American Saga , Swimming with Sharks, and Shining Girls , and she is starring in Cord Jefferson's comedy drama American Fiction , which premiered at this year's TIFF and will hit select theaters on December 15, followed by a wider release on December 22.

T.C. Carson

For four seasons of Living Single , T.C. Carson played Kyle Barker, a Wall Street stockbroker, who had audiences hooked on his on-again, off-again relationship with Maxine. But Carson didn't have the same run on the show as the rest of his castmates, claiming he was fired by the end of the fourth season due to his recurring complaints to Warner Bros. for neglecting Living Single in favor of Friends , per Essence , which was exceedingly making waves at the time.

In any case, that was not the end of the actor's career in the industry, and after his departure from the show, he went on to land all sorts of gigs, particularly focusing on voice acting. He provided the voice of Kratos in the God of War video game franchise for a long time, and also played Mace Windu in several Star Wars video games and animated productions. His most recent project is Andrew Bowser's film Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls , a horror comedy that premiered last October.

Related: These Are Some of the Best Black Sitcoms of All Time

John Henton

After many years struggling to make it as a stand-up comedian, John Henton rose to fame playing Kyle's roommate Obie Wakefield on Living Single , and, a few months later, became even better known when he landed the role of Milsap Morris on the sitcom The Hughleys .

However, his life took a turn for the worse in 2000, following a serious car accident that left him severely wounded. Eventually, Henton underwent several plastic surgeries and managed to pull through, although he has since stayed away from television, and only made two guest-star appearances on the stand-up comedy show ComicView and Disney Channel's Hannah Montana .

Related: The 10 Best Performances in 1990s TV Sitcoms

Mel Jackson

Mel Jackson joined the cast of Living Single in its fifth and final season to play Tripp Williams, an aspiring songwriter, who becomes Khadijah and Regine's new roommate when Synclaire moves out. By that time, the actor had already landed occasional appearances in film and television, although his role in this Fox sitcom was what finally established him in the industry and landed him subsequent gigs in shows like The Parkers and films like Deliver Us from Eva .

Over the years, Jackson's industry appearances diminished, and he was last seen on screen in the 2015 film Civilian Life . Still, he has worked as screenwriter on a few projects, most notably the 2023 drama film Clinic .

Cress Williams

In Living Single , Cress Williams played Khadijah's love interest Scooter Williams, though at the time he was also a recurring star on the teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210 . After his stint on the sitcom, Williams went on to appear in a few films, though he mostly focused his efforts on TV projects, gaining notoriety for his portrayal of Wyatt Matthewson on Prison Break and Tucker Jones on Grey's Anatomy .

In 2018, he landed the lead role in The CW's show Black Lightning , a superhero venture that aired for four seasons up until 2021. Besides headlining the show, Williams reprised his role on The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow . He was last seen on screen in the 2022 indie film What Remains , starring alongside Kellan Lutz and Anne Heche.

Shaun Baker

Actor and martial artist Shaun Baker gained notoriety as part of the main cast of the ABC sitcom Where I Live , and subsequently landed the recurring role of womanizer Russell Montego on Living Single , which to this day remains one of the most popular parts of his career.

After appearing on the show, Baker landed a lead role on Pamela Anderson's action series V.I.P. , and made a few cameo appearances on TV series such as CSI: Miami and A Different World . Unlike most of his castmates, Shaun wasn't as involved in the industry in recent years: he was last seen on-screen in the 2018 drama film Dinner for Two .

Chip Fields

Chip Fields is Kim Fields' mother, and she joined the cast of Living Single to play Laverne, her daughter's character's mom. However, long before landing this part, she was already a well-known performer in the industry, with acting and producing credits in both film and television, and noted for her roles in shows such as Days of Our Lives and Good Times .

After her time on the show, Fields remained mostly involved in TV projects, although she decreased her appearances in the industry as the years went by. She directed episodes of Sister, Sister , The Parkers, and Meet the Browns , among other shows, with her most recent project being Nickelodeon's Tyler Perry's Young Dylan .

Stream all five seasons of Living Single on Hulu and Max

Whatever Happened To The Cast Of Living Single

Fox's "Living Single," which ran from 1993 to 1998, was groundbreaking for multiple reasons. Along with fellow Fox series "Martin," it was among the first network sitcoms to focus primarily on a group of Black professional twentysomething friends without some forced gimmick to tie the whole thing together. The fact that it featured not only a predominantly Black ensemble but one with more women than men among the main cast only further added to how ahead of its time "Living Single" was. Much has been made in recent years about how "Friends" might never have existed without "Living Single,"  with the two shows having a very similar setup. In fact, the then-president of NBC admitted that he regretted not picking up "Living Single" — and only a year later, here came "Friends."

The cast of "Living Single" was led by Queen Latifah , a rapper who was only just starting what would become a very long and successful career as an actor. The other big name was Kim Fields, already a television veteran at 24 years old, as she had previously been a main cast member for all nine seasons of "The Facts of Life." The rest of the cast was largely rounded out by stand-up comedians and others who were fairly new in their acting careers, save for one particular actor who had already been in the business for 20 years when "Living Single" debuted. But what have they all been up to in the years since the series ended?

The fact that she got the "and" credit in the opening of "Living Single" proves that Kim Fields was the show's biggest name at the time, at least in terms of television. Not only was she known for her long-running role on "The Facts of Life," but Fields was also a supporting cast member on both "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Good Times." Fields' character on "Living Single" was Regina, a self-absorbed lover of gossip and drama who would go on to be a make-up artist for a fictional soap opera as well as a wedding planner. 

It was during her time on "Living Single" that Fields was first bit by the directing bug, helming two episodes of the series. She would follow that up with directing 27 episodes of the Nickelodeon sitcom "Keenan and Kel," only actually appearing as an actor in a single episode. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s it would be much the same, with Fields mostly just dabbling in acting while focusing most of her attention on directing . Her biggest stint as director thus far was on the sitcom "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns," overseeing 50 episodes of that show. More recently, she has seemingly rediscovered her love of acting: she is currently a main cast member of the Netflix series "The Upshaws," with the show's second season currently in the works. 

John Henton

The closest that "Living Single" came to the wacky neighbor trope was through Overton, played by John Henton. Overton was the maintenance man for the building that the majority of the show took place in — the only other regular location on the show being the offices of the fictional magazine "Flavor." Overton was also the show's token "small town character living in the big city," always ready to dispense some goofy homespun adage with the purest of intentions. His relationship with and eventual marriage to Synclaire (Kim Coles) would be the only long-term romance between any of the show's main characters.

Before "Living Single," John Henton was a stand-up comedian who got mainstream exposure after his first appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in 1991. After "Living Single" ended, Henton would immediately move on to the main cast of another successful sitcom, "The Hughleys." Two years into his stint on that show, Henton was in a serious car accident that required significant reconstructive surgery to his face — yet Henton was only away from the set for six weeks before he was back to work. Henton would only appear in a few more small acting roles between 2002 and 2014, and has since chosen to return to stand-up while also focusing on spending more time with his family.

Cress Williams

Though Terrence "Scooter" Williams only appeared in 10 episodes of "Living Single," he would end up playing a hugely important role in the series. A childhood friend of Khadijah's (Queen Latifah), Scooter shows up in her life again when his music producer career and her journalist job bring them into each other's orbits. After the usual "will they or won't they?" period, Scooter finally asks Khadijah to move to Los Angeles with him. While it's unclear if she ultimately does so, the series does end with her leaving her home to go on a trip to Rio with him, and it seems to be implied that she's leaving her home for good. Whether or not the two actually end up and stay together is a frequent topic of speculation amongst fans of the show.

Cress Williams, who played Scooter, has been one of the busiest of all the "Living Single" alumni. He would go on to be a main or recurring cast member on multiple shows , including "E.R.," "Veronica Mars," "Grey's Anatomy," "Friday Night Lights," and "Hart of Dixie." He is also currently a member of the CW's Arrowverse , playing Black Lightning both in that character's titular show as well as on "The Flash" and "Legends of Tomorrow." Williams has also frequently appeared in movies, which includes expanding his DC adaptation presence by voicing John Henry Irons in the animated films "The Death of Superman" and "Reign of the Supermen."

Erika Alexander

The '90s were good to Erika Alexander: she began the decade as a main cast member on the final two seasons of "The Cosby Show,"  then moved right on to her five-season stint on "Living Single" a year after "The Cosby Show" ended. Her "Living Single" character was Max, the only of the core six characters to not live in one of the two apartments that the others all live in for much of the series. Despite that, viewers saw plenty of Max, a lawyer who was frequently around to raid the fridge and to give Kyle a hard time.

Alexander had been in a few movies in the early '90s but largely took a break from Hollywood during the run of "Living Single." However, she got back into the swing of it after "Living Single" ended, appearing in films pretty frequently between 1998 and today  — including 2017's acclaimed "Get Out." Alexander also continued to be active on television, though mostly in minor roles throughout the 2000s. In the 2010s she stepped it up a bit, beginning to show up in more recurring casts on shows like "Last Man Standing," "Bosch," "Insecure," and the currently-airing "Run the World." She is also a main cast member on Hulu's "Wu-Tang: An American Saga," which currently has a confirmed third and final season in the works. 

Chip Fields

It's always fun when real life relatives play fictional relatives in a movie or on a TV show, and that very thing happened on "Living Single." Chip Fields played the recurring character of Laverne Hunter, the mother of real-life daughter Kim Fields' character Regina, across all five seasons of "Living Single." Interestingly, before Laverne's debut, Chip previously played two different one-off characters during the show's first season: A character named Bev, and another that was an unnamed bar patron. The veteran actor and musician also served as a consultant on the series, a job that she also did on the shows "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper," "Me and the Boys," "Arsenio," "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century," and "The Parkers."

Like her daughter, Chip also has an affinity for directing and took it up around the same time that Kim did. She first directed an episode of "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper," then spent a few more years directing an episode here and there of a few different shows. Once she got that experience in hand, Chip  ramped up her time in the director's chair on shows like "Girlfriends," "One on One," and "The Parkers." Age hasn't slowed her down one bit, with the 70-year-old directing 25 episodes of Nickelodeon's "Young Dylan" in the last two years. She has largely given up acting, however, with only four credits since the end of "Living Single" and none since 2007. 

T. C. Carson

Kyle was initially Overton's roommate, and in a lot of ways, the two were complete opposites. Kyle was quick-witted while Overton took his time to find the right words; Kyle was a ladies' man while Overton was content with pining over Synclaire; and Kyle had a stressful and high-paying job while Overton was just a chill building maintenance man. The other main facet of Kyle's character was the constant mutual ribbing between him and Max, with the two pretending to hate each other on the surface but with clear sexual tension bubbling just beneath the surface. In true sitcom fashion, the two do officially become a couple by the end of the series after several false starts and apparent dead ends.

Kyle was played by T.C. Carson, who is no slouch in the looks department but whose best asset is arguably his deep, booming voice. To that end, the vast majority of his acting roles post-"Living Single" have played to that strength, with Carson lending his powerful pipes to many animated films, TV shows, and video games. In 2005, he began two of his most famous recurring voice roles: Mace Windu in various  "Star Wars"  titles and Kratos from  "God of War."  He first played Windu in the 2005 "Clone Wars" animated series and would reprise the role in both the 2008 series as well as in numerous "Star Wars" video games. He launched his eight-year, 10-game stint as Kratos with the original "God of War" game.

Mel Jackson

A main "Living Single" cast member — but only in the fifth and final season of the show — Mel Jackson played musician Ira Lee "Tripp" Williams. Tripp was part of a storyline during that season with another new character named Roni DeSantos (played by Idalis DeLeon), a DJ who had a history with Tripp. However, after the show's somewhat unexpected cancellation at the end of that season, neither character really got the chance to fully develop as they were probably intended to over at least another season or two. It's just one of many reasons why the fifth season is not fondly remembered by fans , as it clearly smacked of some creative and personnel-related turmoil going on behind the scenes. 

Despite his "Living Single" career being over almost as soon as it started, Jackson was far from done with acting at that point. He was a main cast member on the sitcom "DAG" and also had multi-episode stints on "In The House," "The Parkers," and "The Division." He also appeared in numerous films between 1997 and 2015 , most notably the iconic movie "Soul Food." However, after that, there is little known about Jackson or what he's been up to, personally or professionally. The most active he seems to be in the public sphere is via his Instagram account , but he largely uses that to post pictures and inspirational messages while sharing very little in the way of personal details. 

Besides Overton, the other main source of comic relief on "Living Single" came by way of Synclaire, played by Kim Coles. Synclaire was the show's token quirky character, showcased by things like her oh-so-'90s affinity for Troll dolls, the way she talks to her plants, and her relentlessly upbeat attitude. The budding romance between her and Overton is as charming as it is innocent, feeling more like young puppy love than the sexually-charged energy between characters like Kyle and Max. 

Interestingly enough, like Overton actor John Henton, Kim Coles was primarily a stand-up comedian before her breakthrough acting role on "Living Single." After that, she was all-in on acting, steadily working on television throughout the '90s, 2000s, and 2010s. Most recently, she has shifted focus to a career as a life coach and motivational speaker , primarily for entrepreneurs and people within the business world. She also oversees the book anthology "G.I.F.T.S." where she uses her own personal struggles and triumphs to help enrich readers' lives. It seems that Coles had a lot in common with Synclaire in terms of positivity and wanting the best for everyone around her. Coles hasn't completely abandoned her stand-up roots, however, hosting AXS TV's "Gotham Comedy Live" just this past March .

Shaun Baker

Much of the backbone of "Living Single" was fictional magazine "Flavor," which employed multiple characters on the show both main and recurring. One such character was Russell Montag, a music editor for "Flavor" who had sporadic appearances throughout the show's second through fifth seasons. His main narrative was that he pined for Regina, a love that would ultimately go unrequited as Regina ended her time on the show by moving in with her fiancé, Dexter. Still, Russell was a fun character and one that probably deserved more episodes than he ended up getting.

Shaun Baker, who played Russell, did just fine though. While on "Living Single," he was also a recurring cast member on "NYPD Blue" through 2002. After the end of "Living Single," he began his time as a main cast member on syndicated action series "V.I.P.," where he could finally showcase his considerable talents in the martial arts . While he hasn't had as high-profile or long-running a role since his time on both "NYPD Blue" and "V.I.P." came to an end, Baker has continued to work steadily in both film and television. He has also done a lot more live theater in the past few years — where his acting career originally began — most recently in the traveling production of "War Words."

Queen Latifah

While "Living Single" was very much an ensemble show, if there had to be a character who qualified as its main lead, it was Khadijah. Played by Queen Latifah , Khadijah was the editor-in-chief of "Flavor" magazine and the character whose relationships to and history with the other three main women on the show are what tied them all together. Synclaire is Khadijah's cousin, Regina is her childhood friend, and Max her best friend from college.

Unlike Will Smith , who was an unknown quantity as an actor when he first started on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," rapper Queen Latifah had already been showcasing her acting talents prior to "Living Single." Not only had she appeared in two episodes of "Fresh Prince," but Latifah already had three high-profile movies under her belt before "Living Single" debuted: "Jungle Fever," "House Party 2," and "Juice." Her career during and since "Living Single" has been prolific and successful indeed, including making history as the first female rapper to be nominated for an Academy Award in 2003 for her role in the film adaptation of "Chicago." Three years later, she became the first rapper to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . She is currently star and an executive producer of the series "The Equalizer," which is wrapping up its second season.

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Living Single - Full Cast & Crew

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Living Single is an American television sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone.Throughout its run, Living Single became one of the most popular African-American sitcoms of its era, ranking among the top five in African-American ratings in all five seasons.

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Living single: cast & character guide.

Groundbreaking sitcom Living Single focused on a group of twenty-something black people in Brooklyn. Here’s a recap of its cast and characters.

Here’s a guide to the cast of Living Single and who they played. Living Single was an African American sitcom that aired for five seasons on Fox between 1993 and 1998. The show was the brainchild of Dear White People showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser and was based on a mix of her own experiences as a young black woman and characters from The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World, on which Bowser had worked as a writer and producer. It was one of the most-watched shows in African American households over the entirety of its five-season run and won Outstanding Comedy Series at the NAACP Image Awards not once, but twice.

Though shows like Friends popularized the New York City-set, urbanite-focused sitcom,  Living Single was a forerunner in the genre and groundbreaking in its focus on young black women. Set in a pre-gentrified Brooklyn , the show focused on a group of black twenty-somethings sharing a brownstone apartment and followed them as they navigate their friendships, love lives, and professional careers.

Related: What To Expect From Dear White People Season 4

With a flurry of sitcoms getting the reboot treatment, there have been rumors of a Living Single revival floating around for a couple of years. Whether it will happen remains to be seen but in the meantime here’s a recap of the characters and cast of Living Single .

Queen Latifah – Khadijah James

Played by Queen Latifah , the ambitious and independent Khadijah James was the editor and publisher of her own urban magazine Flavor and shared an apartment with roommates Regine and Synclaire. Fun fact: Queen Latifah also wrote and sang the Living Single theme song.

Kim Coles – Synclaire James

Kim Coles played Khadijah’s roommate and cousin Synclaire James-Jones. An aspiring actress, Synclaire was sweet-natured and a more naïve than her cousin who she worked for at Flavor magazine as a receptionist.

Kim Fields – Regine Hunter

Khadijah’s childhood friend Regine Hunter (Kim Fields) was a sassy fashionista with a penchant for wigs and gossip who worked as a buyer for a boutique and was constantly on the lookout for Mr. Right.

Erika Alexander – Maxine ‘Max’ Shaw

Erika Alexander of Black Lightning and Wu-Tang: An American Saga fame played Maxine ‘Max’ Shaw. A sharp-tongued public defender, Max was Khadijah’s best friend from college and spent much of her time at the girls’ brownstone.

Terrence ‘T.C.’ Carson – Kyle Barker

Kyle Barker was the girls’ upstairs neighbor and a smooth-talking Wall Street stockbroker who found a sparring partner and on-again, off-again love interest in Max. He was played by Terrence ‘T.C.’ who voiced Mace Windu in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Kratos in the God Of War games.

John Henton – Overton ‘Obie’ Wakefield Jones

Rounding out the main cast of Living Single was John Henton as Overton, Kyle’s wise and witty roommate and the brownstone’s handyman who found love with his downstairs neighbor Synclaire.

Next: Half & Half Cast And Character Guide

Single? This Is How Much You Have To Earn To Live Comfortably

In New York, a single person needs to earn $138,570, while in Cleveland, Ohio an individual can earn $81,786 and live comfortably, according to a Smart Asset survey.

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The rising cost of living continues to take a bite out of American’s budgets. From groceries and utilities to transportation and housing, earning enough income to live comfortably as a single person in the U.S. is more difficult in these 25 U.S. cities, according to a recent SmartAsset report . 

In fact, to live comfortably in 99 of the largest U.S. metro areas, you’ll need a median income of $93,933. In New York, the amount is $138,570. 

Comfortable is defined as earning enough income to cover a 5 0/30/20 budget , where 50% of your income each month pays for necessities, 30% covers discretionary spending and 20% is set aside for savings and investments or paying down debt. 

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New York the most expensive city for singles

• New York City tips the scale as the city where you must earn the most money to live comfortably. To cover basic necessities as a single person in New York City, you’ll need an annual salary of $138,570, and an estimated $70,000 in wages.
• An individual needs $96,500, on average, to live comfortably in a major U.S. city. That figure is even higher for families, who need to earn an average combined income of about $235,000 to support two adults and two children.
• To raise two kids and still live comfortably in six U.S. cities, a family must earn over $300k. The six cities are: San Francisco ($339,123); San Jose ($334,547); Boston ($319,738); Arlington, VA ($318,573); New York City ($318,406); and Oakland, CA ($316,243). 
• Seven cities where a single person must earn the most to live comfortably are located in California. Texas claims four cities where a single person can earn less and still live comfortably, while the remaining six cities are located in the Midwest. 

Using the MIT Living Wage Calculator, Smart Asset gathered data for 99 of the largest U.S. cities. We’re looking at the ten cities with the highest and the lowest annual salary needed for a single adult to live in sustainable comfort using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule.

Top 10 cities with the highest salary needed to live comfortably

Top 10 cities with the lowest salary needed to live comfortably, from metro areas on both coasts to the midwest, weigh the pros and cons.

The difference between the priciest places to live and cheapest places to live in the U.S. is glaring. While employers in high-cost cities typically offer higher-than-average salaries, rent and housing costs can make it difficult to pay for essentials, while also paying off debt and saving for a rainy day. 

On the other hand, high-paying Jobs can be harder to come by in lower cost areas, even if housing and other expenses are more affordable. 

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• 12 Cheapest Small Towns to Live In

For the past 18+ years, Kathryn has highlighted the humanity in personal finance by shaping stories that identify the opportunities and obstacles in managing a person's finances. All the same, she’ll jump on other equally important topics if needed. Kathryn graduated with a degree in Journalism and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. She joined Kiplinger in 2023 as a contributor.

You really should start thinking about next year’s taxes immediately after filing this year’s. Better tax efficiency could save you some serious dough.

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Freelancers have to be vigilant to keep track of where their money goes, whether it’s to cover daily necessities, saving for retirement or other expenses.

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• Cast & crew

Crappy Birthday

• Episode aired Nov 14, 1993

The girls strong-arm Khadijah into going to Atlantic City for her birthday leaving Overton and Kyle to 'water the plants' while they're gone. The girls strong-arm Khadijah into going to Atlantic City for her birthday leaving Overton and Kyle to 'water the plants' while they're gone. The girls strong-arm Khadijah into going to Atlantic City for her birthday leaving Overton and Kyle to 'water the plants' while they're gone.

• Yvette Lee Bowser
• Tom Anderson
• Queen Latifah
• Erika Alexander

• Khadijah James

• Synclaire James-Jones

• Maxine 'Max' Felice Shaw

• Kyle Barker
• (as T.C. Carson)
• Overton 'Obie' Wakefield Jones

• Regine Hunter

• Flip Wilson
• The Croupier
• (as Jackie Diamond)

• The Waitress
• (as Lorinda Hawkins)

• The Roulette Guy
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews

• November 14, 1993 (United States)
• United States
• Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
• SisterLee Productions
• Warner Bros. Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 30 minutes

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