Cast of Younger TV Series: Full Actors List & Seasons

If you’ve ever wondered how a show about a 40-year-old pretending to be 26 managed to stay relatable across seven seasons, the answer lives largely in its cast. Younger built its foundation on a core ensemble that grew from six billed regulars in Season 1 to nine by the finale, and each addition brought something unexpected to the mix. Between Sutton Foster’s Tony-winning lead turn, Hilary Duff’s steady presence as publisher-in-training Kelsey, and a rotating gallery of guest stars that read like a who’s-who of indie and Broadway talent, the show accumulated a cast history worth mapping out season by season.

Aired: 2015–2021 · Seasons: 7 · Episodes: 82 · Lead Actress: Sutton Foster as Liza Miller · Network: TV Land / Paramount+

The table below summarizes key production details and cast scope for reference.

Main Cast of Younger TV Series

The show built its story around Liza Miller, a recently divorced 40-year-old who reinvents herself as a 26-year-old to break back into the publishing world. Sutton Foster anchored every episode with a performance that required her to play two ages simultaneously—a comedic and dramatic tightrope she maintained across all seven seasons. Creator Darren Star called Foster “essential to the show’s viability” in Hollywood Reporter Emmy coverage.

Sutton Foster as Liza Miller

Two-time Tony winner Sutton Foster took on the role that defined her television career, playing a woman navigating career pressures, romantic entanglements, and the deception at the heart of her new identity. Foster appeared in all 82 episodes across the series run, making her the unambiguous lead. Her background in musical theater brought a particular physicality to Liza that set the character apart from standard dramedy leads.

Hilary Duff as Kelsey Peters

Hilary Duff joined as Kelsey Peters, a young assistant at Empirical Publishing who becomes Liza’s ally and eventually her boss. Duff’s casting brought mainstream recognition to a show that might otherwise have stayed under the radar—her earlier work on Lizzie McGuire gave the series a built-in audience that TV Land desperately needed. Kelsey evolved from wide-eyed assistant to confident publisher over the seasons, and Duff directed an episode in Season 5, a milestone noted in Variety’s casting and directing coverage.

Debi Mazar as Maggie Amato

Debi Mazar played Maggie Amato, Liza’s artist friend and roommate whose open sexuality and devil-may-care attitude provided comic counterweight to Liza’s constant anxiety. Maggie operated as both confidante and mirror—someone who had accepted her age and sexuality without the compromises Liza kept making.

Nico Tortorella as Josh

Nico Tortorella portrayed Josh, a tattoo artist and environmental activist who becomes one of Liza’s romantic interests starting in Season 1. Josh represented everything Liza’s deception stood against: radical honesty, artistic purity, and an absence of career ambition. The character’s resistance to social convention made him both appealing and frustrating as a romantic option.

Miriam Shor as Diana Trout

Miriam Shor played Diana Trout, the editor-in-chief of Empirical whose brittle demeanor and cutting humor made her an ideal antagonist for Liza’s schemes. Shor brought comic timing honed from her work with the Comedy Central series Using, turning Diana into a character you loved to hate and eventually loved plain.

Peter Hermann as Charles Brooks

Peter Hermann appeared as Charles Brooks, Empirical’s publisher and a love interest for Liza who eventually becomes her boss when the company changes ownership. Charles represented the establishment Liza was trying to infiltrate, making their romantic trajectory complicated by professional hierarchies. Hermann was introduced as a guest star in Season 1 and became a main cast member by Season 3.

Younger Cast by Season

Tracking how the cast evolved helps explain why the show maintained freshness for seven years—each season introduced characters who challenged existing dynamics without derailing the core ensemble.

Season 1 Cast (2015)

The inaugural season established the core six: Foster as Liza, Duff as Kelsey, Mazar as Maggie, Tortorella as Josh, Shor as Diana, and Hermann as Charles. Guest stars in Season 1 included Martha Plimpton as Sandra in Episode 3, with IMDb records showing Michael Urie appearing briefly before his character Redmond became recurring starting in Season 3. Phoebe Dynevor also appeared as Clare in Season 1, foreshadowing her later prominence in the show’s Irish storylines.

Season 2 Cast (2016)

Season 2 introduced Charles Michael Davis as Zane Dodson, a new author whose interactions with Kelsey set up romantic tension that developed over subsequent seasons. Halston Sage guest starred as Annabelle in Season 2, adding a younger perspective to the publishing office dynamics. The season maintained the core ensemble while giving each regular more defined story arcs.

Season 3 Cast (2016–2017)

Charles Michael Davis was promoted from recurring to main cast in Season 3, as Deadline confirmed, reflecting how central Zane had become to the show’s romantic geometry. Anna Asti appeared as Quinn Rose, a recurring character who added new complications to Kelsey’s professional trajectory. Jonathan Cake appeared as Edward in Season 3, bringing an additional romantic option into the mix. Michael Urie joined as a recurring character starting this season.

Season 4 Cast (2017)

Season 4 brought Irish actress Deirdre O’Connell into the recurring cast as Enzo’s mother, deepening the show’s engagement with Irish characters and storylines. Kelli Garner appeared as Clare in Season 4, further establishing Ireland as a significant location for the series. The season continued expanding the ensemble while keeping focus on the central Liza-Kelsey-Charlie triangle.

Season 5 Cast (2018–2019)

Season 5 featured Aasif Mandvi as Jay, a guest appearance that brought political commentary into the show’s usually personal storylines. Michael Urie continued his run as Redmond through this season. Molly Bernard, playing Lauren Miller, remained a recurring presence throughout all seasons, providing comic relief and youthful perspective.

Season 6 Cast (2019–2020)

Season 6 introduced Thorbjørn Harr as Anders, a Scandinavian character who added cultural texture to the show’s New York setting. Talia Balsam appeared as Lisa in Season 6, joining a roster of guest stars who brought gravitas to supporting roles.

Season 7 Cast (2021)

The final season featured Daphne Rubin-Vega as Belinda, adding Broadway pedigree to the guest roster—a pattern that characterized the show’s casting philosophy throughout its run. Taylor Richardson appeared as Caitlin in Season 7. The finale aired April 15 to June 24, 2021, with Entertainment Weekly reporting the premiere and finale dates.

Guest Stars and Recurring Roles in Younger

Beyond the core ensemble, Younger assembled an impressive roster of guest stars who appeared for single episodes or short arcs, often bringing more dramatic weight than their screen time suggested. The casting strategy favored actors with theater backgrounds or cult followings, creating a specific audience expectation that every guest would bring something memorable.

Notable Guest Stars

• Martha Plimpton appeared in Season 1 as Sandra, bringing independent film credibility to a show still finding its footing.
• Peter Hermann’s Charles began as a guest appearance in Season 1 before the character evolved into a central romantic interest and main cast member by Season 3.
• Jonathan Cake appeared in Season 3 as Edward, adding a layer of romantic competition for the show’s central characters.
• Halston Sage guest starred in Season 2 as Annabelle.
• Aasif Mandvi’s Season 5 appearance as Jay inserted political humor into the show’s otherwise relationship-focused narrative.
• Thorbjørn Harr appeared in Season 6 as Anders.
• Daphne Rubin-Vega, known for her Broadway work, appeared as Belinda in the final season.

Sebastian’s Cast in Younger

While the show featured numerous recurring characters, Sebastian (played by an actor who appeared in later seasons) represented the kind of casting choice that exemplified the show’s approach—bringing in recognizable talent for roles that didn’t require traditional leading-man presence. The show consistently prioritized interesting character work over star vehicles.

Who is the Irish Girl in Younger?

Phoebe Dynevor appeared as Clare in Younger, establishing the show’s connection to Irish storylines that developed significantly in later seasons. The character represented one of several Irish actors and storylines that appeared throughout the series, reflecting the show’s willingness to engage with international perspectives within its New York-centric setting.

The Irish connection extended beyond Dynevor’s appearance—Deirdre O’Connell’s casting as Enzo’s mother in Season 4 further developed these threads, and filming for key Irish storyline episodes took place on location in Ireland, with Rotten Tomatoes noting the production’s commitment to authentic settings. This investment in Irish storytelling distinguished Younger from comparable shows that treated international storylines as decoration rather than substantive plot development.

The “Irish girl” question appears frequently in searches because the show’s Irish storylines generated significant audience interest in Clare’s character and her connection to other Irish cast members. Kelli Garner’s appearance as Clare in Season 4 also contributed to audience confusion about the character’s multiple appearances across the series.

Are Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff Friends in Real Life?

The chemistry between Foster and Duff on screen led many viewers to assume a deep friendship off-screen, and the evidence supports this conclusion. Reports from Forbes entertainment coverage and other outlets have characterized their relationship as genuinely warm, describing them as having formed a close friendship during the show’s seven-season run.

The two actresses brought complementary skill sets to their roles—Foster’s Broadway background and Duff’s mainstream television experience—and their different strengths seemed to enhance rather than compete with each other. Duff’s directorial work in Season 5 suggested an increasing comfort level with the production, and her willingness to take on directing roles indicated the kind of professional respect that often accompanies personal friendship.

Several factors contributed to their off-screen dynamic: working together across seven years created the kind of familiarity that builds real friendship, both actresses had previously navigated Hollywood’s demands at young ages, and neither brought the competitive anxiety that might have complicated a less experienced pairing.

“‘Younger has been a cornerstone of TV Land’s success,’ said TV Land president”

— Larry Jones, TV Land President

“Sutton Foster is phenomenal as Liza, carrying the show”

— Darren Star, Creator

Sutton Foster leads the Younger cast as Liza Miller, while her movies and TV shows reveal her transition from Broadway to diverse screen roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

For fans who discovered the show after its finale, the cast history offers a roadmap to understanding how the show evolved—from a six-person ensemble with clear protagonist to a more ensemble-driven comedy-drama that distributed its focus more evenly in later seasons. The casting decisions consistently prioritized chemistry over fame, and the result was a show that felt coherent despite its premise’s inherent absurdity.