'Battlestar Galactica' cast: Where are they now?

Edward James Olmos (Adm. William Adama)

Academy Award nominee Edward James Olmos played the stalwart and seasoned commander of the titular Galactica, helping protect the ragtag human fleet to the bitter end. Had a thing for formidable civilian leaders. Tended to growl.

After directing the 2009 what-the-Cylons-were-really-up-to Battlestar Galactica DVD postscript The Plan, Olmos next appeared opposite Seth Rogen in The Green Hornet (2011), as Michael Axford, the dogged pursuer of the title hero. He went on the have a recurring role in the sixth season of Dexter and took on a starring role on the FX drama series Mayans M.C. starting in 2018.

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Mary McDonnell (President Laura Roslin)

Mary McDonnell was already a two-time Oscar nominee (for 1990's Dances With Wolves and 1992's Passion Fish) before taking on one of her most iconic roles as President Laura Roslin. A schoolteacher by trade and the Secretary of Education by title, Roslin became the reluctant, and then indispensable, president after the Cylon massacre of humanity. Had a thing for formidable military leaders. Cancer riddled Roslin's body, twice, but it never robbed her spirit.

Soon after Battlestar Galactica ended in 2009, McDonnell began a juicy role on The Closer as Capt. Sharon Raydor, a cop unafraid to butt heads with Kyra Sedgwick's Dep. Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. She then led her own spin-off as Capt. Raydor, Major Crimes, which lasted from 2012 to 2018. While she has mostly stuck to the small screen, she appeared in two major films in 2011: Margin Call and Scream 4.

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Jamie Bamber (Lee "Apollo" Adama)

Before Battlestar, Jamie Bamber had supporting roles in shows like Band of Brothers, but the sci-fi drama served as his breakout. At first an ace pilot chafing under the shadow of his father, Bamber's Apollo eventually chucked the uniform for some pinstripe civvies. Had a thing for ne'er-do-well hotshot pilots. Lit the interwebs ablaze when he (almost) dropped his towel.

Bamber had another series role directly after Battlestar, Law & Order: UK, which ran from 2009 to 2011. He starred on the short-lived TV drama Monday Mornings in 2014, with further roles on Rizzoli & Isles, NCIS, and Strike Back.

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James Callis (Gaius Baltar)

Prior to his role as the slippery, traitorous, horndog scientific genius Gaius, James Callis was known as Bridget Jones' bestie Tom in the Bridget Jones films. Battlestar gave Callis an even juicier role as Gaius, who unwittingly allowed the Cylons to wipe out virtually all of humanity. Had a thing for willowy platinum-blonde toasters. Found God, maybe.

Callis continued to circle the sci-fi universe post-Battlestar, first in a recurring role on ABC's FlashForward, and as a series regular on Syfy's Eureka, which ended in 2012. In addition to returning to the world of Bridget Jones for 2016's Bridget Jones's Baby, he had another series regular role on CBS' Blood & Treasure.

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Tricia Helfer (Number Six)

Tricia Helfer had very few credits before her turn as the mysterious Number Six. We met many versions (with many hairstyles) of the sixth Cylon model, most memorably "Caprica" Six, i.e. the one who seduced Baltar into betraying his own species. Had a thing for brilliant, self-serving weasels, and living in their heads.

A go-to TV guest star (Chuck, Warehouse 13, Human Target, Two and a Half Men), she went on to star opposite Dylan McDermott on the TNT series Dark Blue and played the title character's mother on Lucifer.

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Grace Park (Number Eight/Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii/Lt. Sharon "Athena" Valerii)

Grace Park | Lt. Sharon ''Boomer'' Valerii / Lt. Sharon ''Athena'' Valerii On BSG: ''Boomer'' was at first unaware of her Cylon status, until she attempted to assassinate — Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images; Inset: Carole Segal/SyFy

Grace Park saw her presence on Battlestar evolve over the years. "Boomer" was at first unaware of her Cylon status, until she attempted to assassinate Adama. Had a thing for blue-collar mechanics. Eventually, she went kinda evil. "Athena" was at first keen on destroying humanity, until she gave birth to a human/Cylon baby. Had a thing for earnest Adonis-y officers. Eventually, she fought alongside humanity.

Park appeared on the Canadian immigration drama The Border, and starred on the A&E addiction drama The Cleaner. She took on more long-lasting roles as Kono Kalakaua on Hawaii Five-0 and Katherine on A Million Little Things.

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Katee Sackhoff (Kara "Starbuck" Thrace)

Like many of her costars, Katee Sackhoff broke out in a major way thanks to her role as Kara "Starbuck" Thrace. Nobody was a more kick-ass fighter pilot, and nobody was better at frakking up their personal life. Had a thing for beefy sports stars. And intense pilots with daddy issues. And creepy Cylons who liked to kidnap her. Died, then came back to life, maybe.

After infuriating audiences as CTU agent/Russian spy Dana Walsh on the final season of 24, Sackhoff appeared on CSI, gave voice to Bo-Katan Kryze on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and reprised the character in live action on The Mandalorian.

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Michael Hogan (Col. Saul Tigh)

Michael Hogan racked up credits for film and TV shows dating back to the '80s, before playing Col. Saul Tigh. Adama's irascible XO with an alcohol problem and inveterate Cylon hater was rather startled to learn he wasn't just a Cylon — he was one of the famed ''Final Five.'' Had a thing for boozy unrepentant flirts, and, rather inexplicably, willowy platinum-blonde toasters.

Hogan rode the guest-star gravy train for a time, appearing on Warehouse 13, Dollhouse, Numb3rs, and Psych. He has also recurred on various shows, including Teen Wolf, Fargo, 12 Monkeys, and When Calls the Heart.

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Aaron Douglas

Battlestar Galactica | Chief Galen Tyrol On BSG : The top engineer on the Galactica, the Chief couldn't really catch a break: His first girlfriend was a Cylon, — Michael Buckner/Getty Images; Inset: SyFy

Aaron Douglas earned his first main TV series role as Chief Galen Tyrol on BSG. The top engineer on the Galactica, the Chief couldn't really catch a break: His first girlfriend was a Cylon, then he learned he was a Cylon, then his human wife was killed by another Cylon. Had a thing for plucky Raptor pilots and whiny deckhands.

Following Battlestar, Douglas headlined the (very) short-lived Canadian import The Bridge on CBS. He recurred on such shows as Hemlock Grove, The Killing, and Motherland: Fort Salem.

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Tahmoh Penikett (Capt. Karl "Helo" Agathon)

Tahmoh Penikett played Helo, who fathered the first human/Cylon hybrid baby and always looked good in a tank top. Had a thing for plucky Raptor pilots who were toasters.

Penikett starred in one-and-a-half seasons of Joss Whedon's ill-fated Dollhouse and headlined the two-part Syfy miniseries Riverworld, costarring fellow BSG alum Alessandro Juliani. He also had a role in 2013's Man of Steel and recurred on Supernatural as Ezekiel.

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Michael Trucco (Sam Anders)

Sam Anders On BSG : A professional athlete-turned-freedom fighter, Anders rescued Kara Thrace from the Cylons. Then Kara Thrace rescued him. Naturally, they got married. — John M. Heller/Getty Images; Inset: Carole Segal/SyFy

Michael Trucco joined Battlestar in its second season as Sam "Longshot" Anders. A professional athlete–turned–freedom fighter, Anders rescued Kara Thrace from the Cylons. Then Kara Thrace rescued him. Naturally, they got married. Sam was ultimately revealed to be a member of the Final Five. And his wife was the Messiah or something. Fun couple.

After guest-starring on V as the mysterious John May and romancing Beckett in a recurring stint on Castle, Trucco played Nick in seven episodes of How I Met Your Mother. He starred in the Netflix miniseries Midnight Mass and signed up for a main role on Fire Country in 2022.

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Lucy Lawless (D'Anna Biers)

Already known in geek spaces for her iconic work as Xena, Lucy Lawless took on the role of D'Anna Biers in season 2. The Cylon Number Three model was prone to soul-searching mysticism and general treachery. D'Anna's search for the Final Five (and her questionable taste in paramours) led to arguably the most existentially tragic destiny of any BSG character. (Put it this way: Would you want to spend eternity in an irradiated wasteland?)

Lawless then starred on Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena as Lucretia, who's sort of like D'Anna with more cunning and less clothes. She recurred on Parks and Recreation, with main roles on Ash vs. Evil Dead and My Life Is Murder.

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Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh)

Ellen Tigh On BSG : Eternally flirtatious, eternally conniving, it was easy to think that Ellen was just a power-hungry Lady Macbeth-type. But she genuinely — Kevin Winter/Getty Images; Inset: Carole Segal/SyFy

Decades after making a name for herself on Falcon Crest and in the 1986 classic Pretty in Pink, Kate Vernon nabbed a recurring role as Saul's wife, Ellen. Eternally flirtatious, eternally conniving, it was easy to think that Ellen was just a power-hungry Lady Macbeth-type. But she genuinely loved her Saul — in that amour fou kind of way — even when, because of her complex betrayal of the rebels on New Caprica, he had to give her a poisoned drink. Fortunately, nobody stays dead on BSG. (Except Billy.)

After briefly classing up the last season of Heroes with a guest appearance, Vernon appeared in the 2010 Miley Cyrus romance The Last Song. She later played Geneva in the first season of The Morning Show.

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Alessandro Juliani (Felix Gaeta)

Alessandro Juliani played poor Felix. An idealist by nature, he served tirelessly as the Galactica's tactical officer. But his poor choice in role models — he served as Chief of Staff during Gaius Baltar's apocalyptic presidency — nearly got him blown out of an airlock. He did end up losing a leg. Since things can always get worse in the BSG-verse, he ended up leading a mutiny on the Galactica.

Juliani's practically a sci-fi regular, thanks to appearances in the miniseries Alice and Riverworld. He also had a recurring role on Smallville as Dr. Emil Hamilton, The 100 as Sinclair, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as Dr. Cee.

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Kandyse McClure (Anastasia "Dee" Dualla)

Battlestar Galactica | Anastasia Dualla On BSG : A minor but important player in the most important events in Colonial history, Dee was a key advisor to Bill — Jason Gemnich/WireImage.com; Inset: Carole Segal/SyFy

A minor but important player in the most important events in Colonial history, Dee (Kandyse McClure) was a key advisor to Bill Adama and the eventual wife of Lee Adama. (Dee and Lee — sounds like a folk song!) Arguably the most mysterious BSG regular, right up to her still-shocking, comes-out-of-nowhere exit.

After BSG, McClure starred on NBC's mystery series Persons Unknown. She returned to Syfy as one of the main cast members on Ghost Wars.

Updated by Keith Staskiewicz

and Kevin Jacobsen