The Incredible Evolution of the 'Summerland' Cast: Catch up with Lori Loughlin, Jesse McCartney, Zac Efron, and more!
Discover what the talented cast of 'Summerland' including Lori Loughlin, Jesse McCartney, Zac Efron, and more, have been up to since 2005 Find out where their careers have taken them now!
Summerland, which aired for two seasons, propelled several of its cast members to fame and remains a beloved show among its audience. The WB series, spanning from 2004 to 2005, followed the compelling story of Ava Gregory (Lori Loughlin), who assumed the role of guardian to her two nephews, Bradin (Jesse McCartney) and Derrick Westerly (Nick Benson), as well as her niece Nikki (Kay Panabaker) following the unfortunate death of their parents in a car accident.
Ava, a resident of Summerland, California, received assistance from her roommates and friends in caring for the three. Among her cohabitors were her best friend and business partner Susannah Rexford (Merrin Dungey), her ex-boyfriend Johnny Durant (Shawn Christian), who remained in love with her, and her former professional surfing buddy Jay Robertson (Ryan Kwanten).
The rest of the cast included Taylor Cole, who portrayed Erika Spalding, Jay's, and later Bradin's, romantic interest, and Cameron Bale (played by Zac Efron), who dated Nikki.
Loughlin expressed her desire for the series to continue and referred to it as her creation.
In May 2020, McCartney hinted at the possibility of a Summerland reboot and stated that he has not rejected the idea. He fondly recalled his time working on the show, describing it as a fun and nostalgic period of his life when he had just moved to Los Angeles. The show was set in Malibu, creating a picture-perfect atmosphere that left him with cherished memories.
Scroll down to see what the cast of Summerland has been up to since 2005:
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‘Summerland’ Cast: Where Are They Now? Lori Loughlin, Jesse McCartney, Zac Efron and More
Summerland, a brief but impactful show that aired from 2004 to 2005, catapulted numerous actors to fame and remains a beloved favorite among its fans. The series revolved around Ava Gregory (played by Lori Loughlin), who assumed guardianship of her two nephews Bradin (portrayed by Jesse McCartney) and Derrick Westerly (played by Nick Benson), as well as her niece Nikki (portrayed by Kay Panabaker), following the tragic loss of their parents in a car accident.
Ava, a resident of Summerland, California, received assistance from her roommates and friends in caring for the trio. Her living arrangement included her best friend and business partner, Susannah Rexford (played by Merrin Dungey), her former boyfriend who still had feelings for her, Johnny Durant (played by Shawn Christian), and her former pro-surfing buddy, Jay Robertson (played by Ryan Kwanten).
Completing the cast were Taylor Cole, who portrayed Erika Spalding, Jay's love interest initially and later Bradin's love interest, and Cameron Bale (played by Zac Efron), who was in a relationship with Nikki.
Loughlin expressed her desire for the series to have continued, stating that she played a key role in its creation and considered it to be her personal project. Similarly, McCartney shared that he was not opposed to the idea of reviving Summerland in the future. He reminisced about his time on the show, describing it as a joyful period in his life when he had just arrived in Los Angeles as an eager and optimistic actor. The picturesque setting in Malibu added to his fond memories of the experience.
Scroll down to see what the cast of Summerland has been up to since 2005:
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Lori Loughlin
Professionally, Loughlin achieved significant success through her role as Debbie Wilson in the show 90210 for five seasons, followed by a consistent presence on the Hallmark Channel. Starting in 2014, she portrayed Jennifer Shannon in a series of Garage Sale Mystery TV movies, and subsequently held a leading role on When Calls the Heart from 2014 to 2019. Additionally, she reprised her character as Aunt Becky on Fuller House from 2016 to 2018.
On a personal level, the New York native faced criticism when her and her husband Mossimo Giannulli, who they have two daughters with, were implicated in the college admissions scandal in 2019. In May 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. As a result, she served a two-month prison sentence, fulfilled 100 hours of community service, and paid a total of $400,000 in fines along with Giannulli. Loughlin was released in December 2020, while her husband completed his five-month sentence in April 2021.
After the scandal, Loughlin made her much-awaited comeback to the acting scene in December 2021, featuring in GAC’s When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas, a captivating spinoff of Hallmark Channel’s highly popular show When Calls the Heart.
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Merrin Dungey
Dungey's TV career extended beyond Summerland, as she also appeared on Alias from 2001 to 2006. She portrayed Kelly Palmer on The King of Queens for nine seasons, which concluded in 2007. Additionally, she had roles on Hollywood Heights, Chasing Life, Conviction, The Resident, and Big Little Lies, where she played Detective Adrienne Quinlan in both seasons of the popular HBO show.
In 2007, Dungey tied the knot with Matthew Drake, and the couple has two daughters together.
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Ryan Kwanten
Following his stint on the series, Kwanten ventured into several other shows until he secured the part of Jason Stackhouse on True Blood, an acclaimed HBO series that ran for seven seasons. Additionally, he has been recognized for his performances in The Hurricane Heist, as well as his leading roles in The Oath, Sacred Lies, Them (2021), and Kindred (2022).
Kwanten has been dating Ashley Sisino since 2014.
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Jesse McCartney
The New York-born actor gained fame for his recurring role on Greek in 2009, as well as for voicing Theodore in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. He also starred on Army Wives in 2013 and provided the voice for Dick Grayson on Young Justice for a nine-year period. In 2020, he competed on The Masked Singer. Alongside his acting career, McCartney has achieved significant success in music, having released three albums since his 2004 debut, Beautiful Soul. He dropped the singles "Better With You" and "Wasted" in 2018. McCartney recently released his fifth studio album, New Stage, in September 2021.
In September 2019, it was confirmed that the singer had gotten engaged to actress Katie Peterson after dating for seven years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their wedding plans were delayed, but they were able to tie the knot in an October 2021 ceremony in California.
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Shawn Christian
Since 2008, the Michigan native has portrayed the character of Daniel Jonas on the popular soap opera, Days of Our Lives. Christian has also appeared on other notable shows such as Venice the Series and Famous in Love. In 2019, he had the opportunity to reunite with his former costar Taylor Cole from the TV series Summerland for the movie Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness.
The Love in the Sun actor split from his wife of 17 years, Deborah Quinn, in 2013. They share son Kameron.
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Kay Panabaker
During the same period, the former child star made appearances on Phil of the Future and starred in Disney Channel's Read It and Weep alongside her older sister, Danielle Panabaker. Kay had a total of 42 acting credits, which included roles in No Ordinary Family and a recurring part in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, before she exited the acting industry in 2012. Following her departure, the native Texan went on to earn a degree from UCLA and she currently works as a zookeeper.
Credit: Courtesy Dan Benson/Instagram; YouTube
Nick Benson
The Missouri native further showcased his talent in the entertainment industry after his remarkable performance in Summerland. In 2008, he took on a role in Swingtown and also made memorable appearances in True Jackson, VP and Mad Men, each for a single episode. However, he eventually bid farewell to Hollywood. Fast forward to 2016, Benson proudly graduated from MIT.
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Taylor Cole
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Starting with the TV series Summerland, the Texan actor's professional journey began. Over the course of the last twenty years, her career has flourished, encompassing significant roles in shows like Heroes: The Recruit, CSI: Miami, The Glades, and The Originals. As of 2019, Cole achieved a milestone by headlining her very own series on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel, called Ruby Herring Mysteries, which consisted of multiple TV movies. Additionally, in 2022, she starred in Pumpkin Everything and Long Lost Christmas, both produced for the same network.
In June 2020, Cole tied the knot with her long-term partner, Cameron Larson.
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Zac Efron
Efron rose to stardom a year following his appearance on Summerland, captivating audiences worldwide as Troy Bolton in High School Musical. He reprised his role in two additional installments of the immensely popular Disney Channel sensation. Hailing from California, he swiftly transitioned to commanding the silver screen with noteworthy performances in Charlie St. Cloud, Neighbors, Baywatch, The Greatest Showman, and the highly anticipated The Greatest Beer Run Ever, slated for release in 2022.
Efron, who previously portrayed love interests on screen, was romantically involved with Vanessa Hudgens from 2005 to 2010. Following this, he was linked to Lily Collins, Sarah Bro, and Halston Sage in subsequent relationships. In April 2021, it was confirmed by Us that he had ended his 10-month relationship with Vanessa Valladares.
