Twenty years after its final episode aired, the supernatural drama series Angel continues to captivate audiences with its dark themes, complex characters, and moral ambiguity. As a spinoff of the wildly successful Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel carved out its own unique identity over its five-season run from 1999 to 2004. The show followed the journey of the titular vampire with a soul as he sought redemption in Los Angeles, building a found family along the way who helped “help the helpless.”

But what happened to the talented actors and creative minds behind this beloved series after the final battle in that rain-soaked alley? Let’s explore where the cast and crew of Angel are today and how the show influenced their careers.

The Cast: From Vampire Detectives to New Heights

David Boreanaz (Angel)

David Boreanaz anchored Angel as the brooding, guilt-ridden vampire seeking redemption. His journey from Buffy supporting player to leading man proved Boreanaz had the charisma and range to carry a series. After Angel concluded in 2004, Boreanaz didn’t miss a beat, immediately landing the role of FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth on Bones, which ran for an impressive 12 seasons from 2005 to 2017.

Following Bones, Boreanaz stepped into another leadership role as Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Jason Hayes in the military drama SEAL Team, which began in 2017 and concluded in 2024. His seeming ability to move seamlessly from one long-running series to another has made him one of television’s most consistently employed actors.

Throughout his career, Boreanaz has also ventured into directing, beginning with the Angel episode “Soul Purpose” in 2004, a skill he continued to hone by directing multiple episodes of both Bones and SEAL Team.

Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase)

Charisma Carpenter’s Cordelia Chase was initially introduced as the popular, self-centered high school student in Buffy before evolving into a key member of Angel Investigations with genuine heroism and heart. After her controversial departure from Angel in its fourth season (with a brief return in season five), Carpenter went on to appear in various television shows including a recurring role as Kendall Casablancas in Veronica Mars (2005-2006) and as Rebecca Sewell in The Lying Game (2012-2013).

Carpenter also appeared in the action film franchise The Expendables (2010, 2012) alongside Sylvester Stallone, and hosted the true crime series Surviving Evil from 2013 to 2016, where she notably shared her own story as a survivor of a violent crime.

In February 2021, Carpenter made headlines when she spoke out in support of Justice League actor Ray Fisher’s allegations against director Joss Whedon, accusing Whedon of creating a toxic work environment and claiming he dismissed her from Angel because of her pregnancy.

Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce)

Perhaps one of the most dramatic character evolutions in the Whedonverse belonged to Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, played by Alexis Denisof. From his beginnings as a bumbling Watcher on Buffy to becoming a hardened, morally complex hero on Angel, Denisof showcased impressive range.

Post-Angel, Denisof collaborated again with Joss Whedon in projects like Dollhouse and the film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (2012). He also had a recurring role as Sandy Rivers on How I Met Your Mother, where he worked alongside his real-life wife and Buffy alumna Alyson Hannigan.

More recently, Denisof appeared in the Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as Adam Masters, portrayed Professor Vardemus in Legacies (2019-2022), and reprised his role as Sandy Rivers in How I Met Your Father (2023).

J. August Richards (Charles Gunn)

J. August Richards brought street-smart vampire hunter Charles Gunn to life, a character who grew from an outsider to a central member of the team. Following Angel, Richards appeared in various TV series including Conviction and Raising the Bar.

In 2013, Richards joined another corner of the Whedonverse when he was cast as Mike Peterson/Deathlok in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., reuniting him with former Angel executive producer Jeffrey Bell. He later took on roles in shows like Notorious and Kevin (Probably) Saves the World.

In 2020, Richards publicly came out as gay during an Instagram Live discussion about his role as a gay parent in the NBC drama Council of Dads. He has continued to work steadily in television, appearing in shows like Generation (2021) and Vampire Academy (2022).

Amy Acker (Winifred “Fred” Burkle/Illyria)

Amy Acker joined Angel in its second season as the brilliant but traumatized physicist Fred Burkle, later also portraying the ancient demon Illyria in the show’s final season. This dual role showcased her remarkable versatility as an actress.

Acker has maintained a prolific career in television, working again with Joss Whedon on Dollhouse and reuniting with Angel showrunner Tim Minear on Drive. She had a recurring role on Alias and later starred as Root in the critically acclaimed series Person of Interest (2012-2016).

More recently, Acker played Caitlin Strucker in the Marvel-inspired series The Gifted (2017-2019) and took on the role of Dr. Rachel Layne in What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage (2019) and Kathleen Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy (2019).

Vincent Kartheiser (Connor)

Vincent Kartheiser portrayed Angel’s son Connor, one of the more controversial characters introduced in the later seasons. After Angel, Kartheiser’s career took a significant leap when he was cast as the ambitious, complicated Pete Campbell in AMC’s acclaimed drama Mad Men (2007-2015).

Following Mad Men, Kartheiser appeared in shows like Casual (2016), The Path (2017), and Proven Innocent (2019). He also played Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in the third season of Titans in 2021, though reports later emerged of alleged inappropriate behavior on set, which Kartheiser denied.

In his personal life, Kartheiser was married to actress Alexis Bledel from 2014 until their divorce in 2022.

Andy Hallett (Lorne)

Andy Hallett brought charm and heart to the green-skinned, empathic demon Lorne (also known as The Host), becoming a fan favorite. Hallett’s work on Angel was his most significant acting role, though he also continued his music career after the show ended.

Tragically, Hallett passed away on March 29, 2009, at the age of 33 from heart failure following a five-year battle with cardiomyopathy. His character Lorne lived on in comic book form, with the one-shot Lorne: The Music of the Spheres published posthumously as a tribute to both the character and Hallett himself.

James Marsters (Spike)

James Marsters initially gained fame as the vampire Spike on Buffy before joining the cast of Angel in its final season. After Angel concluded, Marsters continued to build an impressive resume with recurring roles in shows like Smallville as Brainiac, Torchwood as Captain John Hart, and Runaways as Victor Stein.

Beyond acting, Marsters has pursued a music career as the frontman for the band Ghost of the Robot, which reformed in 2010 after an initial split. He’s also become a prolific voice actor, notably as the narrator for Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files” audiobooks and as Zamasu in the English dub of Dragon Ball Super.

Marsters remains a popular figure at fan conventions and has spoken candidly about his experiences working with Joss Whedon, acknowledging both positive and negative aspects.

Mercedes McNab (Harmony Kendall)

Mercedes McNab’s vapid vampire Harmony Kendall began as a minor character on Buffy before eventually becoming a series regular on Angel in its final season. Following Angel, McNab appeared in horror films such as Hatchet (2007) and its 2010 sequel, as well as television series including Supernatural and Psych.

McNab retired from acting in 2011 after getting married to real estate developer Mark Henderson in 2012. The couple has two children.

Glenn Quinn (Allen Francis Doyle)

Glenn Quinn made a significant impact as the half-demon seer Doyle in the early episodes of Angel before the character’s heroic sacrifice. Sadly, Quinn passed away on December 3, 2002, at the age of 32 from an accidental drug overdose.

Despite his brief time on the series, Doyle remains a beloved character whose sacrifice set the moral tone for the show, and Quinn’s performance is still fondly remembered by fans and castmates alike. During Entertainment Weekly’s 20th-anniversary reunion of the cast of Angel in 2019, David Boreanaz paid tribute to Quinn, saying, “Glenn played a great character, but also became a really close friend of mine. God rest his soul.”

The Creative Minds Behind the Show

Joss Whedon (Creator/Executive Producer)

Joss Whedon co-created Angel with David Greenwalt as a spinoff from his groundbreaking series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. After Angel ended, Whedon created several other television series including Firefly (and its film continuation Serenity), Dollhouse, and The Nevers.

Whedon’s career reached new heights when he directed Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) and its sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), cementing his status as a major creative force in Hollywood. However, in recent years, Whedon’s reputation has been significantly damaged by allegations of workplace misconduct from numerous actors who worked with him, including Angel star Charisma Carpenter.

David Greenwalt (Co-Creator/Executive Producer)

David Greenwalt co-created Angel with Joss Whedon and served as the showrunner for its first three seasons. After leaving Angel, Greenwalt worked on various television series including Moonlight and most notably as co-creator and executive producer of NBC’s supernatural drama Grimm, which ran for six seasons from 2011 to 2017.

Tim Minear (Executive Producer)

Tim Minear served as an executive producer on Angel during its second season and made significant contributions to the show’s mythology and character development. After Angel, Minear continued his collaboration with Joss Whedon on Firefly and later worked on shows like Wonderfalls and Dollhouse.

Despite earning a reputation for working on critically acclaimed but short-lived series (leading to his Twitter handle “@CancelledAgain”), Minear finally found long-term success with Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story, where he’s been an executive producer since 2011. He’s also co-created and served as showrunner for the hit procedural dramas 9-1-1 and its spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Jeffrey Bell (Executive Producer)

Jeffrey Bell joined Angel as a writer and eventually became the showrunner for the final two seasons. After Angel, Bell worked as a writer and producer on shows like Alias and Harper’s Island before becoming co-showrunner on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020), where he reunited with Angel alum J. August Richards.

David Fury (Executive Producer)

David Fury worked as a writer on both Buffy and Angel before becoming an executive producer on Angel‘s final season. After the series ended, Fury wrote for critically acclaimed shows like Lost (earning an Emmy nomination for the episode “Walkabout”) and 24.

Fury also reunited with Joss Whedon to work on Dollhouse and later joined the writing staff of shows like Fringe, Hannibal, and Homeland. He also served as executive producer and co-showrunner of Amazon’s reboot of The Tick.

Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain (Writers)

Writing partners Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain joined Angel during its fourth season and served as the show’s executive story editors during its fifth season. After Angel, they wrote for shows like The Shield and created the series Women’s Murder Club before reuniting with Joss Whedon as showrunners on Dollhouse.

The duo has continued their successful partnership, working on shows like The Vampire Diaries, The 100, and most recently creating Fantasy Island for Fox in 2021. They also host the podcast “Happier in Hollywood,” a spinoff of the popular “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” podcast hosted by Craft’s sister.

The Legacy Continues

Though Angel ended in 2004 with its heroes facing seemingly impossible odds, its legacy continues through its cast and crew’s ongoing work and the show’s enduring themes. The series pushed boundaries in its exploration of redemption, moral ambiguity, and the constant struggle between light and darkness.

The innovative noir-influenced storytelling and complex character development pioneered on Angel can be seen in countless supernatural and urban fantasy series that followed. Moreover, the show’s dedicated fanbase remains active through conventions, social media communities, and continued interest in the comics that officially continued the story.

For many of the actors, Angel represented a formative experience that demonstrated their range and set them up for future success. The creative team behind the series has continued to shape television with their distinctive voices and willingness to explore challenging themes and genres.

Twenty years later, the final words of the series—”Let’s go to work”—still resonate, both as a battle cry for the characters and as a philosophy embraced by the talented individuals who brought Angel to life, many of whom continue to create compelling stories that explore the complexities of human nature and the eternal struggle between good and evil.

Whether fighting vampires in Los Angeles or telling stories in new and different worlds, the legacy of Angel lives on through its cast and creators, who continue to make their mark on entertainment and popular culture.