Main • Joan Carol Clayton, Esq: (
Tracee Ellis Ross) is considered the unofficial "den mother" of the group, as she frequently looks out for her friends, even at the expense of dealing with her own problems, which are plentiful throughout the series. Originally from
Fresno, Joan owns a home in the
Wilton Historic District. Joan met Toni when they were children and then met Lynn in college, and Maya is her assistant at the law firm. She has always had relationship issues and gave up her law career to pursue her dreams. She and Toni clash several times throughout the series, resulting to the end of their 23-year-old friendship. Major incidents involved Joan inadvertently revealing Toni's cheating to Greg, and Joan's jealousy of Toni's marriage to Todd, but their friendship officially ends by the end of Season 6 when Joan fails to appear for Toni's custody hearing. For much of Season 7, Joan mourned the loss of her friendship with Toni, eventually opting to resent and belittle her in front of the group. At the end of Season 7, she became engaged to Aaron Waters, whom she met while rehabilitating homes in
New Orleans damaged by
Hurricane Katrina; she moved into his home in
West Adams while Aaron was deployed to Iraq and rented her house to Lynn. • Maya Denise Wilkes (née Wood): (
Golden Brooks) is a former assistant to Joan and a housewife/author. Maya grew up in
Compton and is married to her high school sweetheart, Darnell. They have one child, Jabari. Maya is the youngest and sassiest of the group, and is often at odds with Toni over her ego-driven lifestyle. She is a devoted wife and mother, and is frequently depicted with stronger religious and moral convictions. Maya is the most "working-class" member of the group, especially in earlier seasons. In the first few seasons Maya was more obviously "from the hood", with the associated stereotyped speech and mannerisms. However, as she becomes more successful in her career and interacts more extensively with the legal and publishing industries, she exhibits fewer stereotypes; while still obviously from a different social background as the rest of the group, she is no longer as caricatured. In the early seasons, Maya's marriage to Darnell imploded after she had an
emotional affair with an acquaintance. Later, after she launches a career as a self-help author, they reunite. In Season 8, the couple endured a miscarriage and later explored the possibility of adopting a baby girl. Over the course of the series, Maya lived in
South Central,
Leimert Park, and finally bought her dream house with Darnell in
Lancaster. At the end of Season 7, Maya and Darnell sell their home in Lancaster and move to
West Adams. • Lynn Ann Searcy: (
Persia White) was Joan and Toni's mixed-race roommate at
UCLA and lived with Joan for eight years until the series begins. Lynn holds five post-graduate degrees. Born in
Virginia to a black father and a bipolar white mother from a wealthy family, Lynn was adopted by a white family in
Seattle (her father affectionately calls her "Noodle" due to hair texture). She did not embrace her black heritage until college. When Joan decides it is time for Lynn to move out of her home, Lynn reluctantly becomes more independent by taking on several, mostly menial jobs. She previously lived with Toni, William, Maya, and Sivad (temporarily); and shared a garage with then-boyfriend Vosco before moving into her own apartment (after becoming a property manager at the complex where Maya lived). She produces a documentary on the
HIV/
AIDS pandemic, focusing on
African-American women. While Lynn is depicted as the most sexually adventurous one of the group (with frequent mentions of one-night stands, group sex, sex toys, and her infamous "Lynn Spin"), she also dates frequently. She is most attracted to artistic and spiritual men, and over the course of the series has relationships with a Jamaican immigrant, a poet, a pastor, and a musician named Finn (the recording artist
Tricky). She was also briefly married to William. Her romantic involvement with Lenny (who was so similar to Lynn that the others labeled him as her "brother") was the catalyst for her to search for her biological father. After dating Finn, she discovers that music is her passion, and starts a band called
Indigo Skye. Lynn is often considered the
bohemian of the group, with her carefree nature and down-to-earth personality, and is a
vegan. By Season 8, she had signed with "Dirty Girl" Records. • Antoinette "Toni" Marie Childs-Garrett: (
Jill Marie Jones, Seasons 1–6) has been Joan's friend since they were eight years old, they attended elementary, high school, and college together. Toni grew up poor on a farm with an alcoholic mother in
Fresno, and has a twin brother, Antoine Childs whom Maya Wilkes had a brief fling with. Toni is considered the shallow and popular one of the girlfriends and is the self-proclaimed "cute one" of the group. During the first season, Toni and Maya don't get along (she considered Maya to be a lower-class intruder), but ultimately embraced her friendship. Toni is a real-estate agent who eventually opens her own brokerage. She rekindles her romance with Greg Sparks (the "love of her life"), but he dumps her when he learns she cheated on him with Dr. Clay Spencer. Toni unexpectedly finds love with Todd Garrett, a white, Jewish plastic surgeon, whom she marries after a short courtship. After a rocky year-long marriage, the two separate after Todd moves to New York. Toni and Todd have a birth child named Morgan. They fight over custody, but at the end of the 6th season work out their issues. Joan misses the custody hearing leading to the fight that ultimately ends Toni and Joan's friendship. Toni moves to New York City so Morgan can be closer to Todd, but has maintained her friendships with Maya and Lynn. Toni's condo was located in Larchmont
Hancock Park, specifically the historic 450
El Royale building. • William Jerome Dent, Esq: (
Reggie Hayes) is the girls' closest male friend. He is senior partner at Goldberg, Swedelson, McDonald and Lee. Hailing from
Kansas City he is portrayed as somewhat of a "mama's boy", but possesses self-confidence and a dry sense of humor. (One episode focused on his distant and complicated relationship with his father, who is a perfectionist.) After being left at the wedding altar by the woman he loved and police officer, Yvonne Blackwell, he reluctantly continues dating, including Donna, Kara, senior partner Sharon Upton Farley (played by
Anne-Marie Johnson), and the at-times vicious Monica Charles Brooks (whom he ultimately marries). Fearing that Joan would beat him to the altar, he eloped with Lynn on a whim; though he quickly realized that he wanted to find true love and they ultimately divorce. He later realizes that Joan is the right woman for him, but after three months of courting, the two end their relationship. He became a sperm donor for his sister Linda and her same-sex partner, and regards the baby as his "nephew-son." He is also co-owner of the J-Spot restaurant with Joan. In later seasons, William forges a tight bond with Darnell, Maya's husband. During Season 7, he was working on his marriage with Monica. According to William's mother, his middle name is spelled with two "R"s, and a silent "W". Beginning in season 2, William owns a home in
the Valley. • Darnell Leroy Wilkes: (
Flex Alexander Season 1, and then
Khalil Kain, Seasons 6–8, main; 2–5, recurring) is Maya's husband. He and Maya married at a young age and had their son, Jabari. Darnell was an airport
baggage handler, before becoming a mechanic at a local car repair shop. For a while, he was a
NASCAR pit crew mechanic. After Maya's affair with Stan Wright when the two split. In earlier seasons, he felt threatened by Maya's friendship with Joan, Toni and Lynn; though he ultimately put his issues aside and became friends with them. After the divorce, he dated a woman named Lena (
Chenoa Maxwell) whom Maya disliked because she still had feelings for Darnell. At Lena and Darnell's wedding Maya professed her love for Darnell. The two reconcile and begin living together again in Season 6. In the end of Season 7, Darnell accepts an offer to buy back his garage and get Maya and Jabari a new house in Los Angeles. After suffering a miscarriage, the couple considers adopting a baby girl. • Monica Charles Brooks-Dent: (
Keesha Sharp, Seasons 7–8, main; 3–6, recurring) is William's wife. All four of the girlfriends (especially Lynn and Toni) hated her (Joan comes to see her vulnerable side and becomes her friend, and Toni moves to New York City at the end of the sixth season). In the seventh season, the girls slowly and later fully accept Monica as their friend as Monica does the same. Although engaged to William, the two date twice before; they meet at a bar the first time. Since the last time William proposes to her in Monaco, he has occasionally had doubts about ever doing so. Eventually William and Monica marry, but on their wedding day he has too much to drink and confesses that he has had and still has doubts about marrying her. Monica leaves William in Season 7, but returns shortly after the girlfriends go to Chicago to persuade her to get back together with William. On their visit, the girls discover that Monica, due to her father's dementia and her mother's power of attorney, has been cut off from her family fortune, so Joan offers Monica a job at the J-Spot. William is thrilled about Monica's return until she demands half of what he earned while they were married. They manage to slowly rebuild their relationship but constantly clash at the J-Spot. In the Season 7 finale, Monica and William get back together. By Season 8, Monica was pregnant and is seen spending more time with the other three girlfriends, particularly Joan.
Recurring • Jabari Darnell Wilkes: (Seasons 1–6 played by: Tanner Scott Richards, Season 7–8 played by: Kendré Berry) is Maya and Darnell's son. He was born when Maya was 16 years old. He was depicted to be a sweet, innocent child but once he entered his teenage years he seemed to be a little more dimwitted and rebellious. • Jeanette Wood: (played by Charmin Lee) is Maya's no-nonsense mother who won't hesitate to put a
switch to her adult daughter. She babysat Jabari while he was younger, and also rented out her garage for Lynn and her then-boyfriend Vosco to live in after Joan kicked her out of her house. She initially took an instant dislike to Joan's "sadiddy" behavior towards Maya's style (also labeling Joan as "classist" and "egregious" as Maya does), but eventually grew to accept her. She and Maya also clash when she decides to sell her house to move to San Bernardino with her boyfriend Earl (
Harry Lennix), whom Maya doesn't like. Jeanette was seen throughout Seasons 1–7. • Veretta Childs: (played by
Jenifer Lewis) is Toni's loud and outspoken mother from Fresno whose high-spirited behavior and garish outfits often embarrass Toni. She suffered from alcoholism during Toni's formative years, which put a strain on their relationship. Veretta eventually sobered up. However, she briefly relapsed during Toni and Todd's engagement party - this was partially due to her guilt over her daughters Toni and Sherri not getting along. While she and Toni often clash, she supports her daughter. Veretta appears throughout Seasons 2-6. • Ronnie: (played by Lamont Johnson) is Maya's cousin and hair stylist. In the series he helped sell her semi-biographical book. He owns two beauty salons called Situations and Situations Deux. He is last seen at the ending of season 7 as Aaron
proposed to Joan. • Peaches: (played by
Shawn Harrison) Ronnie's boyfriend who is a hairstylist at Situations and had a short stint as Joan's assistant and temporary confidante after Maya goes to work as William's secretary after William becomes Senior Partner. Peaches is last seen at the ending of season 7 as Aaron proposes to Joan. Peaches also made a cameo in a second-season episode of
Eve. • Sherri Childs: (played by
Yvette Nicole Brown) Toni's oldest sister whom she does not get along with due to Toni leaving the family due to their mother's alcoholism to go to school. They reconcile their relationship in the episode where Toni marries Todd. She, alongside Lynn, Maya and Melanie (Toni's other sister) were a part of her ceremony as her bridesmaids. She appears in two episodes in season 3. • Davis Hamilton: (played by
Randy J. Goodwin) owner and operator of the girls' favorite restaurant/hangout spot, 847 (Season 1). He and Joan flirted with one another, and almost went away for a romantic weekend while both were involved with other people. However, during Season 4, in the aftermath of Joan's breakup with Brock, she runs into Davis at a movie theater. She learns that Davis had lost the restaurant and also ended his relationship with his fiancée. They talk about how they missed the opportunity to start a relationship, and ultimately decide to just remain friends. • Charles Swedelson: (played by
Phil Reeves) the managing partner at Goldberg, Swedelson, McDonald and Lee who is also Joan's and William's supervisor. Though highly professional, he is known to have a roving eye for the ladies, and tends to use "hip-hop" and "urban" euphemisms towards Joan and William to appear more laid back and sociable. Mr. Swedelson was seen throughout the entire series run. • Yvonne Blackwell (pronounced Yuh Von): (played by Cee Cee Michaela) William's girlfriend, later fiancée in the first two seasons. Yvonne originally was a crazy police officer that William met online and went on a date in the Season 1 episode, "Hip-Ocracy" but Yvonne and William start dating midway through the first season and later get engaged at the beginning of Season 2. Yvonne quits the police force after her life was put on the line and after William issued her an ultimatum. During Season 2, Yvonne and William have some issues in their relationship mainly because William bought a house unbeknownst to Yvonne. Later in the episode, "Willie or Won't He II: The Last Chapter?", Yvonne and William marry but she leaves William at the altar after confessing the many problems happening in their relationship. • Dr. Todd Garrett: (played by Jason Pace, seasons 3–6) A Jewish Beverly Hills Doctor that Toni later marries. He first appeared in the Season 3 episode "Secrets and Eyes"
Guest appearances •
Adrian Lester; Ellis Carter •
Aldis Hodge; Matthew Miles & Derwin Davis •
Angie Stone; Darla Mason •
Anne-Marie Johnson; Sharon Upton Farley •
Bebe Moore Campbell; Herself •
Bernard Parks; Himself •
Bernie Casey; Edward Dent •
Bern Nadette Stanis; Herself •
Beverly Johnson; Herself •
Big Boi; Himself •
CCH Pounder; Dr. Myers • Cee Cee Michaela Harshaw; Yvonne Blackwell • Car'ynn Sims; Chevonne Brown •
Chante Moore; Herself •
Charnele Brown; Beverly •
Christina Vidal; Samantha Stephens •
Chrisette Michele; Herself •
Christopher Darden; Himself • Chuma Hunter-Gault; Greg Sparks •
Cindy Williams; Lisa •
Common; Omar •
Coby Bell; Jason Pitts •
Danny Bonaduce; Himself •
Darius McCrary; Antoine Childs •
David Groh; Michael Goldberg •
David Ramsey; Randall Potter •
Dawn Wells; Herself •
Dawnn Lewis; Linda Dent •
Demond Wilson; Kenneth Miles •
Dondre T. Whitfield; Sean Ellis •
Donnie McClurkin; Himself •
Don Franklin; Stan •
Doug Spearman; Man •
Drew Sidora; Sage •
Duane Martin; Preston C. Hall •
Erykah Badu; Herself •
Evan Ross; Himself •
Harry Lennix; Earl •
Hosea Chanchez; Malik Wright •
Isaac Hayes; Eugene Childs •
Idris Elba; Paul •
Jackie Collins; Herself •
James Avery; Dr. Couch •
Jenifer Lewis; Veretta Childs •
Jennifer Baxter; Kelly Pitts •
Jill Scott; Donna Williams •
Joan Pringle; Carol Clayton •
Joe Torry; Mel •
Jo Marie Payton; Annette Miles •
John L. Adams; Vosco •
John Salley; Byron •
Jonelle Allen; Eleanor Charles •
Kadeem Hardison; Eldon Parks •
Karen Austin; Sandy Bickle •
Katt Williams; Rick Beatty •
Kellie Shanygne Williams; Cecily •
Kelly Rowland; Tammy •
Kelsey Grammer; Himself •
Kenya Moore; Kara •
Kimberly Elise; Reesie Jackson •
Kurt Loder; Himself •
Laila Ali; Herself •
Laivan Greene; Herself •
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs; Leonard James •
Lil' Zane; Himself •
Loretta Devine; Judge Vashti Jackson •
Malik Yoba; Brock Harris •
Marcia Clark; Herself •
Master P; Himself •
Melvin Van Peebles; Kenneth •
Michael Warren; Bill Clayton •
Mo'Nique; Herself •
Orlando Jones; Dr. Lucas •
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth; Trina •
Phil Morris; Dr. Clay Spencer •
Pooch Hall; Derwin Davis •
Quddus Phillipe; Xander •
Reverend Al Sharpton; Himself •
Richard T. Jones; Aaron •
Rockmond Dunbar; Jalen •
Rhonda Ross Kendrick; Laurie (Halloween party guest) •
Sandra Bernhard; Marcia •
Saul Williams; Sivad •
Shar Jackson;
Niecy •
Shanti Lowry; Dionne Marie Taylor •
Sinbad; Himself •
Steven Cojocaru; Taz •
Suzanne de Passe; Herself •
Tasha Smith; Shandara Duranni •
Terrell Davis; Himself •
Terri J. Vaughn; Tasha •
Tia Mowry;
Melanie Barnett •
Traci Bingham; Candy •
Tracy Vilar; GiGi •
Tricky; Finn • Una Damon; Myoshi •
Wayne Brady; Derek Tyler •
Wendy Raquel Robinson; Tasha Mack •
Wendell Pierce; Anthony Jackson ==Awards and nominations==