Find out what’s happening with Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and the rest of the cast.

Where is the *First Wives Club cast *now? See what became of the devious divorcees 30 years later

Find out what’s happening with Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and the rest of the cast.

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March 19, 2026 5:00 p.m. ET

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The titular first wives of 'The First Wives Club': Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton. Credit:

When most people think about the peak romantic comedy formula, they hark back to the ’80s and ’90s, when genre classics got the mechanics just right. And then along came *The First Wives Club*, which took that lovey-dovey template and tossed it out the penthouse window.

Anyone can experience happily-ever-after… but what happens when your husband leaves you for a younger, slimmer, version of yourself?

Although it may not have received high accolades after its 1996 debut, audiences adored the trio of actresses who carried the movie. Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton navigating the rocky road of infidelity with grace and humor was an anti-rom-com cocktail that proved hard to resist.

Packed full of stars and vintage character actors, the film’s cast has stood the test of time. Read on to find out where our favorite divorcées are now.

Bette Midler (Brenda Morelli-Cushman)

Bette Midler in 'The First Wives Club'; Midler at 'Watch What Happens Live' in 2025.

Amy Sussman/Getty;Moviestore/Shutterstock;Charles Sykes/Bravo

Bette Midler played the sassy single mother Brenda, who’s always got a biting one-liner in the chamber.

For most of her illustrious career, Midler has straddled the line between musician and actor. Already a recording star and Broadway veteran, she made a major jump to the screen with the musical drama *The Rose *(1979), earning two Golden Globes and an Oscar nomination.

The Hawaii native followed that up with a string of hits, including *Down and Out in Beverly Hills *(1986), *Ruthless People* (1986), *Big Business* (1988), *Beaches* (1988), and *For the Boys* (1991), the latter of which earned her another Oscar nod.

For children of the ’90s, however, Midler’s name immediately brings *Hocus Pocus* to mind. It’s easy to see why resurrecting the Sanderson sisters for *Hocus Pocus 2* in 2022 would result in record-breaking streaming numbers for Disney+.

Midler and her husband, Martin von Haselberg, have been married since 1984. Their daughter, Sophie, is also an actress.

Goldie Hawn (Elise Eliot-Atchison)

Goldie Hawn in 'The First Wives Club'; Hawn at the Women in Entertainment Gala in 2025.

Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock;Amy Sussman/Getty

Aging movie star Elise, with her collagen-filled lips and “unprofitable age,” was brought to life by Goldie Hawn.

Her comedy bonafides, of course, need little explanation. From her star-making role on the sketch comedy show *Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In*, Hawn settled quickly into her comedic comfort zone. Before she knew it, she was an Oscar winner for *Cactus Flower *(1969). She then filled her resume with starring roles in *Butterflies Are Free *(1971), Steven Spielberg’s *Sugarland Express *(1974), and *Shampoo *(1975).

On top of pairing up with Chevy Chase for *Foul Play *(1978), she earned another Oscar nomination for *Private Benjamin* (1980). More gems followed, including *Overboard* (1987) opposite her real-life partner Kurt Russell, *Death Becomes Her* (1992), and *Everyone Says I Love You *(1996).

On the heels of *The Banger Sisters* (2002), the actress took an extended break, finally returning 15 years later for *Snatched* (2017). She recently reunited with Russell to play Mrs. Claus to his Santa in the *Christmas Chronicles *movies.

The couple has been together since 1983 and shares one son, actor Wyatt Russell. She also has two children, actors Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson, from a previous marriage.

Diane Keaton (Annie MacDuggan-Paradis)

Diane Keaton in 'The First Wives Club'; Keaton in L.A. in 2024.

Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock;Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC

Slightly neurotic and full of anxiety, Diane Keaton played the central character of Annie.

Keaton burst onto the scene with roles in *The Godfather *(1972) and *Play It Again, Sam *(1972). A frequent collaborator of Woody Allen, she won an Academy Award for *Annie Hall *(1977) and had starring turns in *Sleeper *(1973), *Love and Death *(1975), and *Interiors *(1978), among others.

In addition to the *Godfather *sequels, the actress headlined the likes of *Looking for Mr. Goodbar *(1977), *Reds *(1981), and *Baby Boom *(1987). She teamed up with Steve Martin for *Father of the Bride *(1991), re-teamed with Hawn for *Town & Country *(2001), and landed an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win for *Something’s Gotta Give* (2003).

She continued to specialize in humane comedy for years afterward, from *The Family Stone *(2005) to *Morning Glory *(2010).

In late 2025, the beloved actress died at age 79. She was survived by her son, Duke, and daughter, Dexter.

“She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star,” Midler said of her *First Wives *costar.

Hawn was equally effusive: “She just brought so much joy, so much life, so much exuberance. She was like lightning in a bottle. There wasn’t anything that she couldn’t do.”

Sarah Jessica Parker (Shelly Stewart)

Sarah Jessica Parker in 'The First Wives Club'; Parker at a GLAAD gala in 2025.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Sarah Jessica Parker teetered her way into Brenda’s life as her husband Morty’s new mistress, Shelly.

Though we'll always know her as Manhattan’s own Carrie Bradshaw, the Ohio native began in musical theater, which paved the way for featured roles in *Footloose* (1984) and *Girls Just Want To Have Fun *(1985*)*.

Her movie career hit greater heights in the ’90s with *L.A. Story *(1991), *Honeymoon in Vegas *(1992), and of course *Hocus Pocus *alongside Midler. After a pair of Tim Burton cult favorites, *Ed Wood *(1994) and *Mars Attacks *(1996), Parker landed the role that has defined her ever since.

She won four Golden Globes and an Emmy for *Sex and the City *(1998–2004), took the franchise to the big screen twice, and returned once again for the sequel series, *And Just Like That* (2021–2025).

Parker has been married to actor Matthew Broderick since 1997. They share a son and twin daughters.

Victor Garber (Bill Atchison)

Victor Garber in 'The First Wives Club'; Garber at the 'You Had to Be There' premiere in 2025.

Cindy Ord/Getty

Victor Garber makes you root against him as Elise’s cheating film producer husband, Bill.

Based on his speaking voice alone, it’s easy to believe Garber started his career in the theater. He’s been nominated for four Tonys and even stepped back into the game in 2018, taking over the lead role of Horace Vandergelder in *Hello, Dolly!*

But many fans mainly recognize him as Sydney Bristow’s father in *Alias* (2001–2006). Garber officiated the wedding of his TV daughter, Jennifer Garner, to Ben Affleck, and the two have remained close ever since.

The six-time Emmy nominee is also a frequent face on the big screen. He was the architect of the eponymous ship in *Titanic *(1997) and appeared in *Sleepless in Seattle* (1993), *Exotica *(1994), *Legally Blonde* (2001), *Sicario *(2015), and Best Picture winner *Argo *(2012).

The Ontario native recently finished up a run on the Canadian series *Family Law *(2021–2026).

Garber married his longtime partner, Rainer Andreesen, in 2015.

Elizabeth Berkley (Phoebe LaVell)

Elizabeth Berkley in 'The First Wives Club'; Berkley at the Women in Entertainment Gala in 2025.

Paramount;Monica Schipper/WireImage

Elizabeth Berkley played memorably against-type as Phoebe, the ditzy actress obsessed with both Bill and Elise.

Most people remember Berkley as the smartypants, feminist, caffeine-addicted Jessie Spano from *Saved by the Bell* (1989–1992), or for her turn in the infamous NC-17 flop *Showgirls* (1995). The actress has been open about the blowback she received from the latter project, which she told PEOPLE in 2020 made her feel like a “pariah.”

Aside from *The First Wives Club*, the Michigan native’s career has featured several guest spotts on television, from *NYPD Blue *(2000) to *The L Word *(2009) and *CSI: Miami *(2008–2009).

More recently, however, she resurrected her most famous role on the next-gen revival of *Saved by the Bell*, which debuted on Peacock in 2020.

Berkley is married to fashion designer Greg Lauren, nephew of Ralph Lauren. They welcomed a son in 2012.

- Comedy Movies

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Source: “EW Comedy”