If you watched last night’s premiere of Mad Men, you may have spotted Linda Cardellini, who played XXXX and did XXXX with XXXX. (Hey, we aren’t spoiling anything for those who are behind on the show.) It’s been awhile since we’ve seen the actress on TV; she first graced our sets as Lindsay Weir on the short-lived, cult classic Freaks & Geeks and was last seen in the hallways of ER.
Her appearance on the show is just one of many by ’90s stars who have risen from the acting graveyard to earn quick paychecks with guest stints on the AMC drama. With Linda the list is up to 13. Check out the other 12 you may have missed.
1. Bess Armstrong (Season 5)
Angela Chase’s mom from My So-Called Life dropped acid with Roger Sterling and was pretty much single-handedly responsible for his and Jane’s divorce.
2. Alexis Bledel (Season 5)
Okay, not so much of a ’90s star as a ’00s but Gilmore Girls debuted in 2000 so we’ll let it slide. Rory she is no more. Now she’s another unsatisfied, cheating housewife who also happens to be engaged to Pete Campbell in real life. (Yes, there is at least one person out there who loves him – aside from Trudy.)
3. Sarah Drew (Season 2)
Most fans probably remember Sarah from Grey’s Anatomy or Everwood. But before she knew Sal Romano was gay she was the voice of Stacy Rowe, one-fourth of the original Mean Girls on Daria.
4. Dennis Haskins (Season 5)
Oh Mr. Belding the years have not been good to you. If that’s what life has to offer after high school then I want to go back to Bayside.
5. Marguerite Moreau (Season 2)
Marguerite loves the bad boys. After she retired from hockey in The Mighty Ducks, she went on to lust after the unfaithful Paul Rudd in Wet Hot American Summer and then Roger Sterling’s hooker. Keep them legs closed Marguerite — those men aren’t worth it.
6. Joe O’Connor (Seasons 2-4)
Trudy Campbell and Clarissa Darling (you know, from Clarissa Explains It All) share the same dad. We had no idea Marshall Darling got around.
7. Larisa Oleynik (Season 5)
There are 10 things I hate about Ken Cosgrove’s wife, Cynthia. Her hair, her inability to keep Ken’s writing a secret, and that she’s no longer Alex Mack, which makes this guy feel really old. Okay so maybe it’s just three. Just don’t spoil anymore of Ken’s writing – there’s a sci-fi epic waiting to be written.
8. Julia Ormond (Season 5)
Ormond was something of a ’90s star with roles in Legends Of The Fall, First Knight and Sabrina. Then she kind of floundered into obscurity before appearing on Mad Men to blow Roger Sterling. Quite the slide down from Brad Pitt.
9. Susan May Pratt (Season 4)
Remember the quirky, Shakespeare-obsessed friend of Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You (also starring the previous actress)? Yeah well she’s the mom in the abortion clinic that Joan visits.
10. Charles Shaughnessy (Season 3)
Remember when the Brits invaded Sterling Cooper? Well one of three henchmen with accents and horrible teeth is the former star of The Nanny. Still unsure why Fran Drescher hasn’t made her way onto the show. Wait never mind, just remembered what her voice sounds like.
11. Yeardley Smith (Season 3)
Lisa Simpson’s voice appears in human form during Betty’s birthing episode. It’s a creepy meta experience.
12. Danny Strong (Season 4)
Danny went from geeky Jonathan on Buffy to writing the screenplays for Recount and Game Change. Along the way he made a pit stop at Sterling Cooper Draper Price. Not bad for a post-CW career.
