Everyone loves Raymond is arguably one of the most beloved American TV sitcoms of all time. From its 1996 debut, the series gave viewers an inside look at the life of sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano) and his very close-knit family. This Long Island Italian family was indeed very close with Ray’s parents Marie (Doris Roberts) and Frank (Peter Boyle) along with his brother Robert (Brad Gerrett) across the street. Ray struggles to spend his time with his overbearing parents, his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) and three children (Sawyer, Sullivan and Madylin Sweeten).
The series ran for nine seasons with over 200 episodes and received 15 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. Showrunner Phil Rosenthal gave a realistic take on the modern suburban family. A series as popular as Everyone loves Raymond wouldn’t be as successful without the chemistry of the characters and the different dynamics they bring to the story. Each is unique and has different opportunities to shine through the nine-year series. The cast brought a recognizability to the show that audiences have not matched since. But where are they now?
Ray Romano – Ray Barone
Ray Romano received three Emmys for his performance as Ray Barone, the sportswriter who simply tries to make a living and support his family while being under the thumb of his parents. Romano was a writer on the series who showed most of Ray Barone’s character and his life through flashbacks of adolescence and adulthood. He delivered a wide comedic range of emotions, from bombastically explosive to subdued but still hilarious. All of this stemmed from his background as a stand-up comedian.
Since the series finale, Romano has continued to reprise his role as Manny in the popular animated films Ice Age and released a comedy special titled Ray Romano: here, around the corner which premiered on Netflix in 2019. He appears in more dramatic films such as The big sick in 2017, his amazing and heartbreaking performance in the hilarious Made for loveand most importantly, alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Martin Scorsese’s hit mob epic the Irishman. Romano also has his directorial debut for Somewhere in Queens which was picked up by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions after its Tribeca Film Festival debut in 2022.
Patricia Heaton- Debra Barone
Patricia Heaton received two Emmys for her performance as Debra Barone. Her character came from a wealthy and sophisticated family in Connecticut. Debra continued to clash with the Baroness’ overbearing lifestyle, and more specifically, Ray’s parents’ constant violations. Her character brought an outside perspective into how much Ray was stifled by his family and her character was often the catalyst for his maturing moments of separation from Mom and Dad.
Heaton went from one mega hit to the next. 2009 marked four years after her role as Debra Barone, but started a new one that took her on a whole new path in modern television. She starred as Frankie Heck in the hit ABC multi-camera sitcom The middle. This series, just like Everyone loves Raymond ran for nine seasons and finished in 2018, which left quite an impressive mark on Heaton’s career. She also starred in minor and major roles in movies such as the original Space Jam. In 2022, she co-starred with Brian Cox in the drama Fix the line. Heaton has two projects in development and their release dates are unknown.
Brad Garret- Robert Barone
Brad Garrett won 3 Emmys for his performance as Robert Barone, the NYPD officer inspired by Ray Romano’s real-life brother Richard A. Romano, who was an NYPD sergeant and detective who went on to become a screenwriter and filmmaker. However, the character Ray was featured in the series offered the most explosive and hilarious moments of comedy. A lone cop in his forties and still living with his parents, Robert was always unhinged and looking for love. He eventually fell in love and married Amy MacDougall, played by showrunner Phil Rosenthal’s wife Monica Horan.
Garrett’s iconic deep voice opened up a long career of voice work in notable Pixar films such as An insect life, Finding Nemo, and Ratatouille. He also voiced the sweet Eeyore in the live-action Winnie the Pooh movie Christopher Robinand led his own sitcom with ‘Till death.
Doris Roberts – Marie Barone
Doris Roberts received 4 Emmys for her performance as Marie Barone. Marie brought that maternal, and sometimes presumptuous, love that brought the family together. She was as devoted to others as could be. She represented that traditional Italian mother with plastic on the furniture (often joked about in the series) and always with food ready to go. Her character brought some of the funniest moments in the series, such as when she drove a car into Ray and Debra’s house and created a less-than-abstract-looking sculpture. She was the mother we all know and love.
Doris Roberts has appeared in numerous television series and films. She received an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series on St. Elsewhere. She also starred in hit movies such as National Lampoon’s Christmas Holiday and the cult classic Grandma’s boy. Other roles included Strangers in the attic and Full house. Roberts sadly passed away in 2016, but her extensive filmography will continue her legacy.
Peter Boyle- Frank Barone
Peter Boylea sadly never received accolades for his incredible performance as Frank Barone. Frank was a conservative, retired working-class man with no tolerance for… anyone. He represented those old and outdated ways in American history, but the public couldn’t get enough of him. He was loud and brash, but a good father and grandfather to the Barone family.
Boyle had one of the most notable careers of all time. While you never get an Emmy for Everyone loves Raymond he did receive an Emmy for a guest spot on one of The X filesbest episodes. Boyle’s feature filmography, however, is both extensive and impressive. He starred in classic movies like Martin Scorsese’s Cab driver, The horror parody of Mel Brooks Young Frankensteinand the action comedy Red heat. He also appeared as Father Time in the classic holiday movie series Santa. Unfortunately, the third episode to Santa franchise would be his last major role as he passed away in 2006, a year after the series finale of Everyone loves Raymond. He was so loved that the entire cast gathered to honor Boyle at a special reunion.
Sawyer and Sullivan Sweeten – Michael and Geoffrey Barone
Michael and Geoffrey Barone are twin characters that audiences have watched grow up during the show’s nine-year run. They brought a youthful innocence to the show and as they got older they got lots of opportunities to take center stage and bring a lot of laughs to the show. From the show as annuals in the second episode, their characters adapted and matured Everyone loves Raymondof Sawyer and Sullivan Zoeten great performance despite being so young.
Audiences saw the twins in very few minor roles in smaller projects such as the 2002 comedy Frank McKlusky, CI. Sadly, Sawyer Sweeten (Geoffrey Barone) passed away in 2015 while visiting his childhood home just before his 20th birthday.
Madylin Sweeten – Ally Barone
Madylin Sweeten portrayed Ray and Debra’s daughter Ally Barone from the start of the series around age five. Depicting the life of a child growing up in suburban Long Island, her charm and impressive comedic timing made her one of the series’ most beloved characters. She is also the real sister of twins Sawyer and Sullivan Sweeten (Michael and Geoffrey Barone); their chemistry was immediate and as she got older we got to see Ally in her own storylines involving school, bullying and friendship.
Throughout her young career, Sweeten has provided her voice in a minor role on Toy Story 2, and appeared in episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and Match. Now Sweeten is a furniture designer at The Joneses LA
Everyone loves Raymond is still shown on several networks and is available in its entirety on Peacock. The series continues to be loved by fans and offers a bit of nostalgia and representation for anyone who grew up in the quintessential New York lifestyle.