It’s 30 years later and he still has no idea what to do with those tossed salads and scrambled eggs. Yes, Dr. Frasier Crane is back. After his self-titled series kicked off in 1993 and ran for 11 acclaimed seasons before wrapping in 2004, one of TV’s longest-lasting characters has returned after 19 years away. It’s been teased for many years, but the Frasier reboot is finally here, with a 10-part first season unfolding on Paramount Plus.
The new Frasier takes the eminent psychiatrist out of his hometown of Seattle as he relocates to Boston (the setting of Cheers) in a bid to reconnect with his son, Freddy — a clever mirroring of the premise of the original series in which Frasier upped sticks to Seattle and bonded with his father. Naturally, by moving Frasier to a different city, Frasier 2.0 is full of new faces — as well as a couple of familiar ones — so here’s a handy guide to the cast of the reboot.
Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane
Well, I mean, obviously. Not only is Kelsey Grammer once again back as Frasier, he was also the driving force behind the whole reboot, with the actor/producer/director trying to get the new series off the ground as far back as 2016. First playing Dr. Crane in Cheers season 3, which aired in 1984, Grammer has now embodied the character across 40 years of his life and across four different series (Frasier also had a guest spot on ’90s sitcom Wings — look it up).
Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan Cornwall
These days, Frasier couldn’t be a radio psychiatrist anymore, so we find him working as a psychology professor in Boston. His colleague on the faculty happens to be one of his old university chums from Harvard, Alan Cornwall, who serves as Frasier’s best friend in the reboot. Alan is played by British actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, who is sitcom royalty of his own thanks to starring in one of the U.K.’s favorite comedies, Only Fools and Horses (1981-2003).
Jack Cutmore-Scott as Frederick Crane
Frasier’s young son, Freddy, appeared at least once a season on the original Frasier, but now the young Crane’s relationship with his father is the heart of the reboot’s storyline. Unexpectedly, Freddy has grown up to take after his grandfather, working-class cop Martin, and has become a firefighter, meaning he has little in common with his academic father. While Trevor Einhorn played Freddie in the old show, he’s now portrayed by English actor Jack Cutmore-Scott (who’s had supporting roles in the likes of Dunkirk, Tenet, and Oppenheimer).
Anders Keith as David Crane
Memorably, Niles and Daphne welcomed their son, David, to the world in Frasier‘s heartwarming series finale. Nearly 20 years on, we finally get to meet David in his late teens. Now attending college, David is just as socially awkward and kooky as you would expect for a Crane-Moon child. Anders Keith has landed his big break in the industry with this role. This is his first screen credit, although the fresh-faced actor is also due to feature in upcoming short Variations.
Jess Salgueiro as Eve
The female lead of the new Frasier is Jess Salgueiro’s Eve, who serves as Freddy’s roommate. In this way, she’s vaguely similar to Daphne, who lived with Frasier in Seattle, but she’s much more savvy and self-assured — interestingly, she’s reminiscent of the original vision for Daphne, as played by Rosie Perez, before the character was rethought when Jane Leeves took the part. Salgueiro is a very familiar face on our screens already, thanks to recurring roles in numerous hit TV show (e.g. The Boys, The Expanse) as well as a regular role in Netflix’s Tiny Pretty Things.
Toks Olagundoye as Olivia
Toks Olagundoye is one of those actors you’ve definitely seen or heard in various projects, even if you’re not familiar with her name and face. As a prolific performer in both live-action and animation, she’s appeared in everything from Arcane to Veep to Castle and the recent Fatal Attraction reboot. Now she’s starring in another relaunch as Olivia in the new Frasier. Like Eve vaguely fills Daphne’s role, Olivia is essentially the new Roz. As with Roz, she’s Frasier’s work colleague, being the head of the psychology department at the college.
Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Sternin
Sadly, neither David Hyde Pierce nor Jane Leeves are returning for the reboot, and John Mahoney unfortunately passed away in 2018. However, one iconic character who is back from what I guess we now have to call the — *sigh* — “Frasier-verse” is Lilith, Frasier’s ice queen ex-wife and Freddy’s mother. Bebe Neuwirth has been playing her role almost as long as Grammer, first appearing in Cheers season 4. Ironically, she recently starred opposite Pierce in HBO’s miniseries Julia. She’ll have a recurring role as Lilith in the reboot.
Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle
As it happens, Peri Gilpin will return as Roz Doyle, making her the only regular cast member from Frasier to return alongside Grammer for the new series. Gilpin was a beloved part of the original show as fiery producer Roz, a role she beat out Friends star Lisa Kudrow to get, and in recent years she’s appeared in guest spots on such series as Modern Family, Why Women Kill, and Kevin Can F*** Himself. Her recurring role as Roz will kick off in the second half of the Frasier reboot’s first run, to allow time for the new characters to make their mark on viewers first.
Published: Oct 12, 2023 06:53 am