The main cast of Friday Night Lights went on to movie and TV stardom after the critically-acclaimed football drama was canceled after season 5 in 2011. Developed by Peter Berg, who directed the 2004 Friday Night Lights film, and overseen by showrunner Jason Katims, Friday Night Lights had a lauded but tumultuous run for five seasons. FNL's first two seasons aired on NBC but it was never a hit in terms of ratings. To save the series, which had a passionate cult following, NBC struck a deal with DirecTV's 101 Network, which aired the next 3 seasons of Friday Night Lights before NBC rebroadcast it.
Set in the fictional, football-obsessed town of Dillon (and later East Dillon), Texas, Friday Night Lights was a remarkably realistic depiction of small-town Middle America populated by a rich assortment of characters, thanks to powerful writing and the show's signature shaky-cam documentary style of filming. All 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights centered around Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), who moved his wife Tami (Connie Britton) and teenage daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden) to Dillon when he took the job as head coach of the local high school's football team, the Dillon Panthers. FNL featured an immensely talented group of young actors portraying the football players, high school students, and assorted townspeople in Dillon. In FNL seasons 4 and 5, the show switched locations to the neighboring East Dillon and introduced endearing young African-American lead characters played by Michael B. Jordan and Jurnee Smollett.
Some of the original cast left Friday Night Lights after season 3 since their characters graduated high school and the actors went on to successful TV and movie careers. Friday Night Lights itself was Emmy nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, with the Monsterverse's Kyle Chandler and Jason Katims winning Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor and Writing, respectively. Connie Britton was also nominated for her FNL role. But FNL truly excelled in finding some of the finest young actors of this generation and giving them a launching pad for movie and TV stardom. While everyone from Friday Night Lights holds the series' mantra of "Texas Forever" true to their hearts, their post-FNL careers have seen the cast star in some major TV series and films.
Kyle Chandler
As Coach Eric Taylor, Kyle Chandler won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Leading the Dillon Panthers, the East Dillon Lions, and being the patriarch of his family, Coach Taylor was the principled and admirable main character of Friday Night Lights for all five seasons. Chandler went on to numerous starring roles in TV and films. He played John Rayburn, the lead role in Netflix's Bloodline series, and he starred in Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong.
Connie Britton
As Tami, Coach Taylor's patient wife who also became the guidance counselor and then principal of Dillion High School and later, the guidance counselor at East Dillon High, Connie Britton was essential to Friday Night Lights. Tami also gave birth to Gracie Bell, the younger sister of Julie Taylor (Aimee Teegarden). Post-FNL, Britton went on to star in Nashville, for which she was Emmy nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Britton also recorded multiple country songs for Nashville that charted as hits. Britton currently stars in HBO's The White Lotus.
Taylor Kitsch
Before going on to star in the much-maligned True Detective season 2, Taylor Kitsch stole many hearts as Tim Riggins, the brooding running back of the Dillon Panthers and the love interest of Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly). Due to his popularity, Kitsch remained on Friday Night Lights for all five seasons. Kitsch played Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine but attempts to turn him into a movie star with Battleship and John Carter didn't pan out, and he returned to the small screen in Waco.
Minka Kelly
Minka Kelly played Lyla Garrity, the captain of the Dillon High cheerleaders who left her boyfriend Jason Street (Scott Porter) for Tim Riggins. Lyla's roller-coaster love affair with Riggins ended when Kelly left Friday Night Lights in season 3 but she returned for two episodes in season 4. After FNL, Kelly starred in a short-lived TV reboot of Charlie's Angels and she currently plays Dawn Granger/Dove on Titans.
Zach Guilford
Zach Guilford plays Matt Saracen, the second-stringer who replaced Jason Street as Dillion Panthers' quarterback and started dating Julie Taylor. Because Saracen was a popular main character, Guilford remained in Friday Night Lights even after Matt graduated from Dillon High. Saracen and Julie end up together after a rocky relationship. Post-FNL, Guilford starred in The Purge: Anarchy and he returned to TV for roles in Good Girls and L.A.'s Finest.
Aimee Teegarden
Aimee Teegarden played Julie, Eric and Tami Taylor's rebellious daughter who falls in love with Matt Saracen (Zach Guilford) against her father's wishes. Although their relationship was tumultuous, Matt proposed to Julie in season 5 and the couple was living together in Chicago by the end of Friday Night Lights. Most recently, Teegarden guest-starred on an episode of Big Mouth's Nathan Fillion-led The Rookie. Teegarden also went on to headline the TV series Star-Crossed and Notorious and she also starred in several films like Bakery in Brooklyn and A Change of Heart.
Adrianne Palicki
Prior to becoming famous as the ferocious Agent Bobbi Morse on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Commander Kelly Grayson on The Orville, Adrianne Palicki played Tyra Collette, the former bad girl of Dillion High who cleaned up her act after Tami Taylor mentored her. Tyra turned out to be a vital character to Friday Night Lights who had relationships with Tim Riggins and Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons), and she even survived a bizarre murder subplot in Friday Night Lights season 2. After FNL, Palicki starred as Wonder Woman in David E. Kelley's failed pilot but she found greater success with Morse and Grayson.
Scott Porter
As Jason Street, Scott Porter excelled in the challenging role of portraying the Dillon Panthers' ex-star quarterback, who is paralyzed in an accident and becomes a quadriplegic. Jason broke up with his fiancee, Lyla Garrity, and became assistant coach of the Panthers. Later in the series, Street became a father and moved away from Dillon to become a sports agent. After FNL, Porter starred in Hart of Dixie and Scorpion, and he currently plays Detective Carol Corbett, Ella Lopez's (Aimee Garcia) new love interest, in Lucifer.
Gaius Charles
Gaius Charles played Brian "Smash" Williams, the Dillon Panthers' brash star running back in Friday Night Lights' seasons 1-3. In his zeal to get discovered and turn pro, Smash resorted to taking steroids and he was later injured but was able to return to the game thanks to rehab. Smash eventually joined Texas A&M and became a successful college football player. Post-FNL, Charles joined Grey's Anatomy and he also starred in Taken and God Friended Me.
Jesse Plemons
Jesse Plemons took Landry Clarke from a supporting player to become one of Friday Night Lights' most endearing characters. Landry was Matt Saracen's best friend who joined the Dillon Panthers as a college football player in season 2 and entered into a relationship with Tyra. Landry eventually transferred to East Dillon and became a Lion before going off to college. Plemons has gone on to a remarkable TV and movie career, starring in Breaking Bad, Black Mirror, The Irishman, and he can currently be seen in Jungle Cruise.
Michael B. Jordan
Friday Night Lights was the breakout role for Michael B. Jordan, who played Vince Howard in seasons 4 and 5. Vince was the troubled quarterback of the East Dillon Lions who overcame a tough home life and an abusive father to become a star player and Coach Taylor's protege. Michael B. Jordan went on to become arguably the biggest star of FNL's ensemble. Jordan stars in the Creed films and has played Killmonger in Black Panther, as well as John Clark in Tom Clancy's Without Remorse.
Jurnee Smollett
As Jess Merriweather, Jurnee Smollett took on one of the most pivotal roles of Friday Night Lights seasons 4 and 5. Jess was a bright and determined East Dillon student who worked part-time at her family's restaurant. She was also Vince Howard's girlfriend for a time, but Jess' real passion was coaching. Thanks to Coach Taylor's mentorship, Jess ended FNL realizing her dream of coaching college football. Smollett next appeared in True Blood and Jurnee starred Lovecraft Country, and she also played Dinah Lance AKA Black Canary in Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).