While Sons of Anarchy had a good run from 2008-2014 the show eventually ended after seven seasons. The show was generally well received and made FX enough money for it to get a sequel show titled Mayans M.C.
With Mayans M.C. premiering on FX this fall, now is the perfect time to re-watch the show about everybody’s favorite motorcycle club named S.A.M.C.R.O. Mayans M.C. will take place after Sons of Anarchy, so unfortunately, fans will probably not see Jax Teller pop up at all in the series.
Like many popular TV shows, Sons of Anarchy had a big cast and several guest stars for the six years it was on the air. Some of the most popular celebrities of the show are Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, and Ron Perlman, but there are several actors who portrayed other minor characters who are just as recognizable to this day.
While Sons of Anarchy shot Hunnam into the spotlight, Sagal and Perlman had already made a name for themselves in Hollywood. Despite the cast having varied levels of acting abilities, many of the cast members are known for their SOA roles because of its popularity.
The characters on the show may not have always been a part of the friendliest biker gang around, and unfortunately, some of the actors on the show are not the nicest either. In an ideal world, all cast members would be sweethearts, but unfortunately for Sons of Anarchy, that is not the case.
Here are the 10 Sons of Anarchy Stars Who Are Sweethearts (And 5 Who Aren’t).
Sweetheart: Katey Sagal
While Katey Sagal was a main character of Sons of Anarchy from the beginning, she was well known in Hollywood prior to the show’s premiere in 2008. Prior to Sons of Anarchy’s success, Katey Sagal was most known for her role of Peg Bundy on the comedy Married with Children.
Over 20 years after her success with Married with Children, Sagal would play Gemma Teller Morrow who was the mother of Jax Teller.
Gemma is known for being a mischievous character on the show but Sagal seems nothing like her character in real life.
Before the Supreme Court had ruled same-gender marriage legal in all 50 states, Sagal found herself aligned with the Human Rights Campaign.
Sagal found herself supporting the HRC’s Americans for Marriage Equality campaign alongside actors like Krysten Ritter, Bryan Cranston, and Nick Offerman.
Sweetheart: Kim Coates
Tig Trager may have made it to the position of Vice President of S.A.M.C.R.O. by the end of the series, but it was a long road to that position.
His character often fought for what he believed in and the actor behind the character, Kim Coates, is the same way in real life.
In October 2013, Coates attended the Chiller Theatre’s Toy, Model, and Film Expo and talked about the charities he is passionate about. An organization Coates brought up in his discussion was called One Heart Source,which helps children in Tanzania who were affected by the AIDS epidemic.
If that was not enough, Coates also received an honorary Doctors of Letters degree from the University of Saskatchewan last June.
Not: Mark Boone Junior
Mark Boone Junior plays Robert “Bobby Elvis” Munson on Sons of Anarchy. Bobby appears in all 92 episodes and was once the Vice President of S.A.M.C.R.O.
Bobby is not afraid to use violence to get results, and apparently, Mark Boone Junior is not either.
Mark Boone Junior was pulled over back in 2010 and was arrested at the end of a routine traffic stop.
The Los Angeles Times explains that the actor was pulled over for talking on his cell phone and not wearing a seatbelt but instead of just taking his ticket and being on his way, Boone Jr. got into an argument and tried to punch the officer in the face.
Thankfully, the officer was not seriously injured and the SOA star was released later that week for a $20,000 bail.
Sweetheart: Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan played the character Filip “Chibs” Telford for all 92 episodes of Sons of Anarchy. While many members of S.A.M.C.R.O. had issues with Jax’s leadership, Chibs was always very loyal to Jax Teller. Chibs was originally Sergeant at Arms before moving up to Vice President.
After a long day at a comic-con a few years back, Tommy Flanagan and an actor from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles named Alan Ritchson witnessed a massive car accident. The two were heading to the airport when they saw a truck flip over after blowing a tire.
Along with the assistance of their driver named Paul, the actors helped the truck driver escape the truck before it caught on fire. It sounds like a scene out of Sons of Anarchy but this time it was for real.
Sweetheart: Theo Rossi
If there is one character who could be crowned as having the biggest character arc of Sons of Anarchy, Juice Ortiz would be one of the top contenders. Juice was first seen in the pilot episode and lasted for 90 episodes before being taken out by Ron Tully.
While Juice was a hard character to trust, actor Theo Rossi seems a lot more trusting in real life.
Rossi welcomed his second child about a year ago and has helped co-star Kim Coates with the charity Boot Campaign. The Boot Campaign was designed to raise awareness and funds for soldiers who have trouble adjusting once they return home and for those currently serving in the military.
Rossi also agreed to write a “love letter” to the LGBTQ community when asked to do so by Billboard. You can read his touching letter here.
Not: Ron Perlman
Ron Perlman had many iconic roles prior to playing Clay Morrow, but his most famous would probably go to Hellboy in Guillermo del Toro’s two Hellboy movies titled Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
Perlman usually plays a jerk in his movies and TV shows including Sons of Anarchy and Hellboy. Some actors are extremely discourteous on the screen but turn out to be the nicest people in real life. That being said, it may not apply to Perlman.
Perlman once got incredibly angry with a cameraman who was recording him at an airport. Going through an airport can sometimes be stressful, especially if you are a celebrity and you are getting unwanted attention.
While Perlman may have just wanted to be left alone, he could have handled the situation in a more polite way rather than letting the internet see his darker side.
Sweetheart: David Labrava
One character who wasn’t in every episode but was still iconic was Happy Lowman. David Labrava is a relatively new actor, with Sons of Anarchy being his first ever role. His filmography is rather short with only eight acting credits to date.
While Labrava’s name was Happy on Sons of Anarchy, the actor has been nothing of that sort as of late.
Last month David Labrava’s son took his own life at the age of sixteen. When he announced the news, Labrava warned people, “Communicate with your loved ones, there might not be any signs. Cherish them. I am broken.”
While the news about his son could not be more depressing, Labrava started a Go Fund Me page for people to donate to depression and bipolar organizations.
The actor might have a rough and tough exterior on the show, but this is one actor with a good heart.
Sweetheart: Jimmy Smits
While you may know Jimmy Smitts from his role in Star Wars as Senator Bail Organa or maybe even Miguel Prado from Dexter, Smits also played the role of Nero Padilla in Sons of Anarchy.
Padilla acted as a mentor for Jax Teller and also had a relationship with Gemma. Nero Padilla and Jax Teller got along on the show, and yes, Jimmy Smits is a nice guy in real life.
Smits has worked with Red Cross, attended the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and is always looking for more ways to help out the community.
The actor explained that “If you're given gifts or blessings in your life, it's up to you to help the guy coming up behind you.”
Not: Johnny Lewis
Johnny Lewis’ character Half-Sack Epps only lasted until season two on Sons of Anarchy, and the actor was by no means a sweetheart in real life.
Johnny Lewis passed away on September 26, 2012 after he beat up and took the life of his landlady who was 81-years-old at the time.
After Lewis took the life of Catherine Davis and her cat, he fell from a building, which took his life as well.
It was a truly tragic end for all those involved. Johnny Lewis was previously arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon and also for burglary but had been released from jail early for good behavior.
Before this, Johnny Lewis had several struggles with his mental health. He spent time in and out of rehab, psychiatric hospitals, and jail.
Sweetheart: Donal Logue
Before Donal Logue was playing Detective Harvey Bullock on Gotham or Mark Stambler in The Cloverfield Paradox, he was Lee Toric in Sons of Anarchy.
When talking with ParentsCanada Magazine in 2014, Logue mentioned that he always tries to set a good example for his sons to follow. He has donated stem cells for a person struggling with cancer in 2011 and also plays tennis to support charities.
Donal Logue further explained in the magazine that he learned how to be charitable from his parents and warned parents, “I think the only thing you can do is just live your life knowing they watch you and your examples.”
Lee Toric was a rough and tough character on Sons of Anarchy, but thankfully Donal Logue is a sweetheart in real life.
Sweetheart: Charlie Hunnam
Charlie Hunnam may have made it big after his role on Sons of Anarchy, but the actor was just starting to make a name for himself in 2008.
Since then, Hunnam has starred in blockbusters like Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak.
While some actors who make it big often get caught up in their own popularity and become quite rude to fans, Charlie Hunnam is nothing of the sort.
Last June, Hunnam was leaving a clothing store called Fred Segal when he was approached by fans. Instead of getting annoyed, Hunnam took selfies with fans and seemed genuinely pleased to be interacting with his followers.
The same thing happened last December when a woman approached Hunnam at a Whole Foods parking lot. Charlie Hunnam was all smiles when asked to take a photo and was even friendly with the paparazzi who was recording the incident.
Not: Ashley Tisdale
Ashely Tisdale was a child actor who started acting at the age of 10. She voiced many characters in animated movies growing up and is probably most known for her role of Sharpay Evans in the High School Musical trilogy.
Tisdale grew up and began acting in bigger projects including Sons of Anarchy. She played a character named Emma Jean for two episodes of the show and was an escort who worked for Nero Padilla.
Back in 2016, Tisdale received some heat after going to Vanessa Hudgens’ Halloween party as a sugar skull. A sugar skull is often used in Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration and many called her out because of cultural appropriation.
Some of her fans backed her up, but either way, it was a risky Halloween costume to say the least.
Sweetheart: Ryan Hurst
Ryan Hurst had landed several big gigs such as roles in Saving Private Ryan and Remember the Titans prior to his role on Sons of Anarchy, but for some fans, his role as Harry “Opie” Winston will always be a favorite.
Thankfully for fans, if you ever get the chance to meet the actor, he seems like a real stand up guy.
Back in 2013 he hosted a meet and greet in Loveland Colorado. The event was a fundraiser for the charity Reality for Children.
Reality for Children is a nonprofit organization that helps children who have been abused in Larimer County. Along with signing autographs and taking pictures, Hurst led the Forever Family celebrity bike ride leading a group of 400 bikers up the Rocky Mountains.
Sweetheart: Drea de Matteo
While she had a big role on The Sopranos as Adriana La Cerva, Drea de Matteo had another big role when it came to Sons of Anarchy. The actress would play the character Wendy Case in 35 episodes and was last seen in the series finale titled “Papa’s Goods”.
Her character used methamphetamine while she was pregnant but would later redeem herself after going to rehab on the show. While her character was sketchy at times, Drea de Matteo is nothing of that sort.
In 2004, Drea de Matteo had her hair washed and stylized in order to raise money for Locks of Love.
This nonprofit organization raises money in order to provide hairpieces for children with medical conditions that cause them to lose their hair.
Not: Marilyn Manson
Manson is, of course, mostly known for his musical abilities, but has also dabbled in acting throughout his career.
Marilyn Manson’s Ron Tully on Sons of Anarchy was a force to be reckoned with and really quite a scary guy. Unfortunately for fans, Manson is just as rude and disrespectful in real life.
Back in 2001, Manson ran into some legal trouble after he pulled a security guard on stage and used him as a dancing pole. He was charged with a fourth-degree criminal conduct charge.
Now seventeen years later, Marilyn Manson is still disappointing fans. At a concert in Huntington New York, Manson had some type of a meltdown and walked off stage fifteen minutes into the show.
During the show, Manson rambled gibberish and yelled at fans for not saying “I love you” back to him.
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Are there any other Sons of Anarchy stars who you think are sweethearts? Are there any others who aren't? Let us know in the comments!