Girls5eva cast guide: Your all-access pass to Netflix's ultimate girl group

Get to know the talented actresses behind Wickie, Dawn, Summer, and Gloria!

GIRLS5EVA. (L to R) Busy Philipps as Summer, Sara Bareilles as Dawn, Paula Pell as Gloria and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Wickie in Episode 302 of GIRLS5EVA. Cr. Emily V. Aragones/Netflix © 2023
GIRLS5EVA. (L to R) Busy Philipps as Summer, Sara Bareilles as Dawn, Paula Pell as Gloria and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Wickie in Episode 302 of GIRLS5EVA. Cr. Emily V. Aragones/Netflix © 2023

They have always wanted to be famous 5eva, but little do the women of Girls5eva know that they are played by four accomplished actors who are already famous!

The wacky musical-comedy series Girls5eva made its Netflix debut with its underrated first two seasons and exclusive third season. In the series, a formerly popular one-hit-wonder '90s girl group attempts to reclaim their fame by staging a comeback. Even if the industry has changed, they're determined to give it another shot for themselves, by themselves.

Girls5eva stars the inimitable foursome of Sara Bareilles, Busy Philipps, Paula Pell, and Renée Elise Goldsberry. Together, they have a chemistry that can't be beat and make legitimately catchy pop tunes, no matter how cheesy. As you discover or rediscover the hilarious comedy on Netflix, get to know the amazing main cast members and see who's who in the supporting cast!

Sara Bareilles as Dawn Solano

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GIRLS5EVA. Sara Bareilles as Dawn in Episode 301 of GIRLS5EVA. Cr. Emily V. Aragones/Netflix © 2023
  • Age: 44 (Dec. 7, 1979)
  • Height: 5 feet 5 inches
  • Relationship status: engaged to Joe Tippett
  • Instagram: @sarabareilles
  • Fun facts: Bareilles has sold over three million albums and 15 millions singles in the US since her major-label debut. "Love Song," her debut single peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, while her smash 2013 single "Brave" peaked at No. 23. She's a two-time Grammy Award winner and a two-time Tony Award nominee.

Who is Dawn Solano? Dawn considers herself the "chill one" of Girls5eva as she's not as big of a personality as the other members of the group. After the group went their separate ways, Dawn got married to Scott and had a son named Max. She works at a restaurant owned by her brother, but when she gets back into music, she has aspirations to become a songwriter.

Where have you seen Sara Bareilles before? Before taking over Broadway and starring in Girls5eva, Bareilles was known for her singing and songwriting. She's released six albums: Careful Confessions (2004), Little Voice (2007), Kaleidoscope Heart (2010), The Blessed Unrest (2013), What's Inside: Songs from Waitress (2015), and Amidst the Chaos (2019). The Blessed Unrest was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards. Her biggest singles include "Love Song," "Gravity," "King of Anything," and "Brave."

Bareilles guest starred in the 30 Rock season 3 episode "Kidney Now!" and was a judge on the series The Sing-Off. In 2018, she starred as Mary Magdalene in NBC's live production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which earned her one of her three Emmy Award nominations. Bareilles' stage credits include Waitress, Into the Woods, and Gutenberg! The Musical! She wrote the music and lyrics for the Waitress musical and contributed a song to the SpongeBob SqaurePants musical.

Busy Philipps as Summer Dutkowsky

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GIRLS5EVA. Busy Philipps as Summer in Episode 305 of GIRLS5EVA. Cr. Emily V. Aragones/Netflix © 2023
  • Age: 44 (June 25, 1979)
  • Height: 5 feet 6 inches
  • Relationship status: separated from Marc Silverstein
  • Instagram: @busyphilipps
  • Fun facts: Busy isn't her birth name. Rather, it's a nickname. Her real name is Elizabeth. She has two children with Marc Silverstein: Birdie and Cricket. She's the best-selling author of the memoir This Will Only Hurt a Little. She co-hosts the podcast Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best with friend, writer Caissie St. Onge. She won a Critics' Choice Television Award for her role in Cougar Town.

Who is Summer? She's known as the "hot one" of the group and also as the member of the group with the least talent as a singer. Summer married boyband member Kev (Andrew Rannells) and had a daughter named Stevia, who's now a tween and an online influencer. Summer has been the face of a number of questionable products and endorsements, but she's oblivious to their truth.

Where have you seen Busy Philipps before? Philipps has been a series regular many popular and iconic television shows, which includes Freaks and Geeks, Dawson's Creek, ER, and Cougar Town. She's also appeared in Vice Principals, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, New Girl, Camping, Single Drunk Female, Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother, and more shows.

You probably also recognize Philipps from her roles in the big screen. She most recently appeared as Mrs. George in the new musical remake of Mean Girls. She's also been in White Chicks, Made of Honor, He's Just Not That Into You, I Don't Know How She Does It, The Gift, and I Feel Pretty. From 2018 to 2019, she hosted an E! late night talk show called Busy Tonight. She returns to the late night talk show format on May 8 with the QVC+ series Busy This Week.

Paula Pell as Gloria McManus

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GIRLS5EVA. Paula Pell as Gloria in Episode 302 of GIRLS5EVA. Cr. Emily V. Aragones/Netflix © 2023
  • Age: 60 (April 15, 1963)
  • Height: 5 feet 1 inch
  • Relationship status: married to Janine Brito since 2020
  • Instagram: @pellpix
  • Fun facts: Pell's real-life wife plays her onscreen wife in Girls5eva. She was a writer on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2020, which she won an Emmy Award for in 2002. She's also written episodes of 30 Rock, Camping, and A.P. Bio. She wrote the 2015 film Sisters starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

Who is Gloria? Although played by the oldest member of the cast, Gloria's the youngest member of Girls5eva and proudly open about her sexuality. She struggled with her sexuality while in the group, opting to work rather than spend time with boyband members like the rest of the group. When the group disbanded, Gloria became a dentist and settled down with Caroline, though their marriage went south due to her work ethic in her new job.

Where have you seen Paula Pell before? Pell has appeared in films such as Inside Out, Sisters, Other People, Brother Nature, Wine Country, and Inside Out 2. She had a recurring role in 30 Rock as Paula Hornberger and can be heard in various episodes of Big Mouth. Pell has also appeared in shows like Parks and Recreation, The Mindy Project, SMILF, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Love, Not Dead Yet, and Die Hart. She was a series regular in the NBC/Peacock comedy A.P. Bio and the Quibi series Mapleworth Murders.

Renée Elise Goldsberry as Wickie Roy

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GIRLS5EVA. Renée Elise Goldsberry as Wickie in Episode 301 of GIRLS5EVA. Cr. Emily V. Aragones/Netflix © 2023
  • Age: 53 (Jan. 2, 1971)
  • Height: 5 feet 7 inches
  • Relationship status: married to Alexis Johnson
  • Instagram: @reneeelisegoldsberry
  • Fun facts: She and her husband, who have been married since 2002, have two children, a son she gave birth to in 2009 and a daughter adopted from Africa in 2014. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with Bachelor's degree in theater and received her Master's degree in jazz studies from the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music. She won a Tony Award and a Grammy Award in 2016 for Hamilton.

Who is Wickie Roy? Known as the "fierce one" of Girls5eva, Wickie's full of charisma and confidence. She often puts on airs of having a fabulously charmed life, though the reality doesn't match her chosen narrative. Wickie previously left the group to launch a solo career that wasn't successful. "Wickie Roy" isn't her real name. She was born Lesley Wiggens, but she's chosen a new stage name to go along with her "glamorous" pop star life.

Where have you seen Renée Elise Goldsberry before? Goldsberry's first role onscreen was in Ally McBeal. She appeared in 43 episodes as a singer. After a string of guest starring roles, she played Evangeline Williamson on the soap opera One Life to Live from 2003 to 2007, which earned her nominations from the Daytime Emmy Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. She's also appeared in a number of television shows such as The Good Wife, Altered Carbon, Evil, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

Goldsberry's film roles include All About You, Pistol Whipped, Every Secret Thing, Sisters, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, Waves, Hamilton, and Anything's Possible. She also appeared in the 2021 Netflix film Tick, Tick... Boom! In theatre, she has starred in a number of Broadway and off-Broadway shows, including Dreamgirls, The Lion King, Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Color Purple, Rent, Good People, As You Like It, The Tempest, and others.

Girls5eva supporting and guest cast members

Like all of Tina Fey's shows and movies of the past, Girls5eva features a number of incredible supporting cast members and guest stars popping in and out of each episode. Seriously, in any given episodes, you will recognize one of the supporting characters. In the first two seasons, Emily in Paris star Ashley Park appears as the groups deceased fifth member Ashley. Jimmy Fallon, Vanessa Williams, Bowen Yang, and Amy Sedaris are some of the show's best guest stars. You'll even spot Tina Fey herself dropping by in a cameo as Dolly Parton!

Here are the supporting cast members from past seasons who are back in season 3:

  • Daniel Breaker as Scott, Dawn's husband
  • Andrew Rannells as Kev Hamlin, Summer's ex-husband
  • Jeremish Craft as Lil Stinker/Bootsy
  • Janine Brito as Caroline, Gloria's ex-wife
  • Dean Winters as Nick, Dawn's brother
  • Julius Conceicao as Max, Dawn's son
  • Chad L. Coleman as Sheawn, Wickie's boyfriend

The brand-new third season also welcomes a number of new supporting characters and guest stars. 30 Rock vet John Lutz recurs throughout the season as the group's eccentric driver Percy. Gossip Girl revival star Thomas Doherty plays the biggest musician in the world, and Ingrid Michaelson appears as a thinly veiled parody of Jewel. There are so many other familiar faces in the new season, including comedian John Early as a terrible senator and Tony winner Adriane Lenox as Wickie's mother. Since the series takes place on tour, the show's usual side characters make limited appearances.

Here's who you will see pop up in Girls5eva season 3 on Netflix:

  • John Lutz as Percy
  • Thomas Doherty as Gray Holland
  • John Early as Senator Chuck Dennis
  • Adriane Lenox as Carmen Wiggens, Wickie's mom
  • Ron Canada as Dana Wiggens, Wickie's dad
  • Ingrid Michaelson as Pixie Jones
  • Catherine Cohen as Taffy London
  • Joy Suprano as Jackie Werth
  • Paul Dinello as Randy
  • Janine DiVita as Stacy
  • Lea DeLaria as Bev
  • Loic Mabanza as Torque
  • Mike Carlsen as Carl
  • Rebecca Lobo as herself
  • Richard Kind as himself
  • Mario Lopez as himself
  • Kit Hoover as herself

Watch all three seasons of Girls5eva on Netflix.