Providence Cast & Character Guide: Where The TV Show's Actors Are Now

The late 90s and early 2000s saw an influx of female-led TV dramas, one of the most popular being Providence, which tells the story of a woman who returns to her hometown to start a new life. Starring Melina Kanakeredes, the show’s clever title has two meanings: the first being the show’s setting in Providence, Rhode Island, and the second being the definition of the word, which means spiritual protection. With the show’s hook being the main character getting frequent visits by her mother’s “ghost,” the name is a good fit.

Over 20 years after the Providence series left the air, the show’s cast continues to be one of its best assets. Some of the actors have gone on to continue their movie and TV careers, with Sydney Hansen lead actress Melina Kanakaredes frequently popping up in guest-starring roles on the small screen. Meanwhile, others have decided to focus on more personal ventures like podcasting.

Providence Cast
Actor	Character	Where Are They Now
Melina Kanakaredes	Sydney Hansen	Continues to act
Paula Cale	Joan Hansen	Appears on podcasts
Seth Peterson	Robert Hansen	Last acting credit was in 2017
Mike Farrell	Jim Hansen	Last acting credit was in 2019
Concetta Tomei	Lynda Hansen	Continues to act
Leslie Silva	Helen Reynolds	Continues to act
Dana Daurey	Heather Tupperman	Continues to act
George Newburn	Owen Frank	Continues to act in live-action and voiceover projects
Maria Pitillo	Tina Calcaterra	Retired from acting
Tessa Allen	Hannah Hansen	Retired from acting

Melina Kanakaredes As Sydney Hansen

Continues To Act

Character: Greek American actor Melina Kanakaredes played Sydney "Syd" Hansen, the main protagonist of Providence. Syd was a plastic surgeon in L.A. before moving back to her hometown in Rhode Island, hoping to perform more meaningful work as a doctor. She decides to make a fresh start by working in a free clinic, and renewing the ties with her family. After her mother dies unexpectedly at the start of the series, Syd regularly has conversations with her mom’s ghost.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)	Trin
15 Minutes (2001)	Nicolette Caras
CSI: NY (2004-2010)	Stella Bonasera

Where Are They Now: Since Providence wrapped in 2002, Kanakaredes’s career has continued to flourish over the decades. Her next best-known character was Detective Stella Bonasera, first appeared in an episode of CSI: Miami in 2004, and would go on to have a regular role in CSI: New York until 2010. Kanakaredes portrayed the goddess Athena in the feature film Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and followed up with multiple appearances in various TV shows, including Billions, and most recently an episode of NCIS.

Paula Cale As Joan Hansen

Appears On Podcasts

Character: Actor Paula Cale played Joan Hansen, Syd’s younger sister, in Providence. A single mom, Joan’s relationship with Syd is a complicated one since Joan often feels overshadowed by Syd’s success. Nevertheless, Joan has her own admirable skills, such as baking delicious dog treats and running her own business.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Electra (1990)	Clytemnestra
Milo (1998)	Marian
Cake (2014)	Carol

Where Are They Now: While Joan on Providence remains Cale’s best-known role to date, the actor continued to appear in guest and supporting roles in TV and film throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Some of her guest spots include episodes of Ghost Whisperer, House, and Pretty Little Liars. These days, Cale seems to prefer the quiet life to Hollywood. She currently goes under the name Paula Lisbe, and has done occasional guest appearances on podcasts such as Wife of the Party, and an upcoming episode of Can’t Relax.

Seth Peterson As Robert Hansen

His Last Acting Credit Was In 2017

Character: Syd’s little brother, who goes by Robbie, is the black sheep of the Hansen family, and is played by Seth Peterson. Robbie runs a pub in Providence, and often finds himself in trouble thanks to his gambling addiction. He finally started to settle down in season 3 when he fell in love with Tina, a single mom with a son, Pete. The two later married and had a new baby, a boy they named Nick.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Can't Hardly Wait (1998)	Keg Guy
Hate Crime (2005)	Robbie Levinson
Burn Notice (2007-2012)	Nate Westen

Where Are They Now: After Providence ended, Peterson went on to do a number of guest appearances in TV shows like Charmed, Deadwood, CSI, and NCIS. Beginning in 2007, he took on a recurring role in the action dramedy series Burn Notice, playing Nate Weston, brother to Michael Weston. His last acting credit listed on IMDb is a straight-to-video feature called Intent, released in 2017. Most recently, Peterson appears to be focused on his family, as evident on his Instagram profile where he posts photos of his children, along with the occasional “Flashback Friday” photos of his time in Hollywood.

Mike Farrell As Jim Hansen

His Last Acting Credit Was In 2019

Character:M*A*S*H alumnus Mike Farrell played Dr. Jim Hansen, the family patriarch. in Providence. Like his daughter Syd, Jim also practices medicine, though he is a veterinarian and runs a clinic for animals out of his basement. Though he loves his children Syd, Joan, and Robbie, Jim often seems to have a better time relating to his patients than his interactions with human beings.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
The Questor Tapes (1974)	Jerry Robinson
MASH* (1975-1983)	Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt
Supernatural (2012)	Fred Jones

Where Are They Now: Longtime TV veteran Farrell has gone on to many more projects since Providence, including providing the voice of Jonathan Kent in the animated DC series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. His other guest roles include series like Law & Order: SVU, Without A Trace, Supernatural, and American Crime Story. He also played Milton Lang in three episodes of Desperate Housewives, and played Judge Miles Deakin in two episodes of NCIS. While he hasn’t done an acting role since 2019, Farrell appeared in an interview on the YouTube channel “That’s Classic TV!” in January 2025.

Concetta Tomei As Lynda Hansen

Continues To Act

Character: Although she died off-screen in the pilot of Providence, Concetta Tomei’s Lynda Hansen continued to have a large presence throughout the series. As the overbearing mother of the Hansen clan, Lynda’s spirit continued to offer advice to Syd through her dreams and imagination — whether it was welcomed or not.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)	Mom
Star Trek: Voyager (1997)	Minister Odala
Deep Impact (1998)	Patricia Ruiz

Where Are They Now: More than twenty years after the finale of Providence, Tomei’s career is still going strong. She has made several guest appearances on TV, including the shows Weeds, Cold Case, Veep, and the Netflix revival of Arrested Development. Her most recent role was Mafalda on the podcast series Imperfect Match in 2023, and though IMDb does not list any upcoming projects for the actor, there’s a good chance she’ll pop up again soon.

Leslie Silva As Helen Reynolds

Continues To Act

Character: Though Leslie Silva left the show after the first season, Dr. Helen Reynolds was an essential part of Syd’s transition in season 1. Not only was Helen a good friend, but she was also a mentor, and her faith in Syd was evident when she made her the head of the clinic.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)	Willetta
Star Trek: Enterprise (2005)	Danica Erickson
Shades of Blue (2016-2018)	Gail Baker

Where Are They Now: Silva’s TV career continued to grow following her stint on Providence, and she threw in a few film roles for good measure. Some of her biggest recurring TV roles include Sarah Forbes on Odyssey 5, M.E. Ridenhour in Num3ers, Gail Baker in Shades of Blue, and Beverly Crest in So Help Me Todd. In 2024, she had a minor role in the erotically charged drama Babygirl as Hazel.

Dana Daurey As Heather Tupperman

Continues To Act

Character: Actor Dana Daurey played a recurring role in Providence as Heather Tupperman, Jim’s assistant in the vet clinic. A hard worker with a sweet disposition, Heather’s storyline saw her leaving her fiancé at the altar and running off to Vegas with Robbie — an impulsive decision that wouldn’t lead to anything serious between the two.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Bewitched (2005)	Auditioning Actress
Prank (2008)	Madison
Perception (2013)	Sara

Where Are They Now: Daurey’s TV and film career is still going strong, with a number of credits to her name since the series ended, including guest spots in 7th Heaven, Hannah Montana, American Horror Story, and The Neighborhood. She also appeared in several indie films, and most recently in the 2024 thriller The Undertaker’s Wife as Carrie Forrester.

George Newbern As Owen Frank

Continues To Act In Live-Action & Voiceover Projects

Character: George Newbern’s Owen Frank made his first appearance in season 4 of Providence as Syd’s defense lawyer in a malpractice suit. While the two butted heads at first, their fondness for each other blossomed into romance. Syd and Owen finally tied the knot in the show’s 2-part series finale, and Syd finally got her happily ever after.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Adventures in Babysitting (1987)	Dan
Father of the Bride (1991)	Bryan MacKenzie
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)	Sephiroth

Where They Are Now: Newborn’s acting career has been seemingly nonstop since his stint on Providence. Through the 2000s and 2010s, he provided his voice acting talents to several animated projects, including those in the DC universe where he performed as both Superman and Steve Trevor. His next big gig was playing hitman Charlie in the TV drama, Scandal, who quickly became a fan-favorite character. In 2024, he appeared in two episodes of the faith-based series Going Home, and he voiced Superman, Clark Kent, and Black Lantern Superman in the video game MultiVersus.

Maria Pitillo As Tina Calcaterra

Retired From Acting

Character: Played by Maria Pitillo, Tina Calcaterra played an important recurring role in Providence beginning in the show’s third season. Robbie Hensen first met Tina at a hockey game, where her son, Pete, was playing. The two ended up falling in love and later got married, with Tina giving birth to their son.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Chaplin (1992)	Mary Pickford
True Romance (1993)	Kandi
Natural Born Killers (1994)	Deborah

Where Are They Now: After Providence, Pitillo appeared in a guest role on Friends in 2003, followed by a TV movie called The Angriest Man in Suburbia in 2006, and another guest role in a 2008 episode of the show Big Shots. Pitillo then retired from acting, and while little is known about her career, her Instagram account lists her as a “mother, friend, artist,” and she has posted photos of her beloved child and fur babies.

Tessa Allen As Hannah Hansen

Retired From Acting

Character: Tessa Allen began at the tender age of five years old when she started playing Hannah Hansen, daughter of Joan Hansen, on Providence. Before Allen played the role, the younger Hannah was played by infant Tess Cruickshank.

Notable Roles
Title	Character
Enough (2002)	Grace Hiller
CSI: Miami (2003)	Emma Kaye
General Hospital (2004-2006)	Lulu Spencer

After the series ended, Allen had a guest role in an episode of CSI: Miami, and had a recurring role as Lulu Spencer on General Hospital for two years. She had a minor role in the 2012 indie film Arcadia as Lisa, which was her last acting credit on IMDb. Now an adult, Allen hasn’t appeared in any recent TV shows or movies, nor does she seem to have any profiles on social media. It seems that the former Providence actress is currently enjoying a quiet and very private life.