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Seinfeld changed how sitcoms worked forever. The sitcom showed that even “nothing” could be funny if told the right and correct way. The show, created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, followed four New Yorkers who obsessed over tiny little things and somehow made those moments iconic.
If you ask who brought Seinfeld to life? Then the answer to this is easily a perfect blend of comedians and character actors who beautifully turned awkwardness into art.
Each and every single person in the cast added something weird and unforgettable. Here’s a look at the people who made the show everyone still quotes decades later.
Seinfeld cast and characters: Here's who brought the classic NBC sitcom to life
1) Jerry Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld played… well, Jerry Seinfeld. In the show, he’s a stand-up comedian living in New York City who constantly analyzes everything. Like everything. From dating habits to soup drinking etiquette. His apartment becomes the gang’s hangout spot, and his dry reactions anchor the group and their actions.
Jerry’s character is both the voice of reason and the most important part of all of the madness. He’s obsessed with neatness, cereal, and Superman, and yet he’s the one holding the entire show world together.
What made Jerry’s role so fun is how meta it was. Every episode started with bits of his stand-up that connected to the story. The real Jerry Seinfeld’s wit and timing made every joke land perfectly.
After the sitcom ended, he stayed a comedy legend, and created shows like Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and Bee Movie.
2) Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer
Kramer is the human version of utter mayhem wrapped in old-timey vintage shirts and hair. Played by Michael Richards, Cosmo Kramer is Jerry’s neighbor who always bursts into the apartment like he’s in his own show.
In the sitcom, Kramer’s ideas never make an ounce of sense but are always brilliant in a weird way. It could go from inventing a coffee table book about coffee tables to being a male underwear model. He lives life with zero planning, yet everything somehow works out.
Richards has perfectly nailed the physical comedy. Be it his clumsy walks, sudden walk-ins, or his blank stares. Kramer is that friend who never works, always schemes, and somehow lands on his feet.
Even though he’s ridiculous, there’s a strange innocence about him that fans love. Richards’ performance turned Kramer into one of the most iconic sitcom characters ever.
Apart from Seinfeld you may know him from projects like Fridays & UHF.
3) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes
Elaine Benes, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, is a character who is confident and unapologetically herself. She’s Jerry’s ex-girlfriend/now best friend, and her charm and sarcasm keeps the group grounded.
Elaine has strong opinions about everything. Her opinions could range on things about bad boyfriends to weird social rules and the best part is that she never hesitates to say exactly what she’s thinking. She’s ambitious, witty, and hilariously awkward, especially when she dances (yes, that dance).
Throughout the show, Elaine moves through different publishing jobs and eventually works for the eccentric J. Peterman, which leads to some of the show’s best office storylines.
After Seinfeld, she went on to win multiple Emmys for Veep and The New Adventures of Old Christine.
4) Jason Alexander as George Costanza
George Costanza is the anxious guy that keeps the disasters running on the show. Played by Jason Alexander, George is cheap, petty, insecure, but also funnily relatable. He’s Jerry’s oldest friend and he's the kind of guy who lies to survive, panics almost all the time, but still believes he’s smarter than everyone else.
Alexander’s delivery with all of the yelling, the facial expressions, the total self-pity is what makes him unforgettable. George is the everyday loser we can’t help but root for. Adding to this, his relationship with his overbearing parents, Frank and Estelle, created some of the funniest moments on the show.
It is safe to say that without George, the show wouldn’t have its constant share of bad decisions.
Apart from Seinfeld you may know Jason Alexander from projects like Pretty Woman & Shallow Hal.
5) Wayne Knight as Newman
Newman is Jerry’s postal worker neighbor and also his sworn enemy. Played by Wayne Knight, Newman is extremely dramatic and is hell bent on making Jerry’s life as miserable as he possibly can.
Newman teams up with Kramer for stupid schemes, and together they make all of the mayhem around them seem funny. The catchphrase “Hello, Newman” from Jerry is one of the show’s best recurring gags.
Wayne Knight made Newman feel both cartoonish and real and his love of snacks, grudges, and exaggerated speeches made him an unforgettable character on the show.
Knight is also famous for his roles in Jurassic Park and Space Jam.
6) Heidi Swedberg as Susan Ross
Susan Ross, played by Heidi Swedberg, is a calm and professional NBC executive but ends up in one of the show’s most shocking storylines. She’s smart, kind, and extremely patient with George which makes her tragic ending even darker and funnier in the show’s twisted logic.
Susan’s relationship with George is awkward and uncomfortable, full of breakups, makeups, and misunderstandings. Her death (from licking cheap wedding envelope glue) became one of the most memorable moments in the history of the sitcom.
Swedberg’s performance gave Susan a perfect blend of sweetness and seriousness that clashed perfectly with George’s own chaotic life. Even though Susan wasn't in every season, her storyline left a lasting mark on the show as a reminder that even love stories end with absurdity.
Swedberg is also known for having roles in projects like Father and Scout, and Evolution's Child.
7) Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza
Jerry Stiller’s Frank Costanza is pure yelling. Frank is George’s loud, short-tempered dad who always seems one step away from having a total burnt-out meltdown. Whether he’s ranting about “serenity now” or inventing the holiday Festivus, Frank brings a certain energy to the show that somehow we all seem to enjoy.
His constant fights with his wife Estelle are absoloutely hilarious. Underneath all of the shouting, though, there’s warmth. It is seen how much Frank truly loves his family, even if he only knows to show it by screaming.
Stiller’s timing and delivery made Frank iconic. Every time he was on screen, the energy of the show seemed to shift. You could tell the cast had to fight not to break character around him.
Before the sitcom, Jerry Stiller was already a comedy legend, but his role as Frank turned him into a pop-culture icon. He is known for projects like The King of Queens, and Heavyweights.
8) Estelle Harris as Estelle Costanza
Estelle Harris brought Estelle Costanza to life with her high-pitched voice and endless complaints. As George’s mother, she’s dramatic, nosy, and constantly irritated by both her son and husband. Every scene with her feels like a fight and she always comes out as the winner.
Estelle’s reactions made even normal conversations sound like full-blown arguments. Harris gave her character a perfect blend of humor and motherly love, showing that behind the yelling was a mom who just wanted her son to do better (even though he never did).
Her chemistry with Jerry Stiller was also unmatched, and together they created some of Seinfeld’s loudest and funniest moments.
Outside the show, Estelle Harris is also known as the voice of Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story. She is also known for Good Advice.
9) Barney Martin as Morty Seinfeld
Morty Seinfeld, played by Barney Martin, is Jerry’s proud and stubborn father. He’s the type of dad who argues over restaurant checks and believes every single penny counts. Morty is retired in Florida but always finds himself in neighborhood politics and petty fights that spiral out of control.
His pride is his biggest flaw but it is also what makes him funny. Morty and Jerry's father-son bickering feels familiar to anyone with parents who never stop worrying about money.
Barney Martin’s version of Morty brought warmth and humor to several family scenes, turning what could’ve been minor moments into mini masterclasses in sitcom timing.
Barney Martin is also known for Sydney.
10) Liz Sheridan as Helen Seinfeld
Helen Seinfeld, played by Liz Sheridan, is Jerry’s loving and protective mom. She’s gentle and always believes that her son can do no wrong. Whenever she is on screen, she balances out the chaotic-ness of the show.
Helen’s love for Jerry adds a sweet, realistic layer to Seinfeld’s otherwise self-centered characters. She defends him and never stops worrying about his well-being even though he’s a grown man.
Sheridan’s performance made Helen feel like the mom everyone recognizes and she reminded fans that even grown up New Yorkers have family roots.
Liz Sheridan is also known for Play the Game, and ALF.
11) John O’Hurley as J. Peterman
John O’Hurley made J. Peterman one of Seinfeld’s most memorable late additions. As Elaine’s boss, he’s overly poetic and completely unaware of how ridiculous he sounds. Peterman talks like he’s narrating an adventure novel, even when discussing socks or business trips.
His exaggerated storytelling and fancy vocabulary made every scene feel like a parody of drama itself. Elaine’s reactions to his nonsense created some of the show’s funniest office moments.
After Seinfeld, O’Hurley was known forbeing in Tell the Truth, and as King Neptune on SpongeBob SquarePants.
The Seinfeld cast made magic out of everyday life. Each actor brought their very own quirks, timing, and charm that made even “nothing” hilarious. From Jerry to Kramer, from Elaine to George, and all the strange side characters in between, this group built something timeless.
The sitcom worked because it didn’t try too hard; it just showed people living their lives and being their weirdest selves. Years later, that same dry humor and awkwardness keeps Seinfeld very much alive in every re-watch, meme, and quote we still might use today.
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