Entertainment
17 'West Wing' Guest Stars That Helped Make The Show Unforgettable, From Taye Diggs to Connie Britton
As a viewer, one of the best things about long-running TV shows is getting to know the series' cast. Episode after episode, you get deeper acquainted with the show's stars, and by the end of its run, they can't help but feel like family. Such was the case for The West Wing , which ran for seven seasons on NBC, and featured a huge ensemble of stars like Rob Lowe and Allison Janney. Yet, in addition to the main cast, it also featured a rotating group of guest stars, many of which have turned into A-list celebs.
From Taye Diggs to Connie Britton, the guest stars of The West Wing filled out season after season, and made every episode a pleasant surprise. Read on to revisit 17 appearances you won't want to miss.
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Amy Adams
In the Season 4 premiere, Adams starred as a Cathy, a farm girl who helps Toby, Josh and Donna find their way out of Indiana.
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Dean Norris
Norris only appeared for a few episodes, but his role was big: he played none other than the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Steve Hodder.
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Matthew Perry
As Joe Quincy, Perry played a Supreme Court clerk, helping to convince an ailing Justice to step down.
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Taye Diggs
Diggs played Wesley, a Secret Service agent who helped care for Zoe. Seeing as she got kidnapped later in the episode, the role didn’t quite work yet.
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Connie Britton
The FNL star appeared in four episodes, playing Connie (!), a campaign consultant to President Bartlet.
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J.K. Simmons
The ever-present Simmons played Harry Ravitch, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman, in the episode “Duck and Cover.”
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Ashley Benson
Yes, that’s the Pretty Little Liars star in this Season 4 episode.
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Eric Stonestreet
It was only a cameo, but Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet appeared in one Season 2 episode.
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Sam Jaegar
The Parenthood alum played Bill Kelley, a journalist.
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Felicity Huffman
Huffman played Ann Stark, a friend (and eventual enemy) of Toby.
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Gabrielle Union
During her time on the show, Union played Meeshell Anders, a love interest for Charlie.
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Jane Lynch
Glee’s Lynch had a role as a a White House reporter who loved to ask C.J. the hard questions.
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Nick Offerman
The best part of Offerman’s turn as an animal rights lobbyist? His character’s name was Jerry.
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Evan Rachel Wood
In one episode of the show, C.J. spent some quality shopping time with her niece, played by none other than Evan Rachel Wood.
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Ty Burrell
While on the show, future Modern Family star Burrell had plenty of fun arguing with Sam.
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Danny Pudi
Pudi had a brief cameo as a White House assistant, helping Josh with party guest lists.
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Terry O'Quinn
The Lost star had many appearances on the show, playing the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff later in the series’ run. Seriously — who wasn’t on The West Wing?
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