After joining What I Like About You with Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth, Simon Rex was nowhere to be found after the first season of the hit WB sitcom.
What I Like About You followed the lives of two sisters living together in New York City — teenager Holly (Bynes) and her responsible older sister, Val (Garth). Rex was introduced as Val’s boyfriend, Jeff, when the show premiered in 2002.
Jeff and Val’s relationship was going well until a miscommunication on Valentine’s Day made Val think she was going to get proposed to. Instead, Jeff revealed he never wanted to get married and they subsequently called it quits. They briefly reconciled, but ultimately didn’t get back together — and Jeff was MIA when What I Like About You returned for season 2.
Rex, 51, never specifically addressed his departure from What I Like About You, but many fans think his story line just ran its course. Years later, he spoke about how his acting career suffered as he tried to navigate life in the spotlight.
“In America, we love watching someone rise — then fail. And then we love watching them come back. Americans love the cycle. It’s just more interesting,” he told news outlet Y Net in 2021 while promoting Red Rocket. “In the past, I was distracted by women and parties, always chasing pleasure. But for the first time in my life, I’m focused on creating meaningful work — and on humility. It took me a long time to become a good Jewish man but I’m finally there.”
Rex rose to fame as an MTV VJ before starring in the Scary Movie franchise and making the transition into music with his rap persona: Dirt Nasty. The actor, who was previously involved in sex work, released several albums and had other onscreen roles but he had a significant gap between projects before his critically acclaimed performance in Sean Baker‘s 2021 drama film Red Rocket.
Rex recalled not feeling in “control” at the time, adding in the 2021 interview, “I lived in Hollywood, surrounded by beautiful women and endless parties. I’d show up to auditions hungover — I wasn’t taking my work seriously.”
He continued: “As I got older, my body and mind just couldn’t keep up with that lifestyle anymore. So I told myself, ‘OK, it’s time to grow up.’ I’m lucky to be a working actor, and now all my energy is focused on my craft.”
Despite the challenges, Rex made it clear he had no regrets.
“If I had done things differently, I wouldn’t be here now, so I guess the answer is no. Of course, I’ve hurt people, and I’ve been hurt too,” he shared. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes — but I’ve learned from them. In the end, everything led me to this moment, so I’m at peace with my regrets.”
What I Like About You aired for three more seasons after Rex’s disappearance. In addition to Bynes, 39, and Garth, 53, the series starred Wesley Jonathan, Leslie Grossman, Michael McMillian, Nick Zano, Allison Munn, Dan Cortese, Edward Kerr and David de Lautour.
What I Like About You is currently streaming on Netflix.
