Whatever Happened To Jenna Von Oÿ?

"Blossom" isn't always talked about as a true powerhouse sitcom of the early 1990s, but it left a significant impression on a number of people who grew up during the era. At a time when most coming-of-age stories focused on boys becoming men, "Blossom" turned the tables by showcasing the everyday hurdles of growing up as a teenage girl. Mayim Bialik played titular heroine Blossom Russo with a perfect combination of awkwardness and charisma, which made her into a fantastic and endearing sitcom lead.

Of course, a sitcom lead can only go so far without some serious support. Luckily, "Blossom" had just the thing in the lead character's fast-talking bestie, Six LeMeure. Just like Blossom, she rocks some oddball fashion and more than holds her own, no matter who she's on screen with. Six can talk anyone's ear off, and her charming nature makes her one of the show's most memorable characters. Played by Jenna von Oÿ, it seemed like a role that would rocket her to stardom. While von Oÿ did find some success immediately following "Blossom," she had mostly fallen off the mainstream radar by the mid-2000s. But as it turns out, that definitely doesn't mean she's been idle. Curious about this star's post-Six life? Here's what Jenna von Oÿ has been up to since her time on "Blossom."

Though von Oÿ had seemingly nailed down the witty, sarcastic best friend role in the wake of "Blossom," she had to keep finding new series to drop into as she got older. Her last well-known run at this type of character came on the UPN series "The Parkers," a spinoff of "Moesha," which ran for five seasons in the early 2000s.

On "The Parkers," von Oÿ played Stevie Van Lowe. This role gave her a chance to show a slightly different side to what had become a fairly standard archetype for her: The best friend to the series lead. She also got to showcase her dramatic chops a bit more on "The Parkers," as the college-age storylines of lead character Kim Parker and best friend Stevie deal with heavier subject matter. It's not all doom and gloom, though — "The Parkers" let von Oÿ and her castmates stay sarcastic and full of one-liners at all times. Even though "The Parkers" doesn't quite have the mainstream fandom "Blossom" enjoys, it still ran for well over 100 episodes, earned several awards, and helped turn von Oÿ into an even more in-demand actress. That said, "The Parkers" was her last major role before she turned her attention to other areas of interest.

One common thread throughout Jenna von Oÿ's life and career, regardless of what industry or age she's experiencing, is her self-awareness. Music was apparently her first love, but her schedule became too full when she found so much success in acting at such a young age to pursue it. After "The Parkers" came to an end, however, von Oÿ decided to take a swing at the world of singles and record labels.

She released her first album, "Breathing Room," in 2007. Not only did von Oÿ write most of the songs and sing on the record, she also started an independent record label under which she released it. Her music sits in an interesting mix of genres, as there's some serious pop influence to an otherwise twangy, folk-like vocal performance.

Though "Breathing Room" is her only full-length album release to date, von Oÿ put out an EP just a few years afterward. "Coffee & Men (An EP for Childish Adults)" is even harder to pin a genre on; it's somewhat reminiscent of a burlesque stage performance, full of cheeky jokes and over-the-top moments. Both are wildly different, and both are worth checking out.

It seems like once Jenna von Oÿ started finding success from "The Cradle Chronicles," a lightbulb went off. She soon decided to take her talent for writing quick, punchy posts and turn it into an entire book. In 2015, "Situation Momedy: A First-Time Mom's Guide to Laughing Your Way Through Pregnancy & Year One" hit bookstores. It amply showed that von Oÿ hadn't lost a step.

The book's description refers to it as follows: "A best friend's guide [to motherhood] ... one that didn't sugarcoat reality but still offered relatable and heartfelt reassurance." Even as a writer and a new mom, von Oÿ still won't shed the label of "bestie." It's a funny and lighthearted tome, but not to the point of triviality; "Situation Momedy" offers some seriously sound advice for women at the same stage of life.

The book sold well enough that a follow-up soon came about. In 2017, von Oÿ released "Situation Momedy: A Very Special Episode in Toddlerdom." It has a very similar voice and style as the first book, but it focuses on dealing with the trials and tribulations of — you guessed it — toddlers. Who knows? Maybe we'll see a book on navigating teenagers once her kids hit the right age.

Jenna von Oÿ is more than happy to dish out self-deprecating details of her time as a mom and an actor, but she's relatively tight-lipped about many other aspects of her personal life. Her Instagram page sometimes offers some hints about what's going on in her world, however. Notably, she seems to be in a same-sex relationship at this point in time.

There are several posts showing von Oÿ and her children posing with the same woman, often with very thoughtful, loving messages attached. For example, a post from January 4, 2021 shows the four with a heart drawn around her partner's face. The caption reads: "Happy milestone birthday to this beautiful, passionate woman. I love you. Not sure any other words will sufficiently cover it." Doesn't take a detective to figure out that the two are in a very happy relationship! Other posts on von Oÿ's Instagram show the group of four living their best life and enjoying every minute together.

Jenna von Oÿ might not appear in front of the camera too often anymore, but it's very possible she's making a move to do more production work. Her first foray into screenwriting and film production came on a group of short films called "The Cassandra Project." This trilogy of films draws its name from the Cassandra of Greek mythology, who was given the gift of prophecy but cursed so that no one would ever believe her when she spoke of the future. Cassandra's terrible curse led to the downfall of Troy, and still speaks to the downfall of a society that doesn't listen to its most vulnerable citizens.

"The Cassandra Project" is a trilogy of films connected by a potent theme: the dangers of women not being heard. Unsurprisingly, it seems to be a very personal project for many of the people involved, including von Oÿ herself. The first film in the trilogy, "Busybody," has a trailer available on the project's website, where you can also find information about donating to "The Cassandra Project" and sign up to learn more information about it as things move forward.

When von Oÿ appeared on "Mayim Bialik's Breakdown," the two absolutely loved waxing nostalgic about their time on "Blossom." Not only did they reminisce about the many cultural impacts of the series (remember the hats?), they also discussed how the show helped and hurt their growth and development through their teens and afterward. They also discussed how von Oÿ's sexuality has evolved over time, including her talking about finding fulfillment in a same-sex relationship.

The big topic they dished on, however, was the possibility of a "Blossom" reboot. This episode of "Mayim Bialik's Breakdown" was released just after the "Blossom" star told Variety that a "Blossom" reunion series is in the works. By "in the works," she means that a script is complete and the principal cast is all on board. It will be interesting to see the direction the show takes, if it does come to fruition. It seems likely that a "Girl Meets World"-style series would be the most likely candidate for filming. Bialik said that there's no guarantee, due to legal red tape, that it'll happen, but it sounds like we might be able to see how our friends from "Blossom" turned out before too long.