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The 19 Kids And Counting Cast: Where Are They Now? Shocking Updates And Exits In 2025

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The Duggar family, once the face of wholesome, ultra-conservative reality television, has undergone a radical transformation since their flagship show, 19 Kids and Counting (originally titled 17 Kids and Counting and then 18 Kids and Counting), was canceled amidst a major scandal in 2015. As of late 2024 and early 2025, the adult children are forging wildly different paths, with many publicly distancing themselves from their parents' strict religious upbringing and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

The latest updates, including new babies, major geographic moves, and tell-all memoirs, confirm a significant generational split. While parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar remain in Arkansas, their adult children are navigating post-reality TV life, often speaking out about the "cult-like" environment they were raised in, making this one of the most compelling and dramatic reality TV family stories of the modern era.

The Complete Cast Biography: Jim Bob, Michelle, and All 19 Children

The core cast of 19 Kids and Counting consists of patriarch Jim Bob Duggar and matriarch Michelle Duggar, along with their 19 biological children, all of whose names begin with the letter 'J'. The family also gained legal guardianship of their great-nephew, Tyler Hutchins, in 2016.

Parents

  • Jim Bob Duggar: Born July 18, 1965. Former state representative and real estate investor. He and Michelle continue to reside on their property in Tontitown, Arkansas.
  • Michelle Duggar (née Ruark): Born September 13, 1966. Matriarch and homemaker. She and Jim Bob maintain a large family presence on social media, though their posts are often met with public scrutiny.

The 19 Duggar Children (In Birth Order)

The Duggar children range in age from their mid-30s to mid-teens as of 2025.

  1. Joshua "Josh" Duggar (Born 1988): The oldest son. His criminal conviction for receiving and possessing child pornography led to the cancellation of both 19 Kids and Counting and its spin-off, Counting On. He is currently serving a 12.5-year federal prison sentence.
  2. Caleb Ryan Duggar (Miscarriage, 1989): The family's second child.
  3. Jana Marie Duggar (Born 1990): Fraternal twin. Often called the "Cinderella Duggar" for her role in raising her younger siblings. She remains unmarried and lives in Arkansas.
  4. John-David Duggar (Born 1990): Fraternal twin. Married Abbie Burnett in 2018. They welcomed twin girls, Elsie and Emma, in January 2025, adding to their growing family.
  5. Jill Michelle Duggar Dillard (Born 1991): Married Derick Dillard. A major figure in the family's public split, she has publicly criticized the IBLP and her parents' control.
  6. Jessa Lauren Duggar Seewald (Born 1992): Married Ben Seewald. She is a prominent presence on social media and YouTube, often sharing updates on her children.
  7. Jinger Nicole Duggar Vuolo (Born 1993): Married Jeremy Vuolo. She and her family moved to Santa Clarita, California, and purchased a Tudor-style home in August 2024, a significant move away from the family's Arkansas base.
  8. Joseph Garrett Duggar (Born 1995): Married Kendra Caldwell.
  9. Josiah David Duggar (Born 1996): Married Lauren Swanson.
  10. Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth (Born 1997): Married Austin Forsyth.
  11. Jedidiah Robert Duggar (Born 1998): Fraternal twin. Married Katey Nakatsu.
  12. Jeremiah Robert Duggar (Born 1998): Fraternal twin. Married Hannah Wissmann.
  13. Jason Michael Duggar (Born 2000)
  14. James Andrew Duggar (Born 2001)
  15. Justin Samuel Duggar (Born 2002): Married Claire Spivey.
  16. Jackson Levi Duggar (Born 2004)
  17. Johannah Faith Duggar (Born 2005)
  18. Jennifer Danielle Duggar (Born 2007)
  19. Jordyn-Grace Makiya Duggar (Born 2008)
  20. Josie Brooklyn Duggar (Born 2009)

The Great Duggar Exodus: Leaving the IBLP and Finding Freedom

The biggest story to emerge from the cast in recent years is the public split of several key members from the family's deeply conservative religious organization, the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). This movement was heavily highlighted in the 2023 Amazon Prime Video docuseries, Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets.

The IBLP, founded by Bill Gothard, promotes strict courtship rules, homeschooling, and a rigid patriarchal structure, which Jill Duggar Dillard has described as "cult-like."

Three of the most prominent daughters have made the most visible breaks from this lifestyle:

  • Jill Duggar Dillard: She and her husband, Derick Dillard, were the first to distance themselves, citing financial control and emotional manipulation from Jim Bob. Jill now wears pants and shorts, a stark contrast to the IBLP's modesty standards which mandated skirts and dresses.
  • Jinger Duggar Vuolo: Jinger has also embraced wearing pants and has moved across the country to Santa Clarita, California, with her husband, Jeremy Vuolo. This geographic distance from the Duggar family compound in Arkansas symbolizes her desire for an independent life.
  • Jessa Duggar Seewald: While Jessa's break is less dramatic than her sisters', she has also adopted wearing pants, a quiet but significant sign of moving away from the family's fundamentalist dress code.

Jill Dillard’s Memoir: Counting the Cost and the Aftermath

The most significant and recent development in the Duggar saga is the release of Jill Duggar Dillard's memoir, Counting the Cost, in 2023. This book provided the first unedited, first-hand account of life inside the reality TV bubble and the IBLP.

The memoir details the emotional and financial toll of reality television on the children, particularly the lack of compensation for their work on both 19 Kids and Counting and the subsequent spin-off, Counting On.

Key revelations and LSI entities from the book include:

  • Financial Control: Jill and Derick Dillard stated they were not paid for the years they appeared on the TLC shows, with all earnings allegedly going to Jim Bob Duggar.
  • The Josh Duggar Scandal: The book addresses the family's handling of the molestation scandal that led to the show's cancellation, providing context for the immense pressure the children faced.
  • Therapy and Healing: Jill documents her journey through therapy, a practice often discouraged by the IBLP, as she works to process her childhood trauma and establish boundaries with her parents.

The book's impact has been immense, generating massive media attention and further solidifying the narrative of a family divided between those who remain loyal to the IBLP and those seeking a more mainstream, secular lifestyle. The ongoing family drama and the different paths of the children—from Josh's criminal conviction to the freedom sought by Jill and Jinger—continue to make the former cast of 19 Kids and Counting a subject of intense public curiosity and scrutiny in 2025.

cast of 19 and counting
cast of 19 and counting

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