story of Tim Allen’s Shifting Gears follows an estranged father (Allen’s Matt) and daughter (Dennings’ Riley) who reconnect when the daughter moves home with her two children amidst a divorce.

While the pilot episode of Shifting Gears earned negative reviews, the show’s impressive array of actors garnered a sizable following. The classic sitcom format of Shifting Gears leaves the door open for endless additional guest stars and cameos as the series progresses, but the main and recurring cast is already filled with heavy hitters. The cast of Shifting Gears includes established names and emerging talent alike, with a young breakout star in the main family.

Tim Allen as Matt

Born June 13, 1953

Tim Allen was born in Denver, Colorado before moving to Birmingham, Michigan at age 13. He began his comedy career while in college by performing at local comedy shows. Allen gained recognition for his stand-up routines before eventually making his film debut in 1988’s Tropical Storm. Three years later, Allen’s career took off thanks to his portrayal as Tim Taylor in Home Improvement. Throughout the 90s, Allen expanded his filmography with roles like Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story film series. In 2011, Allen starred in his second sitcom, Last Man Standing. Since then, he has continued reprising franchise roles.

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Allen plays Matt, a widower and owner of an auto repair and restoration shop. Matt is Riley's father and the grandfather of Georgia and Carter. Though he clashes with his daughter due to his pessimistic philosophy, the love he possesses for his family pushes him to compromise. Both him and his daughter are still grieving his late wife.

Kat Dennings as Riley

Born June 13, 1986

Katherine Victoria Litwack, known professionally as Kat Dennings, was born and raised in Pennsylvania. She began her acting career in ments before making her professional debut in a 2000 episode of Sex and the City. Her starring role in the 2008 rom-com Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist helped legitimize her career, with Dennings soon after landing the role of Darcy Lewis in 2011’s Thor. Dennings skyrocketed in popularity after the premiere of 2 Broke Girls, which ran from 2011 to 2017. Since then, Dennings has returned as Darcy Lewis in various Marvel projects and starred in Dollface, a 2019 Hulu series.

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Dennings plays Riley, daughter of Matt and mother of Carter and Georgia. Riley ran away as a pregnant teenager, taking Matt's prized car with her. She returns home and moves in with her father after deciding to divorce her estranged husband, Jimmy. While she was voted "Mean for No Reason" in high school, motherhood has somewhat mellowed Riley out.

Seann William Scott as Gabriel

Born October 3, 1976

Seann William Scott was born the youngest of seven children in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. After spending his entire life in the Midwest, Scott relocated to California in the 90s to pursue acting. After a few years of working to himself, Seann Williams Scott earned his breakout role of Steve Stifler in the main American Pie movies. To diversify his on-screen roles, Scott branched out the next year with appearances in horror exemplar Final Destination and cult classic Dude, Where’s My Car? in 2000. Since then, Scott has portrayed mostly comedic roles and shifted his acting niche to television projects.

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Seann William Scott portrays Gabriel, one of Matt's employees at the auto shop. Gabriel was childhood friends with Riley's brother who, while less intelligent than his coworkers, displays kindness and patience. According to Riley, Gabriel puts Matt on a pedestal and views him as a personal hero.

Daryl "Chill" Mitchell as Stitch

Born July 16, 1965

Daryl “Chill” Mitchell was born in The Bronx, New York City’s northernmost borough. Mitchell originally pursued a music career in a group called “Groove B. Chill,” but pivoted to acting following his 1990 film debut in House Party. In 2010, Mitchell won a NAA Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for his work in Brothers. Since then, he has landed various roles in television shows and films, but none are as well-known as Mitchell's portrayal of Wendell in Fear the Walking Dead, the true starting point of the Walking Dead franchise.

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Mitchell portrays Stitch, another one of Matt's employees. Stitch is a wheelchair , and he utilizes his chair to quickly escape what he calls Matt's "Hell in a handbasket" rants. He works in close proximity to both Frankie and Gabriel.

Maxwell Simkins as Carter

Born October 17, 2006

Maxwell Simkins was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and immediately displayed a precocious sense of creativity. At age 8, Simkins earned his first role in 2014’s And So It Goes, acting alongside Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas. Simkins was a standout performer in Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark as Zane, his recurring role. In 2019, he landed a ing role in Kim Possible, a Disney Channel Original Movie adapted from the hit 2000s cartoon. Since then, Simkins has starred in Netflix’s The Sleepover and portrayed Nick in The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.

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Simkins plays Riley's elder child, Carter. Carter is an anxious teenager who relies on technology to stay connected to his old friends. He attempts to use his tech skills to help Matt grow an online presence for his shop.

Shifting Gears ing Cast & Characters

Barrett Margolis, Brenda Song, And Cynthia Quiles Complete The Cast

Barrett Margolis as Georgia - Georgia is Riley’s youngest child. Shifting Gears is Margolis' acting debut.

Brenda Song as Caitlyn - Caitlyn is a high school assistant principal. She is ed as London Tipton in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, but Song ed Dennings in Dollface and played Mary-Anne in 2024's award-winning The Last Showgirl.

Cynthia Quiles as Frankie - Frankie is the third employee at Matt’s restoration shop. Quiles is known for portraying Brenda in Why Women Kill and a brief stint on Dynasty. Together, they round out the illustrious cast of Shifting Gears.