<Li> Jump up ^ Tied with CSI: Miami </Li> <P> Will & Grace is set in New York City and focuses on the relationship between Will Truman, a gay lawyer, and his best friend Grace Adler, a Jewish woman who owns an interior design firm . Also featured are their friends Karen Walker, an alcoholic socialite, and Jack McFarland, a flamboyantly gay actor . The interplay of relationships features the trials and tribulations of dating, marriage, divorce, and casual sex; as well as comical key stereotypes of gay and Jewish culture . </P> <Ul> <Li> Eric McCormack as Will Truman: The first titular protagonist to the show, Will is a gay man who is a successful corporate lawyer who studied at Columbia University, where he met Grace as a freshman; they have been best friends ever since . He is very precise and obsessive when it comes to certain tasks, especially cleaning, dressing, and decorating . However, Will does have a very patient and compassionate nature towards those close to him, often to a fault . Even though Will is gay, he sometimes tries to pass as straight; he has at times avoided admitting his sexual orientation to people . Several characters commented that his relationship with Grace is more like that of a married couple than two friends; at one point Will even considered having a baby with Grace . Will is the more mature and tolerant character of the duo and serves as Grace's rock most times . </Li> <Li> Debra Messing as Grace Adler: The second titular protagonist to the show, Grace is a straight interior decorator with a fondness for food . She's been Will's best friend since college and roommate throughout most of the show . Grace is Jewish but does not practice her religion staunchly . She plays as a neurotic counterbalance for Will's more everyman character . Grace tends to heavily rely on Will for moral and emotional support, especially after a break - up . </Li> <Li> Megan Mullally as Karen Walker: Karen "works" as Grace's assistant, making "Grace Adler Designs" popular among her socialite acquaintances . She is the wife of the wealthy (but mostly unseen) Stanley Walker . Karen is also known for casually downing alcohol and prescription medication and can be uncaring . However, she is very close to Jack, is friends with Grace, and throughout the show's run warms to Will . Even though she's silly at times, Karen has shown bouts of intelligence: having a working knowledge of business / real - estate market economics, a moderate understanding of computers, and a flair for interior design . She's also a certified public notary and an aficionado of various liquors and prescription drugs . Despite this, she is often unaware of or ambivalent toward habits of the working and middle classes, often criticizing and mocking what she fails to understand . </Li> <Li> Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland: Will's other (and first gay) best friend since college . Jack is flamboyantly gay, confident, and free - spirited, having been so from a young age . He drifts from man to man and changes occupations often, being very fickle when it comes to both . He has worked as a struggling actor, an acting instructor, a back - up dancer for Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson, a sales associate at Banana Republic and Barneys New York, a cater - waiter, a student nurse, Junior VP for Out TV, and host of his own Out TV talk show, called Jack Talk . Jack made four one - man shows (called Just Jack, Jack 2000, Jack 2001, and Jack 2002) to showcase his singing / dancing / acting abilities; all attempts having only marginal success . Early on in the show he establishes a close friendship with Karen; the pair often spend time together and orchestrate various pranks . Throughout the series, Jack relies on Will and Karen for financial support . His idol is Cher . </Li> <Li> Shelley Morrison as Rosario Salazar (Recurring Seasons 1 - 2; Regular Seasons 3 - 8): Karen's maid, and later Jack's wife, then ex-wife . Morrison was offered to reprise her role when the series was revived, but declined, having retired from acting . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Eric McCormack as Will Truman: The first titular protagonist to the show, Will is a gay man who is a successful corporate lawyer who studied at Columbia University, where he met Grace as a freshman; they have been best friends ever since . He is very precise and obsessive when it comes to certain tasks, especially cleaning, dressing, and decorating . However, Will does have a very patient and compassionate nature towards those close to him, often to a fault . Even though Will is gay, he sometimes tries to pass as straight; he has at times avoided admitting his sexual orientation to people . Several characters commented that his relationship with Grace is more like that of a married couple than two friends; at one point Will even considered having a baby with Grace . Will is the more mature and tolerant character of the duo and serves as Grace's rock most times . </Li>

Who stars in the new will and grace