What Kaitlyn Dever’s Relationship With Last Man Standing Co-Star Tim Allen Is Really Like Today

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“Last Man Standing” fans never got the perfect ending to Kaitlyn Dever and Tim Allen’s characters (daughter and father in the series) when the sitcom wrapped in 2021. This happened because Dever left the show and only participated in the series finale via Zoom call.

That’s why the live audience of Allen’s next sitcom, ABC’s “Shifting Gears,” went crazy when Dever dropped in for a set visit in 2025. The reunion made it clear that Allen and Dever’s relationship still has the affectionate family feel that fans came to know and love during the nine-season run of “Last Man Standing.”

The reunion was short but made in a way that would surprise Allen. Dever arrived on set and, as the “Shifting Gears” crew prepared to film a scene, she took the spot that belongs to Kat Dennings — Allen’s onscreen daughter on the new sitcom — in the fake studio kitchen. Then, someone announced it was time for Allen to enter the room, and Dever turns around to face him. He instantly broke character and gave Dever a hug.

The video of the sweet moment was posted by the “Shifting Gears” team on Instagram, but unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that Dever will guest star in future episodes of the series. Another sign that they still have a great relationship is that Dever tries to exit the set in order not to get in the way of filming, but Allen pulls her back so that the audience and crew can give her a round of applause. Dever became even more famous after taking on the character Abby on the hit HBO show “The Last of Us.”

Tim Allen’s track record isn’t exactly the best

The duo’s behavior in the quick reunion underscores Kaitlyn Dever’s own account of her relationship with Tim Allen. In 2013, Dever spoke to She Said Media Said and suggested they had nothing but fun on set and that her onscreen father always made her laugh. An indication that she is telling the truth is that Dever made time to stop by her former colleague’s work just to say hi — something that probably wouldn’t happen if there was bad blood between them.

Speculation about how Dever might have felt during the years she worked with Allen circulated once other people who shared a set with the actor started to speak out about his behavior. Casey Wilson revealed that, in her experience, Allen was more Grinchy than jolly on the set of “The Santa Clause” Disney+ series. In 2023,  she revealed on the “B**ch Sesh” podcast that her interactions with Allen were less than ideal. She stated (per Variety): “Tim Allen was such a b**ch. It was the truly single worst experience I’ve ever had with a co-star ever.” And we can’t forget that Pamela Anderson had an unsavory experience with Allen as well.

Director Barry Sonnenfeld wrote in his memoir, “Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time: True Stories from a Career in Hollywood,” that Allen’s behavior on set didn’t always make life easy. The accounts from some of the people who worked with Allen aren’t really the best, but it seems Dever brought out the best in him.