Jaleel White, known for his role as Steve Urkel on the hit sitcom Family Matters, released his memoir titled Growing Up Urkel. The book provides a candid glimpse into his experience as a child star on the show, which aired from 1989 to 1998. White reflected on the highs and lows of playing Steve Urkel and shared behind-the-scenes stories about his interactions with his Family Matters costars.
White joined Family Matters during the first season as a guest star, but his character, Steve Urkel, became so popular that he was eventually written into the main cast. The success of the show made the cast rise to stardom, but White also faced challenges, including physical exhaustion from playing Steve for nine seasons and dealing with changes in his character’s appearance due to network executives.
The memoir delves into White’s relationships with his fellow cast members, highlighting the divide between the adult actors and the children on set. White discussed his varying relationships with different cast members, including fallouts with some, such as Kellie Williams and Jaimee Foxworth. He also addressed the tragic death of Michelle Thomas, who played a love interest for Steve on the show.
White shared how he felt about certain controversial scenes on the show, such as an episode where his character was unexpectedly kissed by an older woman. He also mentioned tensions and conflicts with some of his costars, providing insight into the dynamics on the set of Family Matters. White revealed his feelings of disillusionment with the role of Steve Urkel in a 1995 interview and shared his regrets about how he handled the situation.
The memoir also touched on White’s past experiences with the show, including a near-altercation with Jo Marie Payton, who played Harriette. He provided context on various controversies and clashes with his costars, such as disagreements with Jaimee Foxworth’s mother about screen time and issues with table readings. White reflected on the importance of closure and healing and expressed his willingness to listen to others’ perspectives.
White also discussed a potential Family Matters reboot that was considered in 2016, revealing that he turned down the opportunity due to the script not reflecting the passage of time since the original series. Instead, he pitched a different concept for a show focusing on his experience getting the role of Steve Urkel. While the reboot did not materialize, White remains open to future opportunities involving the show in some capacity.
