Jaleel White knows he’s lucky to have circumvented the hardships typical of child stars.
The “common thread” for child stars who grow up with their “spirit intact,” the ’90s TV icon told Obsessed: The Podcast, is parents who really look out for their kids.
White, 49, is best known for playing lovable nerd Steve Urkel on the sitcom Family Matters, which ran for nine seasons from 1989 to 1998. He’s hosted the comedy game show Flip Side since 2024, and his new HGTV home renovation competition show, Totally ‘90s House, premiered Wednesday on HBO Max.
White was only 12 years old when he landed the role of Urkel, yet child stardom’s negative impacts largely eluded him. He attributes much of his groundedness to his family.
“My mom and dad were always right there. Not to darken the conversation, but I think predators can see when a child has someone that’s looking out for their best interests, and I had a hover mom,” he explained. “So, whatever you thought you were gonna do to me, you better be fast. You better be fast.”
Though he’s faced plenty of rejection in the industry, White has consistently found work throughout his career. He thinks his constant slew of projects helped him stay positive and well-adjusted, even during low points. His guest appearances on various shows also meant he wasn’t confined to just Urkel-type characters.
“I’m never gonna have a pity party because I’ve had some really cool experiences in my life,” he said. “Not getting what you want at the time, that’s natural. That’s OK. That’s not the end of the world. You know what I’m saying? I hit all the stages that I was supposed to hit, and I came out on the other side. There wasn’t as much suffering necessarily as people think. There really wasn’t. There might have been jobs that I missed out on, but the one thing is that I never stopped working.”
White contrasted his experience to that of Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner, 30, who was 14 when the hit series began filming. Turner described in a January Guardianinterview how Thrones was so consuming that she struggled to find herself as an actor afterward and to “separate” herself “from all that,” she said, continuing, “After Game of Thrones finished, I didn’t know what was up and what was down. I needed to discover who I was.”
Fundamental to White’s perspective is the idea that entertainment exists for the audience. He strives to tell a story, not just to be on screen. This mentality has given him “great enjoyment” in his career, he said; he’s committed to the viewer, rather than to himself.
“I’m not out there, you know, on some type of, ‘Hey, everybody look at me’ thing,” White said. “We’re there to tell a story, and what’s my role in that storytelling? The joy for me is seeing on the other side, how it landed with you guys.”
Totally ‘90s House is now streaming on HBO Max.
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