Jaleel White started acting when he was a kid on the advice of his preschool teacher
and he got his start on the TV commercial Jell-O pudding pops also side Bill Cosby.
But he was best known for his role as Steve Urkel on the 1989 sitcom Family Matters.
White was only 12 years old when he started to play the character of Steve Urkel which
was depicted as a nerd, who wore flood pants with suspenders, big thick glasses, multi-colored
cardigan and had a high pitch voice.
He would only change that appearance once he transformed into his alter ego Stefan Urquelle.
Whether he was playing Steve Urkel or Stefan Urquelle, one thing was very clear, he was
madly in love with his neighbor Laura Winslow and professed his love for her every chance
he got.
With his well know phrases, “You love me, don’t you” or “I’m wearing you down
baby, I’m wearing you down.”
But what most people don’t know is that he was only suppose to have a onetime cameo
on the show as Laura Winslow date, but he became a hit and the show decided to keep
him on as a show regular.So whatever happened to Steve Urkel also known as Jaleel White?
Well, when the show quietly ended and was cancelled after 9 seasons, Jaleel was only
22 years old, and he was happy to see it end.
In an interview after the show was cancelled he said that “if you ever see me do that
character again, take me out and put a bullet in my head and put me out of my misery.”
But he stated in an interview with Vanity Fair that his words were taken out of context.
But he did find that after playing one character for so long it was difficult to find other
roles.Well, a year after Family Matters was cancelled Jaleel returned to TV in a sitcom
called The Grown Ups which co stared Soleil Moon Frye best known for her role as Punky
Brewster.
But that series was cancelled after just one season because of poor ratings.After Grown
Ups was cancelled he continued to act in some small roles like dream girls, Big Fat Liar,
the TV series the Game, and Boston Legal.
And in 2010 he wrote and produced a series called Fake it till you make it which premiered
on Hulu.
Now, many people don’t know that besides being an actor, he’s also dabbled in voice
acting and has played the character of none other than famed video game character Sonic
the Hedgehog in all the animated series, even doing the voice of Hedgehogs brother and sister.
He also hosted a Syfy game show called Total Blackout in 2012.
And competed in Dancing with the stars in the 14th season.
He was partnered with 2 time dance champion Kryn Johnson.
But he was later voted off and finished in 7th place.
And today, he has a comedy series called Me, Myself and I, which is set to premiere this
fall on CBS.As for his personal life, White continued on with his education and attended
UCLA for a degree in film and television where he graduated in 2001.
And in 2006 there was a rumor going around that White had committed suicide when an article
circulated via email.
But it was all a hoax.
He is also a father of one daughter named Samaya born in 2009 with his ex girlfriend
Bridget Hardy.
We wish nothing but the best for Jaleel White.Make sure to push that subscribe button so you
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