Somewhat shockingly, given the lighthearted nature of the show, a "Family Matters" episode from 1994 was based on a real-life, disturbing incident that a cast member endured. Speaking to ABC News in 2020, Darius McCrary, AKA Eddie Winslow, divulged that police officers suspected that he had stolen a car because they believed that "people who usually own these types of vehicles [...] usually keep their cars clean." The former child star was forced to explain that he was actually the owner of the vehicle,
and he simply didn't have time to worry about its cleanliness because he was too busy working. Although McCrary was grateful that the situation didn't go from bad to worse, the actor still naturally found it "traumatizing" because he was completely innocent.
When McCrary opened up about the scary experience to the "Family Matters" producers, they centered an episode around it in the fifth season called "Good Cop, Bad Cop," which some areas notably refused to air. Nonetheless, McCrary was glad that the sitcom had some space for important issues. His onscreen dad, Reginald VelJohnson, similarly told HuffPost in 2016 that their show played a vital role in providing audiences with an honest look at the values that lie at the center of the typical African-American family.
Acknowledging that "Family Matters" wasn't "ground-breaking," the legendary star nonetheless proclaimed, "This presentation is very necessary and important to have had then and continue to have on today." Although many of his castmates would likely agree with that sentiment, they may not look back too fondly on the show because of the negative experiences they endured both on-set and afterwards.
Read more: Tragic Details About The Cast Of 2 Broke Girls
Playing Steve Urkel Took A Physical And Emotional Toll On Jaleel White
During a 2024 appearance on "The Breakfast Club," Jaleel White confirmed that his first kiss happened on the "Busted" episode of "Family Matters." At the time, he was 13, and the actor who kissed him was 30. White confessed that although the adult in question had only given him a peck during rehearsals, she gave him a full kiss with tongue during the actual shoot, which had reduced White to tears soon afterward. Worse, when the youngster informed the show's executive producer and his father that the kiss felt strange, they just laughed it off. Moreover, the show took a physical toll on him too.
In his 2024 memoir "Growing Up Urkel," he detailed how the physical comedy completely drained him of all energy and sometimes even left him bruised. Although Steve Urkel looks very different today, back then, White didn't have the option to work out because his character was supposed to be thin-framed, and he risked losing his multi-million-dollar salary if he didn't fit Urkel's physical description perfectly. The celeb, who you probably forgot guest starred on "NCIS," also found it "physically painful" to consistently use the high-pitched voice his character required.
As People noted, during 90s Con in 2024, White asserted that these intense requirements took a toll on his vocal cords. "I spoke to a doctor and what happened is during puberty I spoke at the same pitch for extended periods of time," he explained. "If the pitch had been going all over the place I wouldn't have damaged it quite as much." Thankfully, White's vocal cords improved with time.
Jaleel White And Jo Marie Payton Nearly Got Into A Physical Fight At One Point
In a 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, actor Jo Marie Payton recalled how Jaleel White was mad at her because she had objected to something in the Season 9 episode, "Original Gangsta Dawg." At one point, things got so heated that White asked if she wanted to physically fight, and Payton had almost given into the urge, but fortunately their co-star Darius McCrary stopped her. Payton couldn't entirely blame White for his bad behavior at the time, adding, "I give some of those adults credit too." The actor elaborated, "Letting him run wild and do whatever he wanted to do, thinking he can say what he wants to say, you know, and hurt people's feelings and all that."
However, during a 2023 "Family Matters" reunion at 90s Con (which White notably skipped), Payton clarified that she didn't harbor any ill feelings for her young co-star. However, the "Flip Side" alum apparently continues to have mixed feelings about Payton. In "Growing Up Urkel," the former sitcom star wrote that while some of his co-stars may be quick to speak negatively about his behavior on set, they didn't exactly display the pinnacle of professionalism either.
To prove his point, the former child star recalled an incident when Payton was supposedly late to set because she had to drive back home to get her second Mercedes because the rearview mirror of the one she was initially driving fell off on the way. Meanwhile, during his 2024 appearance on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM show, White quipped that he was wondering if he and interviewers always just happened to run into Payton on bad days.
Jaleel White's Castmates Made Him Cry
In 2021, Jaleel White pointed out on TV One's "Uncensored" that Urkel was originally just a guest star who became a main character on the show due to his popularity. The child star didn't initially understand how his addition sidelined the other characters, adding, "I was not very well welcomed to the cast at all," (via Entertainment Weekly). Moreover, the TV nerd who looks very different in real life recalled how co-stars Jo Marie Payton and Reggie VelJohnson "were very sensitive to putting Black men in dresses." As a result, they were naturally very unhappy when he had to wear a dress to play Myrtle Urkel and warned the child actor that he "was not doing our race a service."
Although White refused to give in to their pressures and wore the dress anyway, he still had a tough time after the shoot, sadly recalling, "I cried like a baby at the end of that take. I just broke." After his father witnessed the outburst, he firmly informed the showrunners that his son would never play Myrtle again because he didn't want his adult castmates to inflict that emotional turmoil on White again.
Likewise, when the former child star appeared on "E! True Hollywood Story" in 2021, he reiterated that the cast of "Family Matters" took a long time to accept him as one of their own. Meanwhile, Payton admitted that they grew "resentful" of White too, because his addition completely changed the show. However, everyone gelled once they finally realized White was an asset to "Family Matters."
Jaimee Foxworth Endured A Rather Tragic Life After Family Matters
Jaimee Foxworth's character, Judy Winslow, was abruptly written off "Family Matters" after the third season without any explanation. During a 2021 episode of "E! True Hollywood Story," the beloved sitcom's executive producer and co-creator, Jim Janicek, explained that they had made the difficult decision because they believed there was no room for her character to grow. Meanwhile, Jo Marie Payton admitted that she was heartbroken to see her onscreen baby written off the show and even brought it up with an executive, who reassured her that the audience wouldn't be bothered by Foxworth's removal.
However, it hurt Payton all the same because she felt as if the show "didn't care anything about Black families." During a 2006 chat with Oprah Winfrey, Foxworth revealed that her hopes of continuing to work regularly following her departure from "Family Matters" were quickly shattered. Eventually, even the money she made from the show dwindled, and she worked in an adult film to make ends meet. Although the job helped her financially, it also took a tremendous emotional toll on her, which she detailed as, "I lost all my confidence. I lost all my self-esteem. I lost friends. I lost some family members."
The former child star confessed that the "most degrading part" of the whole ordeal was that she couldn't even introduce herself without someone bringing up the adult video. During a 2014 follow-up appearance on "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" Foxworth shared that she also developed a reliance on alcohol and drugs at one point. However, she proudly shared that she had been sober since the birth of her son in 2009.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Michelle Thomas Passed Away From Cancer
According to People, Michelle Thomas, who played Myra Monkhouse on "Family Matters," had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Intra-abdominal Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor in August 1997. The then-28-year-old underwent surgery to remove a tumor from her abdomen that left doctors fairly certain that she would be cancer-free. Spring 1998 marked a career milestone for Michelle when she bagged the role of Callie Rogers in "The Young and the Restless."
However, just a few months later, in October, the actor was back at the hospital for an emergency surgery for a ruptured cancer tumor. Her mother, Phynjuar Thomas, recalled how Michelle had been in high spirits as Christmas rolled around, spending her time decorating her hospital room with photos of her pup Mitzy, whom she named after the character her mom played on "Family Matters." However, her health rapidly deteriorated, and "The Cosby Show" star sadly died on December 23 at the age of just 30.
Michelle's publicist and longtime friend confirmed that she never let the tremendous pain she was in during her treatment show, and always kept the mood light with her jokes. Several of her nearest and dearest were at Michelle's bedside at the time of her passing, including her ex-boyfriend and close friend, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. As a nod to an inside joke about their relationship, Michelle mouthed "Elephant Juice" to Warner on her deathbed to tell him she loved him. In a 2015 chat with Madame Noir, Phynjuar confirmed that she was still in contact with Warner, who passed away himself, at 54, in 2025.
Read the original article on The List.
