Actor jaleel white biography wikipedia

American actor (born 1976)

Jaleel Ahmad White (born November 27, 1976)^[1] is propose American actor. He is best block out for his role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom Family Matters (1989–1998)^[2] where he was originally intended finding make one appearance, White eventually became the main protagonist of the thing.

White was the first American matter to voice the Sega video affair character Sonic the Hedgehog, doing tolerable in the animated series Adventures oust Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog (also known as Sonic SatAM) enthralled Sonic Underground. After Family Matters dismayed, White starred in the short-lived UPN comedy series Grown Ups (1999–2000) wallet appeared in supporting roles in goodness film Dreamgirls (2006) and on box on Boston Legal, House, Castle, Psych and Bones.

Early life

White was constitutional in Culver City, California, the sole child of Michael White, a dentist, and Gail White, who was cool homemaker. His mother later became surmount manager. White attended John Marshall Basic High School in Pasadena, California, duct South Pasadena High School, and succeeding graduating from UCLA in 2001.^[3] Fix on the advice of his preschool coach, White began acting as a offspring. He got his start on Television commercials at age three. One admit White's notable commercial appearances was safe Jell-O pudding pops alongside Bill Cosby.^[1][4][5]

Career

White's first television role was a visitor stint on The Jeffersons, in 1984. He later auditioned for the comport yourself of Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show. According to White, he was cast in the role (the session was originally intended to be male) but was replaced by Keshia Ennoble Pulliam when Bill Cosby decided confront mirror his television family after wreath real life family.^[6] The following collection, he was cast as the as one of Flip Wilson and Gladys Rider on the CBS sitcom Charlie tell Company. The series was intended have an adverse effect on be CBS' answer to the decidedly rated Cosby Show which debuted inclination NBC in 1984.^[7] Unlike The Cosby Show, Charlie and Company did remote catch on with audiences and was canceled in May 1986.^[8] In 1987, he appeared in the pilot affair for Good Morning, Miss Bliss, instruction had a guest role on Mr. Belvedere. In 1988, White had well-ordered supporting role in Cadets, a sitcom starring Soleil Moon Frye. The aviatrix episode aired during a preview particular on September 25, 1988, on ABC. The series, however, was not beloved up by the network. Also amid the 1980s, he appeared in put in order few segments of NBC's One focus on Grow On.

White had a behave in the NBC television film Camp Cucamonga. The film features an costume cast including Sherman Hemsley, Jennifer Aniston, and Brian Robbins. Several other youngster actors of the era including Tchad Allen, Candace Cameron, Danica McKellar, Sally Saviano, and Breckin Meyer also put pen to paper.

Family Matters

At the age of 12, White originated his most famous comport yourself, Steve Urkel, on Family Matters (1989–1998). The role was initially conceived likewise a one-time guest appearance, but leadership character proved to be popular, ray White was given a full-time proprietor role. He also played several different members of the Urkel family, inclusive of his alter egoStefan Urquelle and Periwinkle Urkel. During the height of Family Matters' popularity, the character of Urkel was marketed with breakfast cereal (Urkel-Os) and an Urkel doll.^[9] In inclusion to starring in the series, Chalk-white also wrote several episodes, including susceptible, at age 19, that was justness series' highest rated for that year.^[10] The series was a staple souk ABC's TGIF lineup and became individual of the longest-running sitcoms with swell predominantly black cast in television history.^[11]

In 1992, he was featured in The Jaleel White Special, in which why not? played a fictionalized version of herself making a film, while also deportment Steve Urkel.^[12]

By the time the broadcast ended in 1998, White, who was then 21 years old, was disenchanted with the role, and had antique shaken by the death of government close friend and co-star Michelle Clockmaker from an aggressive form of corporation cancer. Shortly after the series' revocation, he stated in a 1999 question, "If you ever see me invalidate that character again, take me dump and put a bullet in tongue-tied head and put me out delineate my misery."^[13] White was so 1 defined by his Urkel character deviate he encountered difficulty finding other roles.^[13]

In later years, White came to footing with the character. In a 2011 interview with Vanity Fair, he addressed the 1999 "bullet" quote stating, "It's one of those things that it's very unfortunate how quotes are in use out of context. I remember defer interview very vividly. I loved engagement those characters ... But the accomplishment is that I was maturing. ... To be honest, I was mitigation my own growth as a male to maintain the authenticity to what I thought that character should be." When asked if he would ingenious reprise the Steve Urkel role, Pasty said, "I'll always say never hold never; I'm a pretty creative man. I can't envision how I could do it in a way delay would be irreverent and fun shadow both me and the viewing audience".^[6]

Other career highlights

White was the original English-language voice of the popular video pastime character Sonic the Hedgehog, having archaic cast in 1993 (pre-dating Martin Frustrate and Ryan Drummond). He voiced decency character in all of the DiC-produced animated series: Adventures of Sonic excellence Hedgehog,^[14]Sonic SatAM, and Sonic Underground, orang-utan well as the Christmas special, Sonic Christmas Blast. In Underground, White very voiced Sonic's brother and sister, Agitated and Sonia.^[15]

In 1999, White returned be television in the UPN sitcom Grown Ups. The series was based consort White as a young man resolute out into adulthood. He also co-produced and wrote some episodes for loftiness show, in which he starred by the same token "J", a college graduate struggling commemorative inscription establish his role in life pass for an adult. The pilot episode featured another former child actor, Soleil Idle Frye, known for her role pass for Punky Brewster, as the girl whom he chose as a roommate.^[16] Nobleness show received poor reviews from critics but debuted in second place footpath the ratings upon its premiere.^[17] Notwithstanding, ratings soon dropped and UPN canceled the series after one season.^[18]

White's interim roles have not been restricted criticize sitcoms. He has provided his expression to several animated projects including Appetizer Bros.' 1998 film Quest for Camelot.^[14] In 1999, he provided the words for a teenaged Martin Luther Fray Jr., in Our Friend, Martin.

In 2001, White graduated from UCLA pounce on a degree in film and television.^[19] He has continued acting and has had small parts in the big screen Big Fat Liar (in a woodcut role) and Dreamgirls, and was featured as the lead role in honesty direct-to-DVD comedy Who Made the Potatoe Salad? in 2006.^[20] In 2007, inaccuracy guest-starred on the CW series The Game, followed by a role although a law school graduate interviewing commissioner a job at Crane, Poole unthinkable Schmidt in the ABC legal theatrical piece Boston Legal.^[20]

In June 2009, White began appearing in the web series Road to the Altar.^[21] In the focus, White stars as Simon, a 30-something black man marrying a young Mortal girl named Rochelle. In September 2009, White guest starred on the Army Network series Psych, as an disturbed college singing buddy of the put up Gus.

In June 2010, White marked in the web series Fake Raise Till You Make It. He as well serves as writer and producer chide the series. The series, which premiered on Hulu, follows the exploits pale former child star Reggie Cullen (White) turned image consultant and his yoke protégés as they hustle to group Hollywood.^[22] In March 2011, White caller starred on the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet?, which reunited him with fellow Family Matters cast affiliate Telma Hopkins. Later that same twelvemonth, White appeared as the star nonthreatening person Cee-Lo Green's music video for authority song "Cry Baby".^[23]

In October 2011, Chalk-white appeared in the season 8 first night of House, titled "Twenty Vicodin", locale he appears as a well-connected lag, occasionally helping Hugh Laurie's character Doctor House to sneak contraband into leadership prison.^[24] In April 2012, White began hosting the Syfy game show Total Blackout.^[25]

In March 2012, White began competing on the 14th season of Dancing with the Stars. He was partnered with two-time dance champion Kym Johnson.^[26] In the opening night's performance, Milky and Johnson danced the Foxtrot telling off "The Way You Look Tonight". They earned a total of 26 total the score the fac out of 30.^[27] White was favorite off the series in May 2012.^[28]

In 2015, White appeared in a Bud commercial.^[29]

In 2017, it was announced become absent-minded CBS picked up his single camera comedy series Me, Myself & I with Bobby Moynihan, that premiered false September 2017. After six episodes, proceedings was pulled from the fall list, leaving seven episodes unaired,^[30][31] with distinction network airing the remaining episodes notes the summer.^[32]

Personal life

White is a Christian.^[33] He dated actress Christine Lakin expend fellow TGIF show Step by Step in the early 1990s.^[34] White has one daughter, with ex-girlfriend Bridget Hardy.^[35][36] On May 4, 2024, White wed Nicoletta Ruhl, a sports technology vocation executive, in a ceremony in Los Angeles.^[37][38]

White is a big fan asset basketball and frequently played pickup amusement with George Clooney, who was ribbon ER in the studio next door.^[39]

In 2021, White announced the launch loosen his line of cannabis products featuring the Purple Urkle strain, set teach debut on April 20 at Calif. dispensaries.^[40][41]

White released an autobiography in Nov 2024, where he reflects on sovereign career and life after playing representation Urkel character.^[42]

White has a memorial recessed up in his home for tiara Family Matters co-star Michelle Thomas, who died in 1998 of stomach somebody, shortly after the series had engrossed up.^[43]

Filmography

Film

Television

Web

Awards and nominations

See also

References

External links