With his thick glasses, nasal voice and tight high-water jeans, there’s probably no ’90s sitcom character more distinctive than Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White.
Best known for slogans like “I did that That?” And “WowMama!,” the sweet nerd exclaims Family matters – who was originally intended as a one-off character – became an instant hit with audiences and quickly became a regular cast member.
Earlier this year, speaking at 1990s Con 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida, for a panel called “The Evolution of Jaleel White,” the actor told the audience that being asked to audition for a nerd role “felt fun ‘ and crossed borders. stereotypical parts available to young black actors at the time. “When that audition happened and I really read what the character was, I really felt like I could get the job,” White, 47, said during the Sept. 15 panel.
Determined to land the role, he came up with his own improvised look for Steve, using items of clothing he could find in his own home. “I was inspired to buy the glasses, get dressed and go the extra mile to get the job,” he recalls. “The glasses were my father’s, he wore them to prevent particles from flying into his eyes – he is a dentist.”
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If White’s father deserves any credit for what would become Urkel’s signature specs, then perhaps his mother could get some kudos for inspiring one of the character’s other memorable features: his tight jeans.
“My mother always saved some clothes that she wanted to sell at a swap meet,” White said. “So she deliberately dressed me in jeans that were too small and I took a suitcase with me.”
White said during the panel that he showed up to the audition in full character — refusing to introduce himself by his real name — and the rest is history.
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“At the last minute I decided to actually — I had only done this twice before — but I decided to walk into the room as the character and not even introduce myself as Jaleel,” he recalled. I made that choice at the age of 12 to do whatever I could to give myself a competitive advantage.”
Growing up Urkela memoir full of stories from White’s life, is now available from Simon & Schuster.
