If the 1980s were all about greed and excess, then the 1990s were all about wholesome family fun, at least when it came to television. Family Matters – about the life of the middle-class Winslow family – was one of the hottest sitcoms around, due in part to star Jaleel White, who portrayed lovable nerd Steve Urkel. Yet behind the scenes, many of White’s peers struggled with fame, fortune, and the pressure that came with being a young Hollywood heartthrob. While perhaps no other death shocked fans in the early years of the decade more than River Phoenix, it was the death of Jonathan Brandis in 2003 that White said almost made him quit acting.
In his new book, Growing Up Urkel (via Entertainment Weekly), White recalled where he was when he first learned that Brandis had died by suicide. Though the pair weren’t close friends, they had just shot the pilot episode of 111 Gramercy Park together earlier in the year, which failed to get picked up by any network for a series order. “I stared at my computer screen, tears rolling down my face. I could only speculate what Jonathan was going through at that time,” White wrote in his book.
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Brandis had become best known for his role on seaQuest DSV in the mid-90’s, which helped propel him into the spotlight. From there he’d go on to appear in such films as Ride with the Devil and Hart’s War, and while those roles helped pay the bills, he never managed to achieve the level of success he did with the sci-fi series. White speculated that he was perhaps banking on 111 Gramercy Park “to feed his soul” and help get his career back on track. Sadly, things never materialized, which contributed to Brandis’ death, thus leading White to question his own purpose in life.
“She [my mother] came into my office, saw my tears, and immediately sought to console me. She’s always hated to see show business affect me in the various ways it has privately, and so she began to sob as well,” he continued in his book before adding that he told his mother:
I can’t do this s**t anymore, Mom. I want out. This business kills people from the inside.
Jaleel White Is Joining the ‘Star Wars’ Universe
Thankfully, White decided to stay in Hollywood and keep acting following Brandis’ death, which has all led to him joining the Star Wars universe next month in Skeleton Crew. The coming-of-age adventure tells the story of four kids who are looking for their way home after getting lost in the galaxy, and sees White star as Gunther, a member of a villainous pirate group looking to derail their quest.
Though he may not ever be able to shake the shadow of Urkel in the eyes of many Gen X’ers, he’s at least forging a new path forward for many young fans who have no idea what Family Matters is. At age 47, he still has a lot of gas left in the tank, and while many still mourn the loss of what could have been when it comes to Brandis, we can at least take comfort in knowing that White was able to compartmentalize his grief and move on, instead of becoming just another headline like so many of his peers.
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