Jaleel White played the love-sick, suspenders-wearing Steve Urkel on the long-running sitcom Family Matters and earned countless fans thanks to the quirky character. But after the show ended, he never managed to reach the same level of success. That’s surely left you wondering : what happened to our favorite TV nerd?

Throughout the ’90s, Jaleel White wore what became signature suspenders as he played the iconic Steve Urkel on Family Matters. The young actor joined the series halfway through season one for what was supposed to be a one-time guest appearance. Little did he know his nerdy role would eventually become the show’s most popular character, with Urkel turning the then-failing television series into a massive success story, according to People.

Do you remember the bumbling character’s cardigans and catchphrase?

Frankly, fans loved Urkel so much that he even made appearances in other popular sitcoms like Full House and Step by Step.

Proving how important the role was to White, in 2017, he told The Hollywood Reporter,

“I guard this character with my life.”

That makes sense considering the suspender-wearing teen was responsible for kickstarting White’s entire career. Unfortunately, it seemed to end there for this young actor. When Family Matters finished its successful run in 1998, White’s onscreen prospects began to disappear.

Watch the video for The Real Reason We Don’t Hear About Jaleel White Anymore.

#FamilyMatters #Urkel #JaleelWhite

Family Matters fame | 0:00
Life after Urkel | 1:25
A fake death story | 2:40
Allegations of a bad temper | 3:19
Will Urkel return? | 5:05

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