Family Matters is a popular American television sitcom that aired from 1989 to 1998. Created by William Bickley and Michael Warren, the show was a spin-off of the hit series Perfect Strangers and revolved around the lives of the Winslow family who live in Chicago, Illinois.
The show became a cultural phenomenon and one of the longest-running sitcoms featuring a predominantly African-American cast in television history. Family Matters tackled a wide range of topics, from social issues to family dynamics, and was known for its humor, heartwarming moments, and memorable characters.
The cast of Family Matters included a talented ensemble of actors, including Reginald VelJohnson, Jo Marie Payton, Darius McCrary, Kellie Shanygne Williams, Jaleel White, and Telma Hopkins. The show also introduced the beloved character of Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, who became a pop culture icon and a household name.
Family Matters remains a beloved classic of 90s television and continues to be enjoyed by fans around the world through reruns and streaming services. Continue to read this article to know about the Family Matters cast.
Family Matters Cast And Crew
Here is a list of the main cast members of Family Matters:
- Reginald VelJohnson as Carl Otis Winslow
- Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Baines- Winslow
- Darius McCrary as Edward “Eddie” James Arthur Winslow
- Kellie Shanygne Williams as Laura Lee Winslow
- Jaimee Foxworth as Judith “Judy” Winslow
- Jaleel White as Steven Quincy “Steve” Urkel and his various alter egos
- Telma Hopkins as Rachel Baines-Crawford
- Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle “Mother” Winslow
- Shawn Harrison as Waldo Geraldo Faldo
- Bryton James as Richard “Richie” Crawford, Rachel’s son
- Orlando Brown as Jerry Jamal “3J” Jameson
- Judyann Elder as Harriette Baines- Winslow
There were also several recurring cast members throughout the show’s nine-season run. The Family Matters IMBD is 6.6 out of 10.
Jaleel White (Steve Urkel)
Since he last wore Urkel’s suspenders and ultimately won Laura’s heart, Jaleel White has starred in the ill-fated sitcom Grown-Ups and has also made cameo appearances in the films Dreamgirls (2006) and on the television show Boston Legal. In the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, he is well known for providing the voice of Sonic on multiple occasions.
White also took part in a season of Dancing With the Stars in 2012, during which he finished in eighth place overall. In addition to his work on television series such as Me, Myself, and I, Trial and Error, and Raven’s Home, he has also appeared in films such as The 15:17 to Paris (2018) and Hustle (2022).
Kellie Shanygne Williams (Laura Winslow)
Ah, Laura. Kellie Shanygne Williams was a guest host on Clean House after Family Matters and a co-star on the ABC sitcom What About Joan, which featured Joan Cusack and Kyle Chandler.
Williams now spends the majority of her time devoted to her family (splitting her time between L.A. and Maryland), public speaking, and various charities, including the Kellie Williams Program, which she founded in 2006 and which gives students in the D.C. metro area the opportunity to produce a television show for Comcast. Williams also spends a lot of time in Maryland.
Reginald VelJohnson (Carl Winslow)
VelJohnson has made several guest appearances on television shows in the time since the cancellation of Family Matters. Some of these shows include That’s So Raven, Will & Grace, Bones, Chuck, Mike & Molly, and CSI. You can check more related cast about Fresh Prince Of Bel Air.
VelJohnson has also appeared in a guest role on Girl Meets World, which is also part of the TGIF network. In addition, he had recurring parts on both Disney+’s Turner & Hooch and the CW’s Hart of Dixie.
Jo-Marie Payton (Harriette Winslow)
Although the original matriarch of the Winslow family left the program before it ended (Judyann Elder replaced her), she went on to guest star on other shows such as Will & Grace, Moesha, and 7th Heaven. Notably, she provided the voice for Suga Mama in the popular animated series The Proud Family on Disney Channel.
Jo Marie Payton appeared in the movie “The Beach Bum,” which was released in 2019, and she has since repeated her role as “Suga Mama” on the Disney+ series “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.”
Darius McCrary (Eddie Winslow)
Once his time as Eddie came to an end, Darius McCrary began starring in the television show Freedom on the UPN. In the film adaptation of The Transformers from 2007, he also had the opportunity to provide the voice for Jazz, who was Optimus Prime’s companion.
After a two-year stint on The Young and the Restless in 2009, he went on to play a role on the television show Anger Management, which was produced by FX and starred Charlie Sheen. McCrary appeared in multiple episodes of both “The Leftovers” on HBO and “Star” on Fox.
Shawn Harrison (Waldo Geraldo Faldo)
Shawn Harrison has starred on a number of television shows, including Moesha, and has had recurring appearances on Girlfriends and Legion of Superheroes. Yet, it is difficult to forget that he is most known for his performance as Waldo Geraldo Faldo. We should talk about another famous series cast like Wellmania.
Along the same lines as Payton, he is currently working on a couple of projects that are related to food (don’t forget that Waldo was an excellent cook). He then appeared as a guest on television shows such as Dynasty, The Ms. Pat Show, and Raven’s Home.
Strong Black Lead tweeted that the Family Matters cast popped up in Moesha too. You can see below:
the Family Matters cast popped up in Moesha too 🙌🏾 #MoeshaOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/NVDKQBnmVD
— Strong Black Lead (@strongblacklead) October 4, 2020
Telma Hopkins (Rachel Crawford)
Telma Hopkins, much like many of her former cast colleagues, went on to star as a guest in prominent television shows such as ER, Psych, and 2 Broke Girls. She was also a star on the television show Half & Half, which aired on UPN from 2002 to 2006, and the television adaptation of Are We There Yet?, which aired on TBS.
In addition to giving her voice to the television shows The Loud House and Rugrats, Hopkins would make a five-episode stint as Yolanda on Dead to Me.
James Bryton (Richie Crawford)
Since joining The Young and the Restless in 2004, Bryton James has become a fan favorite. For his work as Devon Hamilton, James has been nominated for and won Daytime Emmy Awards in 2007 and 2020.
In addition to that, he will reprise his role as Static Shock in the upcoming season of DC Comics’ Young Justice, which will be filmed in 3-D, and he played the recurrent character Luka Martin on The Vampire Diaries.
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