After nearly a decade of playing the no-nonsense yet warm-hearted matriarch Harriette Winslow on Family Matters, JoMarie Payton abruptly left the show in its final season. For many fans, her departure came without explanation — but behind the scenes, it was the culmination of years of frustration, artistic differences, and deepening conflict.
The Original Star of the Show
Before Steve Urkel became the face of Family Matters, it was JoMarie Payton’s character, Harriette, who was meant to anchor the series. Harriette had originated on Perfect Strangers, where her popularity led to the development of the spinoff in 1989. For the show’s early seasons, Payton was widely recognized as the foundation of the Winslow family.
However, everything began to shift once Urkel — originally a one-time character — became a fan favorite.
“Suddenly the show wasn’t about the family anymore,” Payton told Entertainment Tonight in a 2021 interview. “It was about this kid, and everything started revolving around him.”
Clashes Over Creative Direction
As Steve Urkel (played by Jaleel White) grew in popularity, the show began to take a more fantastical, slapstick turn — with time machines, clone devices, and increasingly surreal storylines. For Payton, who had envisioned Family Matters as a grounded family comedy in the vein of The Cosby Show, the change was jarring.
“I didn’t sign up for that,” she said bluntly. “It stopped being about Black family life. It became about gadgets, costumes, and one-liners.”
Payton reportedly voiced her concerns to the producers multiple times. By the show’s ninth season, her dissatisfaction had reached a breaking point.
A Final Confrontation with Jaleel White
Tensions behind the scenes weren’t only about creative choices. According to Payton, her working relationship with Jaleel White had deteriorated dramatically. In a 2022 interview with TV One’s Uncensored, she recounted an incident where White allegedly tried to initiate a physical altercation on set.
“He wanted to fight me,” she recalled. “And I said, ‘If you want to fight, you pick the wrong one today.’”
The confrontation was reportedly diffused by co-stars, but it marked the end of the line for Payton. Soon after, she officially left the series, and Harriette Winslow was quietly recast for the remaining episodes.
The Decision to Walk Away
Payton insists her departure was not about ego, but about integrity.
“I love the Winslow family. I love that character,” she said. “But I couldn’t be part of something I didn’t believe in anymore.”
She has no regrets about leaving. “You’ve got to know when to walk away,” she added. “And I did.”
Legacy and Reflection
Since leaving Family Matters, JoMarie Payton has remained active in television, voice acting, and theater. She’s proud of her role in creating one of TV’s few Black-led sitcoms of the 1990s and often emphasizes the cultural importance of Family Matters — even if she disagreed with where it ended up.
“I gave it my all,” she said in a recent panel discussion. “And I still hear from fans every day who thank me for Harriette. That means everything.”
As the history of Family Matters continues to be reexamined, Payton’s story reminds us that behind every sitcom is a complex reality — one where creative differences, personal dignity, and professional boundaries matter just as much as ratings.
