Like any family, cast members of *Family Matters* had their share of conflicts, but recent comments from Jo Marie Payton reveal that tensions once escalated to the point of a potential physical altercation.
In an interview with *Entertainment Tonight* for their “Mother’s Day Celebration of Iconic TV Moms,” the 71-year-old actress, who portrayed Harriette Winslow on the show for nearly nine seasons, recounted an incident involving her co-star Jaleel White. White, known for his role as the iconic Steve Urkel, was reportedly struggling with his newfound fame, which may have contributed to his challenging behavior on set.
“There was one time he actually wanted to physically fight me,” Payton revealed, recalling a particular moment during the filming of the season-nine episode “Original Gangsta Dawg,” in which White also played Steve Urkel’s “gangster” cousin, OGD.
Payton explained that she opposed filming the scene in question, stating, “I said we can’t do that. Standards and practices will not let that pass; it’s not gonna happen.” Despite her concerns, White was reportedly insistent, leading to a heated reaction. “He was so mad. He started kicking and screaming and stuff,” Payton added.
Payton further described the confrontation, noting that White referred to wanting a “melee,” which she learned meant “a fight.” She said, “I turned around; if he wanted to fight, I would have,” continuing, “Darius [McCrary] grabbed me. I was gonna whip his behind.”
Looking back, Payton acknowledged that White was “just a kid” at the time, adjusting to his sudden rise in Hollywood. She also noted that some responsibility for his behavior lay with the adults around him. “I don’t give him all the credit for his behavior. I give some of those adults credit, too,” she said. “Letting him run wild and do whatever he wanted to do, thinking he can say what he wants to say, you know, and hurt people’s feelings and all that.”
Last November, White briefly discussed the tensions that arose as his character became more central to the show. “My arrival to *Family Matters* was a rocky start at the beginning,” White admitted. “[The cast] kind of had to accept that I was there. That was a process.”
Payton confirmed this sentiment, noting that there was some resentment among the cast after it was announced that the show’s focus would shift to Urkel. “When he came on, [producers] told us the dynamic was going to change, the shows were going to be about him, and we said, ‘OK.’ We weren’t happy about it,” she said. “I think along the way, it got to be a little resentful, but it was just an adjustment that we had to make.”
