More than three decades after Family Matters first aired, the show continues to be a nostalgic staple for viewers. But behind the laughter and feel-good family moments lies a history of creative conflicts, power imbalances, and hurtful decisions — especially concerning one of the show’s youngest stars: Jaimee Foxworth, who played Judy Winslow.
For years, fans speculated about why Judy disappeared from the show without explanation. But in later interviews, Jaimee’s mother, Gwyn Foxx, made headlines when she pointed a finger directly at the show’s breakout character — Steve Urkel — and the actor who played him, Jaleel White.
Her words were blunt:
“Urkel ruined everything.”
How could one fictional character cause the erasure of another? How much power did a teenage actor really have? And was the decision to cut Jaimee Foxworth truly about money, or something deeper?
This is the story of the behind-the-scenes power dynamics of Family Matters, and how a mother’s accusations revealed a painful truth about the cost of child stardom — and stardom’s collateral damage.
A Sudden Exit Without a Goodbye
When Jaimee Foxworth was cast as Judy Winslow in 1989, she was just 10 years old. As the youngest daughter of the Winslow family, she appeared in the show’s first four seasons. While not a lead character, Judy had regular dialogue and screen time, especially in early episodes that focused on family issues.
Then, without warning, she vanished.
No final episode. No send-off. No in-show explanation. From season 5 onward, the Winslows were down to two children — and viewers were expected to simply forget Judy had ever existed.
To many fans, the decision was baffling. But to Jaimee Foxworth and her family, it was devastating.
Gwyn Foxx Speaks Out
In multiple interviews beginning in the mid-2000s, Gwyn Foxx, Jaimee’s mother, opened up about her daughter’s removal. According to her, the firing was neither random nor purely financial — it was a direct consequence of the show’s rebranding around Steve Urkel.
“When that boy [Jaleel White] came on the show, everything changed,” she told TV One’s Unsung Hollywood. “They stopped caring about the family. They stopped caring about the message. All they cared about was Urkel.”
She went further, accusing producers of “pushing Jaimee out” so they could invest more screen time and budget into Jaleel White’s alter egos — from Stefan Urquelle to Myrtle Urkel.
“They told us she wasn’t needed anymore,” she said. “But what they really meant was: she wasn’t Urkel.”
Did Jaleel White Have That Much Power?
Jaleel White was 13 when he joined Family Matters as a guest star. By season 2, he was the centerpiece of the show. Urkel merchandise was everywhere, ratings spiked whenever he was featured, and network executives leaned heavily into his popularity.
But was White responsible for other actors being fired?
Technically, no. Decisions about casting were made by producers and network executives. But White’s massive success undeniably altered the power dynamic on set. According to Gwyn Foxx, it was the show’s obsession with elevating White that led to decisions like removing Jaimee.
“They weren’t going to cut Urkel,” she said. “So they cut the quietest voice — my daughter.”
Some cast and crew members have supported this version of events — not necessarily blaming White directly, but acknowledging that his success reshaped everything about the series.
Jaleel White Responds
In recent years, Jaleel White has addressed the controversy surrounding Jaimee Foxworth’s firing — and her mother’s accusations.
“I had no control over casting,” he told TV One. “I was a kid. I wasn’t in the writers’ room, I wasn’t in the producers’ meetings. If someone got let go, I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
White expressed sympathy for Foxworth and admitted that the transition of the show into a “Steve Urkel vehicle” likely came at the expense of other characters.
“There were things I didn’t understand at the time. I was just doing my job. If I could go back, I would’ve spoken up for her.”
But Gwyn Foxx hasn’t been convinced. In later interviews, she maintained that the show prioritized Jaleel’s needs to an extreme degree — bending storylines, budgets, and even cast structure to serve his stardom.
The Fallout: Jaimee’s Struggles After Family Matters
For Jaimee, being fired wasn’t just a career disruption — it was a formative trauma. As the rest of the cast moved on to greater success and accolades, she found herself isolated, humiliated, and forgotten.
She tried to pursue music with her sisters in a short-lived R&B group called S.H.E., but nothing stuck. With no consistent work, Jaimee struggled emotionally and financially, later turning to alcohol, drugs, and eventually the adult entertainment industry under a pseudonym.
She has since spoken candidly about the pain of being discarded so young — and the impact it had on her self-worth.
“It felt like I was erased,” she said on Oprah. “Like I never mattered.”
Her mother, too, has shared the pain of watching her daughter spiral — and she continues to hold the show accountable for setting that journey in motion.
A Pattern of Marginalization
Some critics argue that Jaimee’s removal — and the show’s response — reflects a larger issue in the television industry: the ease with which young Black actresses are discarded.
Judy Winslow was not just written off — she was erased. And her disappearance was treated as inconsequential, even comedic in some circles. In recent years, as conversations around inclusion and equity have deepened, fans and critics alike have begun to reevaluate how the show treated her character.
On Twitter, one viral thread summed it up:
“Family Matters literally asked us to pretend the baby sister never existed. That’s not just lazy writing — that’s erasure.”
Gwyn Foxx echoed this sentiment:
“They didn’t just fire her — they pretended she was never there. How do you do that to a child?”
Could It Have Been Handled Differently?
According to insiders, producers justified the decision to cut Judy as a “cost-saving measure.” But if that was truly the case, why not give her an exit storyline? Why not send her off to live with a relative, go to boarding school, or offer any explanation at all?
Critics say the answer is clear: because they didn’t care.
Gwyn Foxx believes that had her daughter been a fan-favorite, like Laura or Eddie, the showrunners would have found a way to keep her. But Judy, a quiet and somewhat underwritten character, was easy to discard — especially when the spotlight needed room for Steve and Stefan and Myrtle and all the gadgets and gags that came with them.
The Cast’s Response — or Lack Thereof
One of the most painful aspects of the experience for Jaimee, according to her mother, was the silence from the cast. Few reached out to support her after she was fired.
Jo Marie Payton has since acknowledged that Jaimee “deserved better,” while Reginald VelJohnson said he wished there had been more closure for the character. But other cast members, including Kellie Shanygne Williams and Darius McCrary, have mostly avoided the subject publicly.
Jaleel White, for his part, has made attempts in recent years to bridge the gap, even calling Jaimee a “part of the legacy” in a 2022 interview. Still, the wound remains raw for both Foxworth and her mother.
Gwyn Foxx’s Fight for Her Daughter’s Legacy
To this day, Gwyn Foxx continues to advocate for Jaimee’s recognition. She has called for the Family Matters producers to publicly apologize and for future cast reunions to include her daughter.
“They built a family show and then broke their own family,” she said. “They need to own that.”
In 2021, when The Hollywood Reporter did a retrospective on Family Matters, they notably excluded Foxworth from the piece — sparking backlash from fans and renewed criticism from Gwyn.
“They keep acting like she didn’t exist. But she did. And she still does.”
Moving Forward: A Hope for Healing
Despite the years of silence and pain, there are signs of healing. Jaimee Foxworth is now a mother, sober, and an advocate for mental health. She has participated in limited media appearances and has received an outpouring of support from fans who remember her as Judy — and who believe she was wronged.
Her mother, while still outspoken, has also expressed hope for reconciliation.
“We’re not bitter. We’re just honest. And we want Jaimee to be seen — not just forgotten.”
Jaleel White has said he’d be open to reconnecting with Jaimee in a future project, should the opportunity arise. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but for many, even the acknowledgment would be a start.
