Jaleel White Reveals That Playing Steve Urkel Left His Voice Damaged for Years

Jaleel White (Photo: Robin L Marshall/FilmMagic)

Recently actor Jaleel White opened up about the impact his iconic character Steve Urkel had on his voice during a panel at the 90s Con 2024 in Daytona Beach. He discussed how the beloved character became famous for his high-pitched, nasal voice. However, he revealed that altering his voice for the role caused long-term damage, according to People.

"I spoke to a doctor," White explained. "What happened is during puberty, I spoke at the same pitch for extended periods of time. If the pitch had been going all over the place, I wouldn't have damaged it quite as much. It's been in remission, and I'm fine now."

White also said that he went through a period where he felt like he was really losing it.  "I would constantly get network notes like, 'We can't hear him. Please be more clear.' It was kind of a scary thing for me to go through."

He also revealed that he didn’t work with a vocal coach when developing Urkel's distinctive voice on Family Matters, which left him unprepared to protect his vocal cords during the role. White said now he works with both a vocal coach and a doctor to help manage and control the long-term effects of the damage, ensuring he maintains better vocal health moving forward. However, he did add, "I wouldn't do anything differently. It was a great experience and it was a small sacrifice to make for one hell of a legacy.”

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