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 Kellie Shanygne WilliamsScrapbook 1992 Kellie Williams stars on "Family Matters" as Laura, the crush of the nerd-next-door, Steve Urkel. Kellie has been performing since the age of four! Her father enrolled Kellie in some neighborhood acting classes to help her overcome her shyness. "When I was younger, my personality wasn’t as outgoing as a lot of the other kids," Kellie explains. "In fact, I didn’t really talk at all, I just sort of whispered and I only even whispered to my grandmother." Needless to say, Kellie’s enrollment in acting classes worked like a charm; she came out of her shell and found a career to boot. Kellie’s first professional job following her training was in an insurance commercial. "It was so much fun, everyone was so nice ... I think I fell in love with acting right then and there!" From that very first commercial, Kellie’s career in show business began to blossom. She worked a lot in professional theater, in such shows as "Butterfinger’s Angel" and "The Colored Museum." Her all-time favorite theatrical role was in "Joe Turner’s Come And Gone." Kellie fondly recalls her experience performing in the famous August Wilson play. "There was just something special about that part ... then again, it was the most amazing play!" Kellie’s other professional credits include the films "Suspect" and "Men Don’t Leave" and the television specials "Luther’s Choice" and "Celebration In Honor Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." She also runway-modeled for several years and is an aspiring singer. Kellie was born in Washington, D.C., and currently resides with her parents and younger siblings, Marti (age 10) and Donte (age 9), in a suburb forty-five minutes outside the nation’s capital. She is a graduate of the Prince Georges County School for the Arts, where she was recently inducted into their hall of fame for outstanding achievement. Kellie currently attends Central Senior High and is in the tenth grade. Kellie loves getting the chance to re-enroll in "regular school" when the show allows and says "the kids back at school really accept me." Her favorite subject is math, which she calls "the best!"
For Kellie, working on "Family Matters" represents the continuing pursuit of her acting dream. She feels the show is special because of the relationships the cast enjoys off the screen. "Off-screen we are all just like a family and obviously on screen we are a family. So I think that the warmth just comes through the screen," Kellie explains. "I just think people can relate to the relationships we all have." In fact, the warm family-like atmosphere on the set and the close ralationships the cast has formed off-set is Kellie’s favorite thing about working on the series. She describes it as "having a second family" and calls her co-star Telma Hopkins "the neatest person I’ve met in show business so far ... she is such a cool, nice, funny lady!" Kellie openly admits that although she adores the show and everyone connected with it, there is one thing that’s not so easy. "Sometimes it’s hard being a child in an adult world," Kellie says. "Sometimes it can be hard to act mature all the time. You have to work, be on time, know your lines ... all those things ... sometimes that can be hard." Even though it’s tough to work so hard, the rewards far outweigh all the work. Kellie loves the show and adores the fact that it continues to depict solid family relationships and good family-oriented values. Kellie’s favorite episode so far is the one where pop star Johnny Gill appeared as himself. She smiles. "That was really fun for me ... really great." Ask her for the inside scoop about which of her fellow cast members is most and least like their television counterpart and she spills the beans! Seems Darius is lots like his character, Eddie. "It’s the whole girl thing – he loves girls!" she laughs. And who’s the least like their character? "Jaleel!" she screams. Considering what Steve Urkel’s like, that’s probably a very good thing! And what about Kellie; how
much is she like the love of the Urkel-meister’s
life, Laura Winslow? Kellie thinks a minute. "Definitely
very similar. We’re both East Coast women, and they’re
definitely very strong and ambitious. Laura knows what
she wants and has a good idea of what her life is going
to be like. She’s very much like me!"
Name: Kellie
Shanygne Williams Little-known Kellie
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