Full House stands the test of time as one of the best sitcoms of all time. The fan-favorite TGIF series is still being binged by those with a Hulu subscription, but that’s only one of the reasons why it’s still loved today. Much of the Full House cast is close even after over three decades, which makes sense given that they were basically a family during filming, not just on-screen. While the series was a great experience, Candace Cameron Bure admits that’s not always the case.
Bure is one of many former child stars still acting today, as most of her time is spent on GAF these days. She began acting at just six years old, with her big break coming when she was 11 with Full House. It’s not easy being a child actor, between the long hours, not really being with children your age, and sometimes having not a great support system, it can take a toll on you. Per Bure, the experience can either be great or terrible, and it all depends on what kind of parents you have. As she told Us Weekly:
I’ve always said for years, I’ve said it really is dependent upon your parents because they’re the ones that are making the decisions for their child. And when you have parents that are looking out for your well-being over stardom, that’s going to make all of the difference. That’s why you can be in entertainment and have a great experience.
A lot of child stars have spoken up about their own experiences, whether good or bad. Following Hayden Panettiere’s death, many more are speaking out about what their upbringing was like and how their parents were while in the limelight. Despite acting at a very young age, Bure shared that Full House was a “great” experience for her, and it helped that she was not only surrounded by other kids but also had great parents:
That was the case for me. And I can easily say that that was the same experience for the other people or the other kids when we were all kids on Full House. We had a great experience. We all had really good grounded parents, and they made good choices for us.
It’s refreshing to know that Bure had such a great time on Full House because growing up on such a popular sitcom like that can be daunting. Hearing that she had an appropriate support system in her parents, who were good to her, definitely helped. Unfortunately, a lot of child actors can’t say that they had that kind of experience, and sometimes, it also depends on when you’re growing up in the industry:
Everyone’s experience is so different, and I think the time in your life, the decade that you’re a child actor, has something to do with it. As someone who grew up on television in the ’80s and ’90s is a very different experience from what it is today.
I can only imagine how different Bure’s experience would have been had she not hit the parents jackpot or wasn’t surrounded by other kids on the set of Full House. While things may be different today than they were a few decades ago, it’s clear that child stars still have it a bit tough. There are more plans in place these days than before, such as laws protecting child actors on set and with their bank accounts, but there are still more opportunities for improvement.
She also believes that today’s child stars should “be cautious of the people you surround yourself with,” which honestly applies for everyone, and not just child stars. The people you surround yourself with can have a lot of influence on you, good or bad. And your life can go in any direction depending on how you act, both literally and figuratively.
