Jaleel White Says Playing Steve Urkel Damaged His Voice: ‘It’s Fine Now’
The actor said he didn't have a vocal coach to help him protect his voice.
Jaleel White has revealed that playing the iconic role of Steve Urkel on Family Matters damaged his voice.
On Sunday, White pulled up as a guest speaker for a panel at 90s Con 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida, and he reflected on his career as an actor on Family Matters. On the show, he became popular as Steve Urkel, the nerdy next-door neighbor who annoyed the Winslow family on a regular basis.
As Urkel, White had to alter his voice to give the iconic character his own style, which included a high nasal tone. According to White, his voice was "damaged" as a result.
"I spoke to a doctor," he 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 added that he went through a period where he "felt like I 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."
White also stated that he didn't know how to protect his voice as he didn't work with a vocal coach while acting as Urkel. However, he now has one as well as a doctor who assists him in keeping his voice "under control" while adding that he appreciated the breakout role.
