Kellie Shanygne Williams is best known for her role as Laura Winslow on the iconic ’90s family sitcomFamily Matters, but she’s more stunning than ever at 50.
Williams, who turns 50 on March 22, took on the role of Laura Winslow on the beloved TV series in 1989, when she was just 13 years old. The show, which also starred Reginald VelJohnson, Jo Marie Payton, and Jaleel White, told the story of a Black Chicago family helmed by a loving father, Carl Winslow, a police officer. White, of course, rose to superstardom as the nerdy next-door neighbor Steve Urkel. However, it was always Williams in the role of Laura who played a stabilizing force on the series.
In celebration of her 50th birthday on Sunday, Williams took to Instagram to share a photo of herself looking stunning in a black crop top and oversized hat.
“Feeling so blessed today. Thank you all for the incredible love, messages, and support on my 50th birthday. My heart is truly full. ❤️ I’m grateful for my amazing family and friends who continue to pour into me, lift me up, and walk with me through every season. Your kindness means more than you know. Here’s to growth, joy, gratitude, and the beautiful journey ahead!” she captioned the stunning shot.
Is There a Family Matters Podcast?
Yes! Williams and her co-star, Telma Hopkins, who played Rachel, the sister of Harriette Winslow and aunt to Laura, recently started a podcast called Welcome to the Family with Telma and Kellie.
In a statement, Williams opened up about why she and Hopkins decided to create a podcast about making the iconic show.
“To this day, ‘Family Matters’ is one of the most-streamed sitcoms, and it is an honor for me to be able to go back in time and remember what it was like as a kid to grow up on the show and go through some of the same things my character, Laura Winslow, did,” Williams shared, Variety reported. “Not to mention doing it with my surrogate mom, Telma, who’s become one of my closest friends and is really another member of my family, as well as reconnecting with fans and hearing how the show impacted them. We hope fans enjoy listening to these episodes as much as we have enjoyed making them!”
Here’s a quick taste of the podcast:
Will There Be a Family Matters Reboot?
Maybe! Bryton James, who played Richie Crawford on the series, told Entertainment Weekly that he’s “had an idea to take the show and turn it into an animated series.” It would involve “taking the old episodes and modernizing them and kind of starting from scratch for the new generation.”
Now a star on Beyond the Gates, James said the fate of the idea is “sitting in Warner Bros.’ hands right now… That plan is still kind of floating around out there, and I’m still trying to pursue it.”
We’ll keep our fingers crossed!