Full House star Jodie Sweetin has fully embraced her lasting connection to the role that made her famous — Stephanie Tanner — saying she’s “really okay” with being known forever as the iconic middle child of the beloved sitcom family.
The 43-year-old actress, who was just five when Full House first aired in 1987, reflected on her career and legacy in a new interview with People.
“I will be Stephanie Tanner forever. And I’ve come to be really okay with that over the last 20 years,” she said.
Sweetin reprised her role in the 2016 Netflix reboot Fuller House, which ran until 2020, and she credits the sequel for revitalizing her acting career and giving her a second wind in Hollywood.
“I kind of walked away from the business at some point in my late 20s… and I was totally fine. I was happy.
I would’ve continued on that, but getting the chance to come back and do Fuller House and bring Stephanie back to life was amazing and wonderful.”
Child Star Struggles and Finding Her Own Lane
Like many former child actors, Sweetin faced the challenge of being typecast. She compared her experience to others like Jodie Foster and Dakota Fanning — stars who had to work hard to be seen as more than their childhood roles.
“For a while, people only think that you’re capable of the thing that they’ve come to see you as.”
But now, Sweetin says she’s found joy in carving a more versatile path. While she’s still affectionately called “Stephanie” by fans, she doesn’t mind the association that helped define her career.
“I get to do what I do and continue to do it 37, 38 years later because people fell in love with Stephanie.
I’m not mad at that.”
Hallmark and Beyond: Showing Range
Since Fuller House, Sweetin has branched into roles on the Hallmark Channel, with fan-favorite movies like Finding Santa and The Heiress and the Handyman, and she appreciates that her fan base has followed her every step of the way.
“Our fans have been so wonderful and followed us through our whole careers.
I have a really incredible fan base that’s excited to see me do something different.”
From child star to seasoned actress, Jodie Sweetin is proving that while she’ll always be remembered as Stephanie Tanner, her story doesn’t stop there — and she’s perfectly fine with that.
