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Candace Cameron Bure: All Grown Up
She played little D.J. Tanner on the hit sitcom Full House. Today she's all grown up. Read how Candace Cameron Bure made the tough choice between career and being a stay-at-home mother.
by Nicole D. Smith
October 2, 2008
W
e all saw little Candace Cameron Bure grow up, playing the role of cute, lovable D.J.
Tanner on the sitcom
Full House in the '80s and 90s. Now she's is a 32-year-old woman with little ones of her
own, raising her three children in Fort Lauderdale, FL along side of husband Valeri Bure, a former
hockey player. Having been in the TV spotlight since the tender age of five, the actress made a
decision many professional, businesswomen face every day: whether to be a working mother or a
stay-at-home mom. And despite achieving the Hollywood dream, this Los Angeles native decided to do
what she felt called to do; she gave up the glamorous television lifestyle, changing her focus to
being a devoted wife and mother. Cameron Bure spoke to
Atlanta Woman
during a recent visit to the A-T-L about the major decision that brought about huge change
for her life, and other tell-all tidbits.
Atlanta Woman: Was it awkward growing up on television?
Candace Cameron Bure: Absolutely! When my body changed, I had millions of people
to watch. Yeah, there were definitely uncomfortable moments. It wasn't always fun.
AW: Most people would've loved to have the opportunity you had growing up. After
all, you were on a major sitcom,
Full House, something most professional actors don't ever get to do. But I hear you
constantly say, 'I decided to be a full time mom.' Why did you decide to slow down your acting
career?
Cameron Bure: Family is always priority. And [when I was growing up] career wasn't
emphasized much. I knew when I had children how important it was. I wanted to be a mom like my
mother was to us. ... The world teaches us women should be more than just moms. And we can be more
than moms, but being a mom is so incredibly important. We have the privilege of being a mother.
That's why all of the glitz, glamour and the lure of the business weren't as enticing in a sense
than to be a stay-at-home mom.
AW: Did you go through withdrawal after giving up your acting career?
Cameron Bure: Yes, definitely. It was difficult for having worked for so long and
then just being thrown in to marriage and motherhood. It was something that I wanted, but yes, it
was a difficult transition because I didn't know so much about just being a mom and a wife. And I
was used to going to work everyday since I was five years old. It was a difficult transition, and
it was hard for the first couple of years until I just kind of caught my balance and found my
groove.
AW: What's not so glamorous about acting?
Cameron Bure: I think the thing that most people are surprised about in the
business is how much you wait around, which isn't fun. You can be on the set for 12 hours or 14
hours and you might end up getting one scene done. ... You might do one or two takes. Then you'll
sit and what for an hour while they change the lighting. And there's a lot of 'Hurry up, get ready
and wait!' And that is not very glamorous! (Laughs) People [always say], "This is really boring.
All you do is sit around.' And it's a lot of sitting around. And that's not so [fun].
AW: How much business acumen do you need to be an actress in Hollywood?
Cameron Bure: (Laughs) I don't know that you have to have business smarts to be an
actress. You have to have some amount of talent to be an actress, but an education isn't required
for acting. You definitely have to study the craft, and you have to put a lot of work and effort
into it. ... You have to have good people around you, good solid business people around you.
AW: All of the roles I've seen you play portray you as so sweet and lovable. How
close is that to your real personality? Are we getting the real deal?
Cameron Bure: (Laughs) It's all a lie! It's a complete lie! You tell me! I'm a
horribly mean person. I'm an incredibly mean person and incredibly selfish. (Giggles)
Well, I like to say that it's genuine. I'm speaking tonight because it's something
that I want to do and want to share from my heart, and not because I need to or have been told to.
But just out of a heart's desire. I love life and being happy. I'm just a happy person. I love
smiling! It's better to experience life that way.
AW: How do your children react to you being so well known?
Cameron Bure: They're very cool with it. It's kind of exciting for them at times.
Every once in a while, it's annoying. We're trying to do something and people keep coming up.
(Laughs) But that doesn't happen that often. For the most part I think they're proud of me and
think it's exciting. But they don't like that to be a focus when we're out and about. But I'm
really just they're mom.
AW: Are you friends with any of the cast that you worked with on
Full House?
Cameron Bure: I still keep in touch with mostly everyone. Not Mary Kate and
Ashley. They're the only ones I don't really talk to, but everyone else I keep in touch with.
AW: What's next for you?
Cameron Bure: (Pauses) Whatever God wants me to do. [I take it] one day at a time.
But I love being a mom. That's always my priority, and also being a wife. I started acting again in
the last year or so. I did a film called
The Wager that was recently released on DVD with Randy Travis. I just finished a TV movie
for the Hallmark Channel called
Moonlight & Mistletoe with Tom Arnold. And that will be airing November 29th. So, I'm
starting to do a little acting. So I'll guess I'll continue to speak and share.
Candace Camerion Bure recently sat down with
Atlanta Woman before a speaking engagement at First Baptist Church Atlanta.
Currently she travels the country speaking and giving her testimony as a former Hollywood actress
and her family life now.
