If you grew up in the late eighties or early nineties, your Friday nights probably involved a bowl of cereal and the iconic San Francisco skyline. You remember the hair. You definitely remember the catchphrases. But mostly, you remember the eldest Tanner daughter. Most people asking who played DJ on Full House already know the name Candace Cameron Bure, yet they rarely know how she actually landed the role or the strange, high-pressure reality of growing up in front of thirty million people every week.
It wasn't just a job.
Candace was only ten years old when she stepped onto the set of the Miller-Boyett production. Think about that for a second. While most of us were struggling with long division or trying to ride a bike without falling into a hedge, she was hitting marks and delivering punchlines alongside stand-up comedy veterans.
The Audition That Changed Everything
Getting the part wasn't some predestined fluke because her brother, Kirk Cameron, was already a massive star on Growing Pains. Honestly, it was almost the opposite. The producers were wary of casting "the little sister." They wanted someone who felt like a real kid, not a Hollywood brat.
Candace showed up with a certain level of normalcy that was rare in the mid-eighties child actor circuit. She wasn't overly polished. She was just... DJ. The chemistry between her and Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie) and the Olsen twins (Michelle) was immediate. That’s the secret sauce. You can’t fake sibling energy, and Candace anchored that trio with a big-sister energy that felt grounded even when the plots got a little "sitcom wacky."
During the pilot, things were shaky. The show wasn't an instant hit. Critics actually kind of hated it at first, calling it derivative. But the audience saw something in the Tanner family. Specifically, they saw a girl growing up. We watched DJ Tanner go from a middle-schooler dealing with "mean girls" to a high school senior going to prom with Steve Hale.
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Growing Up in the Tanner House
Acting is weird. Imagine your first kiss being filmed in front of a live studio audience and fifty crew members. That’s what happened to the girl who played DJ on Full House. Every awkward phase, every bad haircut (and there were many, thanks to late-eighties trends), and every voice crack was archived for eternity.
Candace has spoken openly about the pressure of this era. She wasn't just playing a character; she was a role model for a generation of girls. When DJ Tanner struggled with body image in that famous "fasting" episode—the one where she skips meals to look good in a bathing suit—it wasn't just a script. It mirrored real conversations happening in households across America.
- She worked 10-hour days.
- She had three hours of mandatory schooling on set.
- The cast became a second family, for better or worse.
- Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, and John Stamos weren't just "co-stars"; they were the chaotic uncles who kept the mood light during grueling tapings.
The bond was real. You see it in the way they still talk about each other today. When Bob Saget passed away in 2022, the grief shared by Candace and her castmates wasn't for the cameras. It was for the man who helped raise them in a soundstage in Burbank.
The Steve Hale Factor and Teen Stardom
You can't talk about who played DJ on Full House without mentioning Scott Weinger. As Steve Hale, he was the ultimate nineties boyfriend. Their on-screen romance was the heart of the later seasons. It was innocent, a bit goofy, and incredibly relatable.
But behind the scenes, Candace was navigating a transition that kills most child stars' careers: the end of the show. When Full House wrapped in 1995 after eight seasons, she was 19. Most child actors disappear at that point. They burn out or get lost in the "where are they now" files of E! True Hollywood Stories.
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Candace took a different route. She married NHL star Valeri Bure at age 20 (introduced by Dave Coulier, of all people) and shifted her focus. She didn't leave the industry entirely, but she chose to step back and prioritize her personal life. This hiatus is why some younger fans only know her from the revival, Fuller House, forgetting she spent a decade as the "Queen of Hallmark" movies in the interim.
The Fuller House Revival: A Second Act
In 2016, Netflix did something that seemed like a fever dream: they brought the whole gang back. Well, almost the whole gang (shoutout to the Olsens for staying in the fashion world).
In Fuller House, the actress who played DJ on Full House took center stage. The dynamic flipped. Now, DJ was the widowed mother raising three boys in the same iconic house. It was meta. It was nostalgic. It was, for many critics, too sugary. But the fans didn't care. The show ran for five seasons because people wanted to see that the girl they grew up with turned out okay.
Seeing Candace back in that kitchen, wearing those oversized sweaters (updated for the 2010s), felt like a warm blanket for Millennials. She took on a more active role this time, even producing and directing episodes. She wasn't just the kid anymore; she was the boss.
Why the Role of DJ Tanner Still Matters
There’s a reason we still care about who played DJ on Full House. The show represented a specific kind of "comfort TV" that doesn't really exist anymore. It was earnest. It was safe. In an era of gritty reboots and dark dramas, the Tanner family remains a cultural touchstone of wholesome values.
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Candace Cameron Bure has become a polarizing figure for some due to her outspoken religious and political views, but her impact on television history is undeniable. She played a character that grew up alongside her audience.
- She proved child stars could survive the industry with their sanity intact.
- She maintained a 30-year friendship with her entire cast.
- She helped define the "big sister" archetype for a generation.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the history of the show, I’d suggest watching the "Behind the Scenes" specials from the Season 8 DVD sets. They show the raw footage of the final taping, and you can see the genuine tears on Candace’s face. It wasn't just the end of a show; it was the end of her childhood.
Actionable Steps for Full House Fans
If you're feeling nostalgic, don't just stop at a Google search. Here is how to actually engage with the legacy of the show:
- Watch the "Secret" Pilot: Seek out the unaired pilot of Full House. Most people don't know that a different actor, John Posey, originally played Danny Tanner. Seeing how the cast interacts with him versus Bob Saget makes it clear why Saget was essential to the show's chemistry.
- Check Out "How Rude, Tanneritos": This is a podcast hosted by Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber (Kimmy Gibbler). They recap episodes and give the actual "inside baseball" on what was happening on set while Candace was filming.
- Visit the House: If you're in San Francisco, the house at 1709 Broderick Street is a private residence, but you can view it from the sidewalk. Just be respectful—people actually live there!
- Compare the Eras: Watch the Season 1 finale and the Fuller House series finale back-to-back. The parallels in the dialogue and blocking are a masterclass in nostalgic television writing.
The story of the girl who played DJ on Full House is ultimately one of longevity. In an industry that eats its young, Candace Cameron Bure stayed relevant for nearly forty years by embracing the character that made her famous rather than running away from it. Whether you love the show for its cheesiness or its heart, DJ Tanner remains the definitive TV big sister.