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Family Matters character guide

Who is Laura Winslow in Family Matters?

The smart, ambitious elder daughter of the Winslow family and the endlessly pursued object of Steve Urkel's affection, who spends years saying no before finally falling for him.

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Show
Family Matters
Debut
1989
Network
ABC
Role
Main
Gender
Female

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Show
Family Matters
Played by
Kellie Shanygne Williams
First episode
“The Mama Who Came to Dinner”Season 1, Episode 1, aired September 22, 1989
Role
Main cast
Network
ABC
Occupation
Honor student, then college student
Show run
1989 to 1998Moved to CBS for its final season.
Also known as
Laura Lee Winslow, Laura Lee, Laura

Laura Winslow is a straight-A student with big plans and one very persistent next-door neighbor. Played by Kellie Shanygne Williams for all nine seasons of Family Matters, she is the girl next door Steve Urkel cannot stop pursuing.

On Family Matters, Laura Winslow's story runs through Steve Urkel (Fiance), Carl Winslow (Father), and Eddie Winslow (Brother).

Other ABC sitcom characters from around the same time include Al Borland (Home Improvement) and D.J. Tanner (Full House).

Laura Winslow from Family Matters: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Laura Winslow?

Laura is the middle child of Carl and Harriette Winslow, a Chicago family whose home becomes ground zero for Steve Urkel's chaos. She is a driven student who is upset by anything less than an A, joins the cheerleading squad, and dreams of becoming a lawyer. Her older brother, Eddie, is the family's lovable slacker, and her approach to school could not be more different.

From the moment Steve arrives in the first season, Laura is the center of his universe. He serenades her, asks her out again and again, and follows her everywhere, and for years she wants nothing more than for the nerd next door to leave her alone.

Personality and comedy

In the early seasons Laura is a bit vain and a bit of a know-it-all, quick to tease her siblings and drawn to good-looking, popular boys. Many of those boyfriends turn out to be trouble, and more than once it is Steve who exposes them. Her exasperated reactions to Steve's latest stunt are a fixture of the show.

As she matures, Laura becomes kinder and wiser, and she starts to appreciate how often Steve has shown up for her and her family. The writers let her friendship with him deepen slowly, which makes her eventual change of heart feel earned.

Key storylines

Steve invents a way to win Laura over in season five, creating a smooth, handsome alter ego named Stefan Urquelle. Laura falls for Stefan, and in season six the two even get engaged during a family trip to Walt Disney World, until she admits she sabotaged his transformation chamber to keep him from changing back. Over time she comes to see that Steve's kindness matters more than Stefan's charm. In season seven she is accepted to Harvard but quietly passes on it when she sees her parents cannot afford it, choosing a school closer to home.

In the final season, Laura's feelings for the real Steve finally catch up with his for her. They become a couple, and when both Steve and Stefan propose, she chooses Steve and accepts his proposal. When Steve makes it home from a disastrous space mission in the series finale, she greets him with a kiss.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Kellie Shanygne Williams was part of the main cast from the first episode, when the show was still a family sitcom spun off from Perfect Strangers, through the move from ABC to CBS for the ninth and final season. As Steve Urkel became the show's breakout star, his pursuit of Laura powered many of its plots.

The slow-burn Laura and Steve storyline gave the show a running thread across nine seasons of rejections, and their engagement in the final weeks gave it a payoff.

Key Laura Winslow episodes

  1. “The Quilt”Season 1, Episode 11Laura sells a quilt that Grandma Winslow treasures as a family heirloom.
  2. “Laura's First Date”Season 1, Episode 12Laura's dance date plans lead to the first appearance of Steve Urkel.
  3. “Dr. Urkel and Mr. Cool”Season 5, Episode 8Steve becomes Stefan Urquelle to win Laura, but she ends up asking for the nerd back.
  4. “We're Going to Disney World, Part 2”Season 6, Episode 23Laura's engagement to Stefan collapses after she admits sabotaging his machine.
  5. “Twinkle Toes Faldo”Season 7, Episode 20Laura gives up her Harvard dream when she learns her family cannot pay for it.
  6. “Pop Goes the Question”Season 9, Episode 20Torn between Steve and Stefan, Laura accepts Steve's marriage proposal.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Famous sitcom couple

Laura Winslow: frequently asked questions

Who plays Laura Winslow on Family Matters?

Kellie Shanygne Williams plays Laura for the show's entire run, from 1989 on ABC to the 1998 finale on CBS.

Do Laura and Steve Urkel end up together?

Yes. They become a couple in the final season, and Laura accepts Steve's proposal in "Pop Goes the Question," the third-to-last episode.

Who is Stefan Urquelle?

Stefan is Steve's suave alter ego, created with a transformation potion in the season five episode "Dr. Urkel and Mr. Cool." Stefan returns in later seasons, and Laura's attraction to him is a running storyline until she finally chooses the real Steve.

Did Laura go to Harvard?

No. She is accepted to Harvard in season seven but turns it down because her parents cannot afford the tuition, and she studies closer to home instead.

Do Laura and Steve get married on Family Matters?

They get engaged near the end of the series, but the show ends before a wedding takes place.

Test yourself: Laura Winslow quiz

5 questions about Laura Winslow. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    Which member of the Winslow family is the object of Steve Urkel's endless affection?

    1. Judy
    2. Rachel
    3. Laura
    4. Harriette
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Laura

    Steve is devoted to Laura from his very first episode, even though she spends years turning him down. His persistence is the heart of the series.

    See question 4 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    What is the name of Steve's smooth, confident alter ego?

    1. Stefan Urquelle
    2. Steven Urkelle
    3. Stephan Cool
    4. Urkel Smooth
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Stefan Urquelle

    Steve first turns into Stefan with a potion in "Dr. Urkel and Mr. Cool." Laura falls hard for Stefan, which makes things very complicated.

    See question 6 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    In which episode does Steve Urkel first appear?

    1. The Quilt
    2. Laura's First Date
    3. The Big Fix
    4. Marriage 101
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Laura's First Date

    Carl recruits the nerdy neighbor to take Laura to a dance, while Eddie lines up one of his own friends. Laura is mortified when she finds out, but Steve is smitten from that night on.

    See question 8 in the full quiz

  4. Question 4

    What does Steve build to win a computer for Laura in a robotics contest?

    1. Urkelbot
    2. RoboSteve
    3. The Nerdinator
    4. Cyber-Urkel
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Urkelbot

    In "Robo-Nerd," Urkelbot develops a mind of its own and fixates on Laura. Steve later rebuilds it as a crime-fighting robot.

    See question 16 in the full quiz

  5. Question 5

    Whose marriage proposal does Laura finally accept in "Pop Goes the Question"?

    1. Stefan Urquelle
    2. Curtis Williams
    3. Ted
    4. Steve Urkel
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Steve Urkel

    Laura has proposals from both Steve and Stefan and cannot choose. Only when Steve decides to leave for Russia to join his parents does she realize he is the one, and she accepts.

    See question 18 in the full quiz

Take the full Family Matters quiz (20 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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