Former ‘Full House’ star Anne Marie McEvoy never envisaged a lifetime ensconced in Hollywood’s glamor. The 48-year-old actress, most notable for her role as the ‘popular girl’ Kathy Santoni on the famous sitcom, openly admitted to her ‘Full House’ colleagues Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber that she had other ambitions, ones that lay far from the flashing camera bulbs, instead in academia.
McEvoy, discussing her acting journey on the podcast ‘How Rude, Tanneritos!’, offered, ‘Acting was never much more than a job to me in my youth, not some grand dream to pursue. Heading to college, making my own way – that held a greater pull.’ Indeed, in one of the episodes of ‘Full House’, she shared the screen with co-stars Andrea Barber and Candace Cameron Bure as their plucky friend.
Inquisitive about her daring choice to exchange the Hollywood reel for scholarly books, McEvoy made her stance clear: there had never been a shred of doubt in her mind that she was bound for an academic path. A domestic life beckoned her, as did the obtainment of a PhD and subsequent professorship – her dreams spiraled beyond the silver screen and into the hallowed halls of education.
Drawing a contrast with her Hollywood experience, McEvoy stated that she feels more at home in academic environments. Her scholarly journey began with the role she was most famous for – in several ‘heavy episodes,’ she appeared as a key character on ‘Full House’, contributing notably to the ‘Spin the Bottle’ and ‘Say No Way’ scenes that delved into the subject of drinking.
After her tenure in Hollywood, Anne Marie McEvoy made the transition to academia, bulldozing ahead to obtain her PhD in developmental and educational psychology from the University of California, Irvine in 2007. Thereafter, she locked in her position as an assistant professor of education, uniting her academic studies and experience in acting.
An interesting spin resulted from her acting career; McEvoy transported lessons from ‘Full House’ to enrich her classrooms in academia. A focus of her work revolved around ‘adolescent development,’ a subject she found clever ways to engage her students with. ‘I’ve incorporated ‘Full House’ into my course,’ she admitted during a conversation with Sweetin and Barber. ‘I find that episodes from the show serve brilliantly as case studies to discuss.’
Quite interestingly, one of her pupils chanced upon her celebrity past and recognized her from the all-time-favorite sitcom. As she recalled, students would quietly approach her after class and tentatively ask, ‘Did I see you on ‘Full House’ last night?’ She would respond with amusement, playfully reminding them, ‘You should probably spend more time studying for tomorrow’s exam than watching TV.’
The revelation of her previous ‘Full House’ involvement was not kept a secret for long; within the initial weeks of the new semester, everyone learned of her past. Instead of avoiding the obvious, McEvoy decided to embrace her acting past, letting it become an active part of her lessons. She found it eased the communication barrier between herself and her students.
To give depth to her teachings, lessons pertaining to ‘adolescent sexuality, drinking, and relationships with family and friends’ were shared utilizing examples straight from ‘Full House.’ ‘It provides a rich resource with all types of scenarios – personality development, identity formation, dealing with friends, even trivial things like trying on makeup,’ McEvoy revealed.
Although she no longer intends to resuscitate her acting career, McEvoy did momentarily step back into her original role in 2016. Fans of ‘Full House’ were given a nostalgic treat when she reprised her character, Kathy Santoni, in the modern Netflix reboot titled ‘Fuller House.’
In summary, while her journey started in the flashy world of Hollywood, Anne Marie McEvoy always knew her true destiny lay in the field of academia. Forging a career away from the glitter and glamor, she used her unique experiences to enhance her teachings, provide vivid examples, and enable richer understanding among her students.
The story of Anne Marie McEvoy serves as a powerful reminder that professional success can and does take multiple forms. That successful Hollywood actors can find fulfillment and contentment in academia is a reminder that we aren’t limited to one path or career, and achieving goals often means daring to take unexpected turns.
From ‘Full House’ to Fuller Life – McEvoy’s journey is testament to the multitude of paths one can traverse in life’s journey. A journey that began on Hollywood sound stages and led to university lecture halls, providing a singularly rich perspective on life, growth, and learning.