Spotlight On: Candace Cameron Bure

Currently co-starring in the ABC Family Channel hit series Make It or Break It, Candace Cameron Bure has had a long television and film career. Candace started off as a child actor in the 1980’s working on such TV shows as Alice, St. Elsewhere and T.J. Hooker. This quickly led to work in feature films like Little Spies with Mickey Rooney, Some Kind of Wonderful with Eric Stoltz and Mary Stuart Masterson and Punchline with Tom Hanks and Sally Field. With those actors as role models and the encouragement of her brother, Kirk Cameron, Candace continued to take the comedy world by storm, with guest appearances on Growing Pains and Who’s the Boss.

Candace as D.J. Tanner on 'Full House'

Then in 1987, she landed the role of a lifetime as D.J. Tanner on the family comedy Full House. Working for 8 years alongside Bob Saget, John Stamos and Dave Coulier, Candace only continued to shine and garnered six award nominations for her finely-nuanced portrayal of the eldest Tanner daughter. In 1994, she also won a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards as Favorite Television Actress for her role on Full House.

Before the former Disney pop-starlets took over in a flash of paparazzi lights, Candace was the go-to girl of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. She was a fine example of clean, exemplary young adult life and won the hearts of millions of fans. Seeking to continue making a strong role model for young women, Candace followed-up her work on Full House with cutting-edge, female empowering roles in such made for television films as No One Would Tell, She Cried No, and NightScream.

After an extended break to focus on her family commitments, Candace returned to television in 2007 with a quick appearance in That’s So Raven. She then did two films, The Wager with Randy Travis and Moonlight and Mistletoe with Tom Arnold, before landing the role of Summer in the ABC Family series Make It or Break It.

Married and mom of three, Candace returns to star in 'Make It Or Break It'.

Make It or Break It focuses on the lives of four young Olympic hopeful gymnasts, with Candace playing the former fianceé of one of the girls’ fathers. While her role was initially constrained to being the “other woman,” as the show continued, Candace’s character become more of a mother-substitute, mentor and friend. Candace’s natural grace and strength of character won out and she continues to portray a strong role model for young women today. She is a pleasure to watch and fun to root for and we can only hope that the series continues to exploit all of her natural talents.

Make It or Break It airs on Monday nights at 9/8c on ABC Family Channel, returning for the second half of its debut season on January 4, 2010. You can also follow Candace on Twitter.