John Stamos and Lori Loughlin may be best known as Jesse and Becky from “Full House”, but their real-life history began at an awards show years prior.
During a panel at ’90s Con on Sunday, October 18, Loughlin recalled that she first met Stamos while presenting an award for which he was nominated. Unfortunately for the future “Full House” star, he didn’t take home the trophy.
“That’s how we met because I was the presenter of the category he was up for,” Loughlin explained. “He didn’t win. Darnell Williams won from ‘All My Children.'”
According to Soap Opera Digest, the award in question was for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series at the 1983 Emmy Awards. Apparently, Stamos wasn’t thrilled with how the moment played out.
“And till this day, he’s like, ‘You couldn’t have said John Stamos?'” Loughlin recalled, laughing about her costar’s lingering complaint.
’90s Con Reminiscing
According to Loughlin, the hard feelings have lingered for more than three decades.
The Hallmark star added, “He’s still mad at me — he wanted me to say his name, but I said the actual winner. And he was like, ‘Why did you do that?'”
But that wasn’t the only memorable first impression the actors made on each other. Before Loughlin officially joined “Full House” as Rebecca Donaldson, the character who would eventually marry Stamos’ Jesse Katsopolis, the pair had already done some readings together.
Stamos recalled being unsure about Loughlin’s potential as his love interest.
“Lori came on at first—because I think we did some readings together—and I told [producers] like, ‘I don’t know, I mean, she’s cute. And she’s adorable, but I don’t think she’s tough enough to put Jesse in his place,'” he said during the ’90s Con panel.
However, that doubt didn’t last long.
“Scene 1, she came and put me in my place fast. She had the perfect combination of this adorable sweet girl, but then when it was time for me to get in trouble, you had no problem.”
Loughlin, of course, was ultimately cast opposite Stamos. The pair, along with costars Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, would bring joy to viewers’ screens for eight seasons.
Most of the cast later reunited for the sequel series, “Fuller House,” which premiered on Netflix in 2016.
The One That Got Away
Stamos and Loughlin have maintained a close friendship for decades, but their relationship never turned romantic.
The pair have spoken fondly about their longtime friendship, with Stamos previously describing Loughlin as “the one that got away.”
The actors had known each other before the sitcom and even went on a date to Disneyland when they were younger. But, as they later explained, their romantic timing never aligned.
“We were great friends … and we have chemistry. I was actually married at the time I was doing the show and then I got divorced, and when I got divorced he met Rebecca and he got married,” she told Huffington Post in 2013. “So our timing was just really off so I don’t think it really even entered our minds that it would be something more.”
Their real-life friendship nevertheless translated into an easy chemistry onscreen, helping make Jesse and Becky a fan-favorite couple.
“We did have some off timing,” Stamos said in a separate 2013 interview with the Huffington Post, per Us Weekly. “But no disrespect to her family and her husband now, I would say that she could be the one that got away.”
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John Stamos Is ‘Still Mad’ at Lori Loughlin 40 Years After Their Awkward First Meeting