Podcast Summary
Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
Episode: Full House, Faith, and Fame with Candace Cameron Bure
Date: November 17, 2025
Guest: Candace Cameron Bure
Episode Overview
In this heartfelt and candid episode, Madison Prewett Troutt sits down with Candace Cameron Bure—actress, producer, best-selling author, and a staple of family television—for a wide-ranging conversation about authenticity, faith, and life in the public eye. The two discuss Candace’s start on Full House as a child actor, how her faith evolved, the challenges of maintaining convictions in Hollywood, lessons learned about marriage and motherhood, handling criticism, and her deepening purpose in storytelling. It’s a blend of nostalgia, vulnerability, practical wisdom, and spiritual encouragement.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Candace’s Journey into Acting and Full House
- Early Start: Candace began acting at age 5, mostly in commercials. Her start was serendipitous: “My mom had a friend who kept saying, ‘Your kids are so cute, let me give their picture to my agent.’ ... Before you know it, here we are.” (03:29)
- Landing “Full House” at 10: Candace was cast as D.J. Tanner. “Full House premiered in 1987… We didn’t know if we were gonna get picked up or not... but the viewers at home fell in love with this family.” (05:06)
- Child Stardom in a Different Era: Candace reflects on the simplicity of being a child actor before social media and 24/7 paparazzi: “I would not want to grow up in the spotlight at that age today. So much more pressure.” (07:02)
Finding Identity and Faith
- Early Belief: “I didn’t know who I was in Christ when I started Full House... I gave my life to Christ when I was 12, but I wasn’t fully walking in my relationship with Him until my early 20s.” (08:57)
- Family Background: Her family wasn’t openly devout, though they attended church. Eventually, each family member came to faith individually.
- Moral Boundaries: “I was a really moral kid... I was never the kid that wanted to do the risky thing... my character has always meant more to me than the success of things.” (10:53)
Staying True in Hollywood
- Navigating Crossroads: Candace frequently had to turn down roles or scripts that conflicted with her convictions: “I'd get presented a script that went against my own moral boundaries—an easy decision to say no because I genuinely just didn’t want to do those things.” (11:45)
- Peer Pressure & Comparison: She candidly describes moments of jealousy compared to peers taking different paths: “Is that how I'm supposed to transition into an adult [actor]? … You want to grow up, but I kept hearing my mom and dad in my conscience… I would never want my parents to see me this way.” (12:41 & 13:18)
The Turning Point in Her Faith
- Deepening Understanding: In her early 20s, a book from her brother—The Way of the Master—challenged her view of salvation: “For the first time in my life, I saw myself as a sinner in need of God’s grace. And I went, ‘Oh, so He did die for me.’ … My journey really began with Christ.” (18:43 & 21:28)
- Notable Quote:
“I always thought I was a really good person… I honestly didn’t understand why Jesus died for me because I thought… he died for sinners, but I’m not a sinner… It took more than 10 years for me to truly understand the gospel.” (18:43 – 22:51)
- Notable Quote:
Marriage, Motherhood, and Work-Life Balance
- Meeting Her Husband (Val): At 18, Candace met Val, a Russian NHL player, via Dave Coulier at a charity hockey game: “He learned English by watching Full House and Married With Children.” (26:41 & 27:22)
- Raising Kids: Candace took a 10-year break from acting to raise her three children while Val traveled. “I am a very driven, entrepreneurial person... but really needed to surrender that so I could be there to raise my kids.” (33:09)
- Marriage Wisdom: Prioritizing her relationship is key:
“You have to prioritize the relationship... figure out what’s important to your spouse, and they need to figure out what’s important to you.” (36:50)
- She shares a funny and insightful anecdote about her son calling out her for not meeting her husband’s love language. (39:09)
- Flexibility and Rhythms: She stresses the need for ongoing adaptation in family life, recognizing different seasons and reevaluating schedules and priorities. (36:59 & 40:44)
Navigating Criticism and Public Perception
- Facing Backlash: Candace describes receiving criticism from both secular and Christian communities, even for trivial things:
“You can’t win. You can’t please both sides… Remind people that lots of people hated Jesus—they’re not all gonna love me.” (43:43)
- Handling Online Critiques: She prefers not to argue online, letting her integrity and sometimes her fans speak for her. “I let God fight my battles a lot online… honesty is always the best policy.” (45:05 – 48:11)
- Apologizing When Appropriate: If her trusted circle points out a misstep, she owns it publicly:
“If it’s people that you trust in your circle and they say, ‘You didn’t hit the mark on that,’ then I listen.” (46:56 – 47:55)
- Ultimate Audience:
“At the end of the day I’m gonna have to give an account to one person, and that is the person that I want to please.” – Madison (50:52)
- Reference to Galatians 1:10 about pleasing God, not people.
Career Today: Producing, Acting, and Purpose
- Returning to Work: After raising her kids, Candace returned to the industry with a new focus: “What does ministry look like in the entertainment industry? How can I create content that is uplifting and pleasing to God?” (32:54 – 35:43)
- Producing Passion:
“I love acting, but producing’s always been my thing… It's putting the teams together, creating a story and the whole project from start to finish.” (54:41 – 56:11)
- Family and Faith Content:
“I've always been in family entertainment my whole life… sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is so important to me… Some of my movies just sprinkle it in there and some of them are hit you over the head with it. And I’m fine with all of the above.” (57:18)
Upcoming Projects
- Christmas Movies:
- New film Timeless Tidings of Joy—stars both Candace and her daughter Natasha. Candace time-travels to the 1940s to meet her grandmother as a young woman, played by Natasha. (59:20 – 61:47)
- Another Sweet Christmas—a sequel, in theaters November 30 – December 2. (61:47)
- Book Release: Rise and Renew, a 30-day devotional:
“It’s for the person that is hurting or feels emotional pain... 30 days to reshape your mind and really take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” (64:34)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Child Stardom:
“I would not want to grow up in the spotlight at that age today. So much more pressure.” (07:20) – Candace
- On Moral Decisions:
“My character has always meant more to me than the success of things.” (10:53) – Candace
- On Conviction:
“It’s so important to listen to your conscience. It might sound like mom and dad...but there’s a reason you keep hearing it.” (15:09) – Candace
- On the Gospel:
“For the first time in my life, I saw myself as a sinner in need of God’s grace. And I went, ‘Oh, so He did die for me.’ ... Once I did, I had such a heart full of gratitude that God would love me so much that he would save me a sinner.” (21:28) – Candace
- On Marriage:
“You really have to prioritize the relationship. Not in a superficial way of, ‘Oh, we just have to have a date night once a week,’ but, no, you need to figure out what’s important to your spouse.” (36:50) – Candace
- On People-Pleasing:
“At the end of the day I’m gonna have to give an account to one person, and that is the person that I want to please.” (50:52) – Madison
- On Producing:
“Producing’s always been my thing. It’s putting the teams together, creating a story and the whole project from start to finish.” (56:11) – Candace
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 03:29 — Candace’s childhood beginnings and landing Full House
- 05:06 — Early days of Full House and differences growing up as a child star then vs. now
- 08:57 — Faith journey: from belief to deep conviction
- 10:53 — On morality, character, and career choices
- 12:41 — Navigating peer pressure and pivotal decisions in Hollywood
- 18:43 — Turning point in understanding salvation and the gospel
- 26:41 — Meeting her husband, Val, and starting a family
- 32:54 — How Candace balanced career, motherhood, and faith, and the process of shifting her identity
- 36:50 — Marriage advice: love languages, flexibility, and intentionality
- 43:43 — Handling criticism from both secular and Christian audiences
- 46:56 — On apologizing and discernment
- 54:11 — Transition from acting to producing, and passion for family/faith content
- 59:20 — Upcoming movies and working with her daughter Natasha
- 64:34 — New devotional: Rise and Renew
Episode Tone
- Warm, relatable, and faith-driven
- Both Madison and Candace use self-deprecating humor, vulnerability, and practical examples to make spiritual truths and career lessons real and accessible.
Summary
This episode offers inspiring and grounded insight on how to “stay true” to your identity and convictions—whether you’re in Hollywood, raising a family, or navigating pressures in everyday life. Candace’s journey is rich with both struggle and joy, marked by a deepening faith and a refusal to compromise her values even when it wasn’t easy or popular. Their discussion is honest about the challenges of life in the limelight but full of hope, laughter, and practical wisdom for anyone seeking to honor faith and character in their own story.