Kellie Williams is once again trending—but this time, it has less to do with reruns of Family Matters and more to do with how the actress looks today.
According to the Atlanta Black Star, Williams recently shared a short video on social media to spotlight a creative milestone for her longtime friend Tanya Wright, who is launching a new series connected to her children’s book universe, Hairiette of Harlem.
While the post was meant to amplify Wright’s work, many viewers zeroed in on Williams herself, sparking a wave of surprised reactions across comment sections.
In the video, Williams appears seated and comfortably dressed, wearing a loose multicolored dress. Her hair—previously styled in a dark pixie cut—is now gray, still cropped short but worn with a more natural, slightly tousled finish.
The change caught the attention of fans who hadn’t seen the actress in a while and were more familiar with her as Laura Winslow, the teenage character she played throughout Family Matters’ nine-season run in the 1990s.
Some commenters admitted they didn’t immediately recognize her. “Is that Laura Winslow?” one person wrote, while another added, “Omg this can’t be the Laura that I grew up watching.”
Williams, who is now 49, has spoken publicly in recent years about significant health challenges. In 2022, she revealed that she had suffered a stroke years earlier while sharing her story during a live discussion at The Gloucester Institute, a Virginia-based nonprofit. Recalling the recovery process, she described relearning everyday tasks and regaining confidence after months of physical limitations.
“I had a stroke some years ago… I was like sitting there really like drooling, the whole thing,” Williams said at the event, before explaining how small moments with her family helped push her forward. “But you got to get it, and once you do it you realize, ‘Hey, it’s nothing wrong with me, I can do those things.’”
The video that sparked renewed attention was intended to support Wright, an actress and Harvard Graduate School of Education alum whose Hairiette book series blends storytelling with literacy development.
The franchise centers on a 7-year-old girl with magical hair who navigates real-life challenges through imagination, supported by companion curriculum materials, puppet performances, and upcoming chapter books now rolling out nationwide.