Reginald VelJohnson didn't ask “Family Matters ”costar Jaleel White for advice before joining “DWTS”

"I didn’t want anybody to know I did this until I do it," the actor explains.

Reginald VelJohnson didn’t feel the need to ask his Family Matters costar Jaleel White for any advice before joining the cast of Dancing With the Stars. 

The actor, who starred as Winslow family patriarch Carl on the beloved sitcom, tells Entertainment Weekly that he kept quiet about his decision to appear on the upcoming 33rd season of the hit dance competition until its full lineup was announced last week.

“I didn’t want anybody to know I did this until I do it," VelJohnson said at a press line for the show in New York City. "I didn’t want to ask [White]. I could ask him, but he’s so busy now, you know? I decided to do it myself.”

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Related: EW reunited the cast of Family Matters — and they're ready for a series revival

VelJohnson and White starred opposite one another on Family Matters for nine seasons from 1989 until 1998, where White famously portrayed the Winslow family's nerdy next-door neighbor Steve Urkel. In 2012, White competed on season 14 of Dancing With the Stars alongside his pro partner, Kym Johnson, finishing in 8th place overall.

He may not have received any pointers from White, but VelJohnson is open to the idea of his costar — as well as the rest of the Winslow family — stopping by the show to see him perform sometime this season. “Maybe so!” He replied as he began to laugh. “It would be cool.”

VelJohnson may have shown off his smooth moves in the past on Family Matters, but the actor admitted that it took a little bit more convincing to get him into the ballroom for Dancing With the Stars. 

“My agent said, ‘Do you want to do this?’ I said, ‘No.’ Then I said, ‘Yes,’” he recalled. “I could still do it, so I decided to do it, and then they introduced me to [my pro partner, Emma Slater]. I knew I could do it then.”

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Slater, similarly, had high praise for her partner, who she described as “the nicest person” around. “It’s been amazing to see the transformation in the moves that he does when he believes in himself,” she said. “I’ll teach him a step, we'll try it over and over through the process and once he realizes,’ Oh, I can do this,’ it improves rapidly.” 

VelJohnson added, “I think I can do this. By the time the show airs, I’ll be a pro.”

Winning the Mirrorball would be a “blessing,” too. “And unexpected,” VelJohnson noted. “Because I don’t expect to go as far as...” he paused. “I love doing this show, that's all I really know. And [I'm] having fun while trying!"

Dancing With the Stars premieres on Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.