Candace Cameron-Bure admits she didn’t want a last-minute cameo from the Olsen twins as Michelle in Fuller House’s final season. After five seasons, Netflix’s Full House spinoff wrapped up its run earlier this month by rolling out the remaining nine episodes from its farewell year. The show ends on a high note with Tanner sisters, DJ (Cameron-Bure) and Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), as well as their long-time friend and neighbor Kimmy Gibbler’s (Andrea Barber) triple wedding. The celebration is both funny and emotional as the older cast, Danny (Bob Saget), Jesse (John Stamos), and Joey (Dave Coulier), are all in attendance. If Michelle had showed up then the occasion could’ve also served as an original cast reunion – unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
The younger Tanner sister never made any appearance in Fuller House after Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen refused to reprise their Full House role as they had moved on from acting. It’s not for lack of trying, though, because the show’s creatives reportedly reached out repeatedly, but each time they were turned down. To work their way around Michelle’s absence, Fuller House immediately gave an explanation for why Michelle doesn’t appear in the first season – apparently, she’s now based in New York running her own fashion empire, referencing the twins’ current real-life job as owners of fashion labels The Row and Elizabeth & James.
Speaking with US Weekly on the heels of Fuller House ending, Cameron-Bure was asked if she ever hoped that the Olsens would send a video or anything else to allow Michelle to factor in the wedding. The actress, who also served a producer of the show, straightforwardly said that she wasn’t hoping for something like that. For her, her former co-stars repeated refusal to join the project is already enough indication that they do not have any intentions of revisiting their old Full House role.
“There was no part of me that was wanting that. They just were clear in the early seasons. I do love that there is quite a funny line in the second to last episode that addresses it.”
Throughout the spin-off sequel’s run, Fuller House had several references to the character following its main explanation of why she’s nowhere to be found. That being said, most of them are jabs at the Olsens for not partaking in the project. Like their final joke about Michelle that confirmed why she does’t appear in the Fuller House finale, with those delivering the punchline looking straight to the camera, as if breaking the fourth wall. Aside from this type of reference, the youngest Tanner is barely mentioned in the series. In fact, even as her sisters DJ and Stephanie prepare for their wedding, there’s not a word about inviting her to their big day.
Cameron-Bure not wanting a forced Michelle cameo at the very end of Fuller House is somewhat understandable. In an ideal setting, she would’ve been back home since the first season when DJ first had to deal with the sudden death of her husband. A last-minute appearance by the youngest Tanner sister in the finale wouldn’t have given them any time to really incorporate her into the story. However, since fans already know why the character isn’t in the earlier seasons of the spin-off, seeing Michelle be incorporated in the farewell season would’ve been better than casting her aside – which is pretty much what happens to her.
