Although it has been a minute since Jaleel White tugged at hearts during his appearance in “Family Matters” as Steve Urkel, the actor is still in the family business. This time, as a doting father to Samaya White.
Jaleel White’s daughter has an inseparable bond with her dad, despite the rift between the actor and her mother.
Jaleel White may have a busy schedule as an actor, comedian, writer, and producer, but it never gets in the way of his fatherhood. This busy bee is extremely close to his only child, Samaya.
Jaleel White and Samaya White at Tender Fest on November 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Daddy’s little princess is a constant feature on his social media handles. Some shared snaps show fans she is living her best life under his wings.
Samaya Is an Ordinary Schoolgirl
On August 15, 2009, Jaleel became a dad to an adorable little girl whom he named Samaya. She was born in California. Ever since he ascended to a more tasking role—fatherhood, the “Family Matters” star has been hands-on.
Hardy and Jaleel were in an admirable relationship for five years. But in 2010, about a year after welcoming their daughter, things started to turn sour.
Jaleel White and his daughter, Samaya White, at the premiere of “Jumanji: The Next Level” on December 17, 2019. | Source: Getty Images
More than once, Jaleel has proven that family truly matters as he spends quality time with his mini-me. Apart from the moments created, he is very vocal about his love for his daughter.
On every birthday, the father-of-one shares how proud he is of his growing child and serenades her with sweet words on social media.
Last year, the comedian uploaded different images on Samaya’s special day, including a recent photo and two throwback images of her. The proud father then added a sweet caption about her growing fast. It read:
“Four years goes by in a blink. Where did my 8 year old Gryffinddor child go? Pandemic halftime and she says to me Dad can we go back to @unistudios for my birthday.”
This year, for Samaya’s 13th birthday, Jaleel granted his daughter’s wish by taking her to see pop star, The Weekend perform.
Jaleel shared a video of the birthday girl dancing. The actor was also seen having a good time with his daughter and a friend. The rather accomplished father quipped:
“One of the best parts of being a Dad is keeping those promises. All she really wanted for her 13th birthday this year…#yourwishgranted.”
Via the comment section, a few fans applauded his gesture and gave him a thumbs-up for knowing the perfect treat for a teen. Others focused on wishing Samaya a happy birthday.
Consequently, Jaleel does not wait for birthdays to celebrate his tiny minion, who recently graduated from seventh grade. Long before the concert treat, the actor updated an emotional post where he celebrated Samaya’s sixth-grade graduation.
The post featured several father-daughter moments in the car during her drive to school and the graduation party. Also, it showed that he had been part of her life since the beginning, as a younger student.
Jaleel shared a heart-melting read of how he has enjoyed taking his daughter to school since first grade. The actor advised other fathers to maximize the opportunity of morning school drives and spend more time with their kids.
He revealed that Samaya was going into middle school and had started to exhibit a few changes, affirming that she had grown into a young lady.
However, he pointed out that she still honors her night rituals of getting tucked into bed by her dad. In conclusion, the actor asserted:
“My baby will always be my baby but as you can see, she’s not a baby anymore. Leap into your future, Samaya, be mindful and fearless. Thank you for choosing me to be your dad.”
A tour through Jaleel’s Instagram page shows that his 13-year-old has some awesome photos. However, Samaya is yet to have her personal social media page.
Samaya Is a Source of Motivation for Her Father
Jaleel and his daughter are a dynamic duo. These two seem to share many similarities, including their likes and looks.
Samaya is the spitting image of her dad, and she seems to love going to work with him. The actor once took her to his “On The Run” tour, and she found his performance mesmerizing.
The “Family Matters” star appreciates fatherhood, and despite his sacrifices, he is still motivated to do more for his daughter.
When asked what keeps him going in the field, Jaleel revealed that his daughter is all the inspiration he needs, adding: “I think my biggest motivating factor right now is my daughter. You got to provide an example for your kids.” He continues:
“They watch you more than they listen to you. So, she sees me go to work…traveling for my job. And those are the things that are going to instill a work ethic in her. So, I got to be her inspiration right now. And that’s one of the things that keeps me steadfast.”
Samaya continues to learn from her father. This has been possible because they spend lots of time going on trips, hanging out, and even goofing around.
For example, in a 2021 Christmas post, where father and daughter looked hilarious in an inflated Santa Claus outfit, Jaleel wrote:
“Christmas energy has been strong with this one. It’s not so easy getting a genuine WOW out of a Gen Z child these days #missionaccomplished.”
Apart from playing around and having fun, Jaleel encourages his daughter to finish different tasks, and in the end, he appreciates her efforts with adorable trips.
Samaya’s Parents Split on Bad Terms and Had a Custody Battle
Samaya’s dad is not the only parent with acting credits. Her mom, Bridget Hardy, is also a known face on TV. Some of her notable features include “Pinafore,” “Princess Ida,” and “The Pirates of Penzance.”
Hardy and Jaleel were in an admirable relationship for five years. But in 2010, about a year after welcoming their daughter, things started to turn sour.
That same year the actress revealed that her ex-lover had abused her physically during an intense argument after she confronted him over suspected cheating. In 2012, she recounted the same story. She added:
“He said, ‘this isn’t working, you know I’m going to give you $200,000 to leave your daughter and to walk away and start a new family.'”
Jaleel denied the claims, and his attorney explained that Hardy was out to tarnish his image, as the custody battle had been settled a few years ago. However, in another interview, the comedian mentioned:
“Bridget Hardy has consistently shown a knack for timing throughout our child custody disputes. When you’re doing well in life, it’s par for the course certain individuals will try and knock you down. When the individual is also the mother of your only child it is particularly hurtful.”
Amid the rift between her parents, Samaya is blessed with a dad willing to fight for time with her and has dedicated his life to being in hers. So as she goes through life, she is assured of being his baby forever.
