The Ups & Downs Of Candace Cameron Bure & Jodie Sweetin's Relationship

There are plenty of "Full House" cast members that maintain close relationships, but the dynamic between Jodie Sweetin and Candace Cameron Bure is a bit more complicated. The two starred together as sisters Stephanie and DJ Tanner back in the '80s and '90s, with Sweetin opening up about their relationship on an episode of the "How Rude, Tanneritos!" podcast.

"I think that the dynamic was actually very real," she said about the on-screen sibling connection she and Bure shared. "Because, you know, Candace was the baby of her family and then there was me, and so I was the annoying five-year younger sister." Sweetin added that, while she likely got on her co-star's nerves, they definitely shared good times. The television sisters appeared to maintain a positive relationship into adulthood, reuniting alongside several of their co-stars for the 2016 Netflix reboot "Fuller House."

"It's been lifelong friends," Sweetin said about her castmates in a People interview with Bure and Andrea Barber. "When you are genuinely close friends or as close as sisters, you've got each other's backs," Bure added. It seemingly wasn't until after "Fuller House" ended in 2020 that the two actors' opposing political views and values created a rift in their long-running friendship. Since then, the on-screen sisters have experienced some major ups and downs.

Jodie Sweetin and Candace Cameron Bure's feud can be traced back to Bure's controversial departure from the Hallmark Channel. In November 2022, the network veteran announced she would be leaving the channel to join the Great American Family network, highlighting the competing brand's focus on "faith programming" and storylines centering around "traditional marriage" (via The Wall Street Journal).

Bure's comments seemed to hint at her displeasure with Hallmark's efforts towards LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, a fact that sparked backlash among many. JoJo Siwa, who previously called out Bure for being rude, criticized the statements on Instagram. "Honestly, I can't believe after everything that went down just a few months ago, that [Bure] would not only create a movie with intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press," the dancer captioned a now-deleted Instagram post featuring an article titled, "Candace Cameron Bure's Plans for New Cable Channel: No Gays" (via Entertainment Weekly).

Sweetin, who's been an ally for the queer community, expressed her support for Siwa, commenting on the post, "You know I love you." Around the same time, the California native also took to her Instagram Story to share resources from GLAAD, an LGBTQIA+ nonprofit who similarly criticized Bure's comments. Though Sweetin didn't directly speak out against her "Full House" co-star, her obvious support for Bure's opposition was enough to sew a rift between the two actors. Before November had ended, Us Weekly reported Bure unfollowed Sweetin on Instagram.

The tension between Jodie Sweetin and Candace Cameron Bure continued into 2023, with Sweetin making an unwanted debut on the Great American Family channel. The podcast host has made a fine entry into the world of made-for-TV movies, starring in Hallmark flicks like "Merry & Bright" and "The Jane Mysteries: Inheritance Lost," but she was dismayed to learn that her movie "Craft Me a Romance" had been picked up by GAF.

"I was very surprised to learn by reading about it in the press yesterday that the independent film I worked on over a year ago was sold to Great American Family," Sweetin told People that August, explaining that she wasn't involved in the sale. "I am disappointed, but in keeping with my mission of supporting the LGBTQ+ family, any potential or future money made from this sale will be donated to LGBTQ+ organizations."

Sweetin's statement wasn't a direct diss to Candace Cameron Bure, but it showed her obvious disapproval for the company that her "Fuller House" co-star has chosen to associate with. Not only does Bure headline flicks for GAF, but she's also the Chief Creative Officer of Great American Media, the media company behind the brand. If anything, Sweetin's statement highlights just how much the two differ.

While Candace Cameron Bure and Jodie Sweetin's differing values have caused friction between the "Fuller House" actors, the two have publicly appeared at multiple '90s-themed conventions together. Andrea Barber and Dave Coulier joined them at '90s Con Hartford in March 2023, with Bure taking to Instagram to catalog her travels. "90's Con live road trip with @andreabarber and @dcoulier," she captioned an Instagram Live. 

As the three were cutting up and discussing the event, Barber mentioned that Sweetin was "en route," with Bure acknowledging that they were picking her up. This cooperative civility seemed to characterize Sweetin and Bure's dynamic throughout the con, with the two notably sitting on opposite ends of the couch during their group panel. The quartet also chose not to receive press and audience questions during their segment, according to a firsthand report from Heavy.

The four "Full House" stars attended '90s Con Tampa in September 2023, being joined by castmate Scott Weinger and producer Jeff Franklin. Bure shared photos from the event on Instagram, including a casual snapshot of her posing with Sweetin and Barber. While it's unclear if things were completely mended between the two, their convention reunions were certainly promising.

Jodie Sweetin and Candace Cameron Bure also came together with some of their "Full House" castmates to commemorate the two-year anniversary of Bob Saget's heartbreaking death. John Stamos hosted an Instagram Live in January 2024, with actors like Dave Coulier and Andrea Barber making Zoom appearances in addition to Sweetin and Bure. "Two years!" Stamos wrote in the caption. "Hard to believe."

The on-screen sisters opened up about their love for Saget and their experiences with grief. "When you just have a friend or it's your family member, but someone who doesn't need to talk, doesn't need to say anything, but will just sit with you and let you cry, it's been a gift," Bure said (via Heavy). Later, Sweetin chimed in to echo this sentiment. "Like Candace was saying, too, just sitting in it sometimes, just sitting in the sadness of it, or the beauty of it, the anger of it," she said. "I mean, sitting here and doing this with you guys means the world."

When it was time for Bure to leave the call, the "A Shoe Addict's Christmas" star told her fellow castmates that she loved them. "I love you," Sweetin replied, blowing a kiss. Bure added, "I love you all so much. I miss you all." Overall, the heartwarming moment shows that Sweetin and Bure, though divided in their beliefs, are still able to come together to honor the beloved Saget.

In July 2024, Jodie Sweetin and Candace Cameron Bure found themselves on opposite sides of the controversy surrounding the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Outrage was sparked by a theatrical scene at the event's opening, with many Christians believing that a tableau vivant featuring drag queens and a near-naked figure was mocking Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper," which depicts a famous scene from the Bible.

Candace Cameron Bure took to Instagram to rant against the display. "To watch such an incredible and wonderful event that's gonna take place over the next two weeks and see the opening ceremonies completely blaspheme and mock the Christian faith with their interpretation of the Last Supper was disgusting," she said. Opening ceremony director Thomas Jolly told BFMTV that the performance was not inspired by the religious scene, but instead intended to invoke the Greek god Dionysus.

While Bure stood by her condemnation of the ceremony, Sweetin took to her Instagram Story to defend the tableau the day after her co-star's post. "Tell me you don't know about art or history without TELLING me you don't know about art or history," she wrote (via E! News). The "Love Under the Rainbow" star also shared a comedic video from content creator Walter Masterson that highlights the ceremony's connection to the painting "The Feast of the Gods" by Jan van Bijlert. While Sweetin and Bure have been able to put aside their differences for special occasions, they clearly remain separated by their contrasting views.