Inside Kirk Cameron And Candace Cameron Bure's Relationship

Kirk Cameron and his little sister Candace Cameron Bure have been in the spotlight since they were kids. Each appeared in various TV roles before landing full-time gigs on two of the most popular family sitcoms of the '80s and '90s, "Growing Pains" and "Full House." The Cameron siblings were a mainstay on TV screens and teen magazines across the country, and they each managed to parlay their childhood fame into viable careers as adults. Kirk Cameron still works in TV and film, has become a published author, and founded Camp Firefly, an all-expense paid summer camp for terminally ill children.

Candace Cameron Bure went on to star in many beloved Hallmark movies, is also a published author, had a brief stint as a co-host on "The View," and starred on the hit Netflix series "Fuller House." Both Kirk and Candace have raised families of their own, and both continue to navigate the showbiz industry while staying true to their Christian beliefs.

One might think that child stars couldn't possibly be so well-adjusted as adults, but Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron Bure are thriving. Not only that, they have a super close relationship with one another where they support each other's projects, and appear to have each other's backs.

Candace Cameron Bure and Kirk Cameron were both stars in the '80s and '90s, but Kirk became a household name first due to his starring role on "Growing Pains." Candace had acting aspirations too, and she was lucky enough to learn about the inner workings of TV production by attending live tapings of her big brother's show. "I remember watching the process, how a sitcom works and all the writers and the rehearsals and then the run-throughs and the big laughs at the jokes ... even the filming and how there were four cameras," the actor said in a 2019 conversation with her brother for "Today." "So, I really learned how a sitcom worked before I started 'Full House.'"

Candace shared that even as a kid, she recognized that the "Growing Pains" cast not only seemed to have fun making the show, but got along so well behind the scenes. When she joined the "Full House" cast, she was pleased to find a similarly positive experience. Kirk agreed, saying, "These were really tight-knit groups of people and it really felt like a second family to both of us." The siblings also noted that they don't take any of it for granted, as they recognize that many TV and movie sets have been toxic environments for cast and crew alike. 

Kirk Cameron played Mike Seaver on "Growing Pains" from 1985 until 1992, and Candace Cameron Bure played D.J. Tanner on "Full House" from 1987 until 1995. "There was two sitcoms on at the exact same time ... and both of them had a Cameron on it," Kirk said on "Today" in 2019. There were even a few times when the Cameron siblings shared the screen, as Kirk and Candace popped up on each other's sitcoms.

In fact, Candace credits her guest-starring role on "Growing Pains" for helping her secure the part of D.J. Tanner. "I had done a few things and then you became a big huge star ... they were casting 'Full House' two years after that, then they were like, 'Oh, it's Kirk's little sister,'" Candace told Kirk. By the time Kirk made a cameo as D.J.'s cousin Steve on "Full House," he already had legions of fans and probably could've walked on any sitcom he wanted. Regardless, he still likes to say his younger sibling helped him score the part. "I didn't even have to audition for that," he joked. "I just got on because I knew somebody."

What's more, Kirk and Candace's parents appeared as extras in the episode. Impressively, the Cameron family kept work and home life separate. "I don't think we ever talked about it," Candace revealed. "Once we were home ... it was chores and family."

Both Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron Bure are known for their outspoken views related to their Christian faith. Kirk has written books and produced and starred in films touting his evangelical values, while Candace spoke openly about her beliefs when she was a co-host on 'The View." However, the siblings were not raised in a devout Christian family.

In fact, Kirk has said he was an atheist before converting to Christianity as a teenager. "I was not always a good Christian guy," Kirk revealed in "How Do You Know He's Real: Celebrity Reflections on True Life Experiences with God" by Amy Hammond Hagberg. "I grew up in a home where we didn't go to church. I didn't believe in God. I was a staunch atheist for most of my life. I thought I was just too smart to believe in a fairy tale like that."

Candace echoed her brother's sentiment on her website (via The Christian Heart), explaining, "Many people think I grew up in a Christian home, but I didn't. I grew up in a moral home, a home that stressed the importance of living by the golden rule but not a home that talked about Jesus." Candace began going to church and was baptized at age twelve when her parents' marriage hit a rough patch, but it wasn't until later that she fully embraced Christianity. "It didn't become my own until I was in my early 20s," Bure shared on "The Pure Flix Podcast with Billy Hallowell" in 2019.

Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron Bure are devout Christians, but their respective religious journeys have had some ups and downs. As previously mentioned, Candace didn't truly find her faith until she was an adult; Kirk and his wife, Chelsea Cameron (née Noble), helped Candace get to where she is today with her beliefs. "I never knew that I was a sinner; I always thought that I was such a good person because I'd led a good life compared to so many people and especially other child actors in my industry," Candace said to Decision magazine. "The only thing that really matters is what God thinks of me and to be that example to those around me, and I really want my actions to match my words."

According to the outlet, Chelsea and Kirk introduced Candace to pieces of media that changed her outlook entirely, including Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins' "Left Behind" book series. (Kirk was also one of the stars of the movie series based on the books.) Candace has also said that "The Way of the Master," a book co-written by her brother and TV minister Ray Comfort, played a key role in her perspective shift. As she said on a 2024 episode of "Takeaways with Kirk Cameron," "It rocked my world." 

In 2016, "Fuller House" premiered on Netflix. The show was a spin-off of "Full House," starring most of the original cast, including Candace Cameron Bure, John Stamos, Dave Coulier, Jodie Sweetin, and the late Bob Saget. (The Olsen twins, who played Michelle Tanner in the original, did not appear on "Fuller House.") The show was a big hit, and fans were in for a treat when Kirk Cameron made a guest appearance during Season 5 episode "Five Dates with Kimmy Gibbler." In the episode, which was directed by Candace, Kirk did not bring back the Cousin Steve character from "Full House." Rather, he played a version of himself in a meta twist where he was the long-time crush of Kimmy Gibbler (played by Candace's real-life bestie Andrea Barber).

"My brother was awesome, he was so game, he just walked onto the set ... like he'd never stopped doing a sitcom," Candace said in an interview with Closer. She added that Kirk was proud and supportive of her as a director, and that the experience was a lot of fun. "I wanted to give him a hard time, I wanted to somehow fire him on the set and, like, cause drama," Candace joked, adding, "But I couldn't because he was so awesome."

Although Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron Bure are very close, that doesn't mean they always see eye to eye. In December of 2020, Kirk began organizing Christmas caroling events to protest California governor Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kirk attempted to justify his actions by explaining, "I love my neighbors and so I want to give them hope," in a Fox News interview. He added, "This is the land of the free and home of the brave, and there are thousands and thousands of people in our community who would rather not suffer in isolation and come out to sing and express their gratitude."

Kirk received quite a bit of backlash, including from the mayor of Thousand Oaks, California, who called the events, "un-Christian." Kirk's sister Candace did not outright condemn her brother's actions or statements, but took to social media to clarify her stance on the issue. "I did not attend any recent caroling events. Also, I choose to follow the greater guidelines by wearing a mask and social distance when I'm in public," the actor tweeted. She did sort of defend her brother by adding, "However, I don't appreciate the vile tweets about my family. I believe respectful dialogue is the key to being heard."

Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron Bure both have large families. Kirk and his wife, Chelsea Cameron, share six children, while Candace and her husband, former pro hockey player Valeri Bure, share three. But the kids have grown up quickly, and in 2023, Kirk and Candace spoke about what life would be like as empty nesters during an episode of "One on One with Kirk Cameron."

As the siblings expressed their joy at watching their children grow into adults, Candace commented, "I've loved these teenage years and it just excites me to see them fly the coop." Kirk shared a similar sentiment, musing, "You plant all these seeds ... all these years you're watering and nurturing and lots of sunlight, and now you start to see the fruit." Despite the thrill of watching their children mature into adults, Kirk and Candace shared thoughts on what their respective married lives would be like without kids around. Joking around about her relationship with her husband, Candace quipped, "Whoa, how much do we really like each other?"; Kirk noted he was looking forward to having his wife all to himself again.

Candace predicted that Kirk and Chelsea weren't going to get much time alone together because they would probably have grandchildren right away. Sure enough, in September of 2024, Kirk welcomed his first granddaughter. "Our beautiful baby girl just had a beautiful baby girl," he wrote in a sweet Instagram post, a pic of him holding his grandbaby, Maya Jeanne Noble Bower.

Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron Bure became stars as children and stayed in the public eye, continuing to work on various projects in TV, film, publishing, and appearing on various platforms to share insight and talk about their Christian faith. Over the span of a few decades, the siblings have garnered many devoted fans who share their beliefs, while continuing to show one another support.

On a 2021 episode of "Takeaways with Kirk Cameron" on TBN, Kirk and Candace sat down for a conversation about faith. During the chat, Kirk was candid about his admiration for his younger sister. "You've been a huge encouragement to a million people, but also to me," he said. He went on to list Candace's marriage, her children, and her work as reasons he admired her. "That's a huge encouragement even to your big brother," he said. Candace returned the love, telling Kirk, "I see you take such a leadership role and be unashamed and unafraid to share your faith everywhere you go ... I've just, as your little sister, watched you and have been so proud of you." 

Kirk Cameron has faced a lot of criticism for his conservative views over the years, and Candace Cameron Bure has come under fire for some controversial statements as well. In 2022, when Candace made the choice to leave the Hallmark Channel in favor of the more conservative Great American Media, she made a comment to The Wall Street Journal that offended many of her industry peers. When asked about Great American Media's possible plans to include LGBTQ+ programming, Candace responded, "I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core."

This remark provoked angry responses from celebrities such as Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and JoJo Siwa. Siwa took to Instagram to criticize Candace, saying, "This is rude and hurtful to a whole community of people." Candace's co-star Jodie Sweetin supported Siwa's post. 

Amid the backlash, Kirk Cameron showed up to defend his little sister during an interview on "The Megyn Kelly Show." "Candace is a person who's built an entire career on being the kindest, the sweetest, the most compassionate, the most loving toward all people," the "Growing Pains" actor said. "The fact that she wants to be working with a group of people that highlights things that she loves and celebrates and believes in ... doesn't everybody do that?"

When Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron Bure talk about each other, it's not always during a formal interview. Just like any other siblings, Kirk and Candace occasionally take to social media to share pics, support, and well wishes for one another.

When rang in his 54th birthday in October 2024, Kirk shared a throwback post, a carousel of baby pics including one of himself with his sisters Bridgette, Melissa, and a grinning Candace. "Thanking God today for the gift of life itself, for salvation, for family, for health, for passion and purpose in Him, and for every other blessing," he wrote. Fans flooded the comments expressing their joy at seeing the whole Cameron clan together. 

A few days earlier, Candace shared a reel on her Instagram, a portion of a live chat between her and Kirk. The post was in support of Kirk's new book, "Born to Be Brave: How to Be a Part of America's Spiritual Comeback." Candace noted in the caption, "We prayed for those in Florida enduring hurricane Milton, we argued over who's house mom and dad are spending Thanksgiving and Christmas and talked the power of revival and a spiritual comeback in America." In the comments, fans thanked the siblings for their prayers and expressed admiration for their close and loving relationship.