Cherie Johnson

Cherie Johnson began her acting career at an early age. Her uncle, television creator and producer David W. Duclon, helped her get her start in the business when he wrote the pilot for "Punky Brewster" in 1984. Duclon created the sitcom with the intention of having his niece play the starring role. Johnson ended up playing a character named after her and thus her entertainment career began. The popularity of "Punky Brewster" in the 1980s led not only to an animated spinoff in which Johnson reprised her role as Cherie, but also to more roles on television. After the series' end in 1988, it didn't take Johnson long to find another mainstream TV role for in 1990 she was cast as Laura Winslow's best friend on the classic sitcom "Family Matters." The role carried her throughout the 1990s and proved to be one of her most recognizable performances as an actress. She continued to act in the early 2000s with a part on the series "The Parkers," a guest spot on "The Proud Family," and a character role in the straight-to-DVD "Mailbooty! ." In the late 2000s, Johnson decided to pursue a new career track in entertainment by serving as a producer on films like "Cash Rules" and "Raven." Johnson continued to act while she gained more creative freedom and in 2009 wrote, produced, and starred in the romantic comedy "I Do I Did! ."