Anne Marie McEvoy, who played Kathy Santoni on "Full House," always intended to leave Hollywood and pursue higher education. She earned a PhD in developmental and educational psychology and now teaches classes, incorporating lessons learned from the popular sitcom.
Anne Marie McEvoy, who portrayed the popular girl Kathy Santoni on the hit sitcom "Full House," never aspired to make acting a permanent career. At age 48, she has fulfilled her long-held dream of leaving Hollywood and embracing academia.
In an interview with her "Full House" co-stars Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber on the "How Rude, Tanneritos!" podcast, McEvoy revealed her decision to leave Hollywood behind. "As a kid, I didn't do it because I wanted to be an actress at all," she explained. "It was a job. I'm going to college... money... all that."
Anne Marie McEvoy: Leaving Hollywood for College and Teaching Lessons from "Full House
McEvoy's aspirations extended beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. "I always had a thought that I was going to stay," she said. "Everybody wants to be, like, famous, don't they? That's not what I wanted. I really wanted... to be a mom. I wanted to... have a PhD. I wanted to be a professor."
She found her true calling in academia, earning a PhD in developmental and educational psychology from the University of California, Irvine in 2007. McEvoy joined the faculty as an assistant professor of education, specializing in adolescent development.
Anne Marie McEvoy: Leaving Hollywood for College and Teaching Lessons from "Full House
Drawing inspiration from her experiences on "Full House," McEvoy incorporates lessons learned from the show into her teaching. She uses examples from the sitcom to illustrate topics such as adolescent sexuality, drinking, family, and peers.
"I studied adolescent development and... teach classes on it," McEvoy shared with Sweetin and Barber. "I taught a whole version of the course... around 'Full House.' I used examples from 'Full House.'"
Anne Marie McEvoy: Leaving Hollywood for College and Teaching Lessons from "Full House
McEvoy admitted that initially, she was self-conscious about her past as an actress. However, when a student recognized her from the popular sitcom, she decided to embrace it.
"People would find out and... quietly after class... and said, 'I was watching TV last night, and I saw you. Was that you on 'Full House?'" she said.
Anne Marie McEvoy: Leaving Hollywood for College and Teaching Lessons from "Full House
McEvoy said she would laugh and respond, "You have an exam tomorrow. What are you doing watching TV?'"
McEvoy's authenticity and humor resonated with her students. "It was close to the beginning of the semester that I was outed and then everybody found out. And you can't really talk about much else, so then I just leaned into it," she explained.
Anne Marie McEvoy: Leaving Hollywood for College and Teaching Lessons from "Full House
McEvoy used examples from "Full House" scenes to teach about "adolescent sexuality, drinking, family and peers." She believes the show is an excellent resource for discussing these topics.
"It's a fantastic show for that. All the biggies... and identity. Your sense of who you are and trying on makeup... and fighting with your friends... I mean, that's what it is, was," she said.
While McEvoy has no immediate plans to return to acting, she did reprise her role as Santoni in the Netflix reboot "Fuller House" in 2016. Her decision to leave Hollywood and pursue a career in education has brought her great fulfillment and the opportunity to inspire and educate future generations.
