In the 1980s, Emmanuel Lewis was one of the biggest child stars on television. As the star of the hit sitcom Webster, Lewis charmed audiences with his infectious smile and undeniable charm. Though small in stature, Lewis’ talent and charisma made him seem larger than life.
But as the curtains closed on “Webster” and the spotlight dimmed, many began to wonder: whatever happened to Emmanuel Lewis?
Background Info
Emmanuel was born on March 9, 1971, in Brooklyn, New York. As the baby in the family, Emmanuel was one of four children. His mother, Margaret Lewis used to work as a computer-science professional. Unfortunately, information regarding his father is not available online.
Despite working at a young age, Emmanuel attended public school in Brooklyn and graduated from Midwood High School in 1989. Later in 1997, after his acting career started to die down, he attended Clark Atlanta University in Georgia where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in the arts.
Acting Career
Emmanual’s acting career started at a young age. In fact, the story of how he entered the business is quite unique.
While out jogging with an actor friend of his, Emmanuel was asked whether or not he would be interested in also getting into the business. According to the friend, Emmanuel had a face for commercials, so his mother contacted a child acting agency called the Schuller Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, and the rest, as they say in the biz’ was history (but let’s get into it anyway).
Once signed by the talent agency, Emmanuel went on to star in a slew of commercials, advertising a wide variety of products including but not limited to toys, pizza, cars, soup, and fruit juice. Some of his more recognizable commercial appearances include advertisements for Burger King, Campbell Soup, and Colgate.
Though he had guest appearances on talk shows and some TV movies and series like The Secret World of the Very Young, Lost in London, and the Love Boat, Webster was his first real TV role and the one that, most notably, shot him to superstardom. He landed the role when he was 12.
Webster
Webster aired from September 16, 1983, to May 8, 1987, on ABC. It followed a recently orphaned, 5-year-old boy who is sent to live with his well-off godparents after his parents died in a car accident.
And, if you’re wondering why a 12-year-old was offered the part of a 5-year-old, it’s because Emmanual Lewis is only 4’3”. Hey, it was a different time back then, what can we say? However, interestingly enough, there’s never been a physical diagnosis for Emmanual’s height.
But back to Webster. The show was a hit amongst young viewers, however, it was ultimately canceled and then moved to syndication. In total, the show ran for four seasons, totaling 150 episodes.
What Did He Do After Webster?
There would be a little bit of a hiatus, career-wise after Webster ended. His next role was in 1995, starring as the publisher in The New Adventures of Mother Goose. In 1996, he appeared in one episode of In the House, and in 1997, he appeared in an episode of Family Matters.
Emmanuel’s bit roles would continue this way for the remainder of the 1990s, appearing in one episode of Moesha in 1998 and in one episode of Malcolm & Eddie and Good vs. Evil in 1999.
He returned to acting, slightly, in the early to mid-2000s, appearing in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, One on One, and Kickin’ It Old School. However, also during this time, he appeared on the hit game show, the Weakest Link and the Surreal Life: Fame Games.
In 2013, he appeared on an episode of Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis.
What is Emmanual Lewis Doing Now?
Though he is no longer acting, Emmanuel has stepped behind the scenes and served as co-executive producer on The American King – as told by an African Priestess that offers an insight into traditional African culture.
Though Emmanuel’s life has slowed down a bit since his days of being a child star, he still makes the media rounds. In March of 2022, he sat down with BlackDoctor to discuss his outlook on life now that he’s in his 50s.
During this interview, he gave his opinion on Taekwondo, which he continues to practice, as well as his multi-million recording studio, where he works with rising musical talent.
Also in 2022, he joined the That Junkies Hip Hop Show podcast.
As of publication, Emmanuel is on both Instagram and Cameo. You can follow him on Instagram @iamemmanuellewis.
If you are a fan and would like to book a personalized video message from him, you can do so for $55. However, if you want just a regular message, you can do so for just $5.
Personal Life
Emmanuel keeps his personal life under tight wraps. That being said, neither his IMDB nor Wikipedia page includes any mention of romantic relationships. Nor, does his social media presence indicate one.
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