Why the Actor Who Played Cody Lambert Was Fired From 'Step by Step'

Publish date: 2024-07-29

The Big Picture

Cody Lambert, played by Sasha Mitchell, was the best character in the TV show Step by Step , providing comedic relief and lovable kindness.
Sasha Mitchell faced legal issues in real life, including assault and spousal abuse, which ultimately led to his firing from Step by Step .
A new character, Jean-Luc Rieupeyroux, played by Bronson Pinchot, replaced Cody Lambert in later seasons, but didn't have the same popularity or impact.

With the recent passing of Suzanne Somers on October 15, fans have been looking back at her best performances. Of course, Three's Company is what first comes to mind, but if you're a 90s kid, Step by Step is what means the most to you. For seven seasons, Somers played Carol Lambert, the mom and stepmom on the TGIF series.

While she and Patrick Duffy, who played her husband Frank, were the big names, the series worked by being an ensemble. The actors who played the kids were just as popular and important as Somers and Duffy. The most popular character of all wasn't a child of those characters, but an older nephew to Frank named Cody Lambert. Played by Sasha Mitchell, Cody was the dumb but kind and fun-loving comedic relief. He never failed to get the biggest laughs, but after a horrible real life incident, he found himself fired from Step by Step.

Step by Step

Two families become one, step by step.

Release Date September 20, 1991 Cast Patrick Duffy , Suzanne Somers , Brandon Call , Staci Keanan , Christine Lakin , Christopher Castile , Jason Marsden , Emily Mae Young Main Genre Comedy

Cody Lambert Was the Best Part of 'Step by Step'

Between Frank and Carol Lambert, they had six kids in the early seasons of Step by Step. They had every sitcom trope imaginable, from smart angsty girl Dana (Staci Keanan), pretty but dim Karen (Angela Watson), cocky J.T. (Brandon Call), nerdy Mark (Christopher Castile), tomboy Al (Christine Lakin), and happy-go-lucky Brendan (Josh Byrne). It made for great drama and comedy, as the differing personalities clashed, especially step siblings Dana and J.T., who seemed to almost hate each other but also came together in the end.

During Season 1, another sort of child was introduced in the older Cody. He was Frank's nephew, and ironically also played Patrick Duffy's nephew on Dallas as well. Living in his van in the Lambert driveway, Cody wasn't like anyone else. He was a bit of a gullible idiot, as if he had just walked out of a Bill & Ted movie. He said things like "dude" and "no way" a lot, but while he was a dolt, he was lovable for being so kind. He didn't make bad choices. He was a good person who wanted to get along with everyone. If a puppy dog could become a person, that would have been Cody. He was best friends with J.T., and while he flirted with Dana, she constantly rejected him. Still, you could see that she was falling for him too, even if she didn't want to admit it. Their best moment together happened in a 1991 episode when Dana goes to a bar, only to get harassed by a man there. Cody comes to her rescue, using his martial arts skills to beat up the thug and his friends. He may have done it all while cracking jokes, but it showed that Cody was a badass too, while giving fans a glimpse of Mitchell's talents, which he would also use in the Kickboxer films of that era.

Step by Step could have easily become all about Cody. He was such a great character, going from a recurring one in the first season to a full-time member of the cast the year after. The show resisted pushing him too hard though, like Family Matters had done with Steve Urkel (Jaleel White). Step by Step's cast was so deep and talented that it needed everyone to shine equally.

Sasha Mitchell Was Fired From 'Step by Step' Due to Legal Issues

As great as Sasha Mitchell was as Cody Lambert, there was no escape from the punishment that would come following a horrible real-life incident.As reported by the Los Angeles Times, in 1995, the then 27-year-old actor had 911 called on him by his mother-in-law, who reported that Mitchell was assaulting his 25-year-old wife. Prosecutors revealed that his wife was on their bed with the couple's seven-year-old daughter when Mitchell attacked her, slapping and kicking at his wife. When she fled to the bathroom and locked the door, he kicked a hole in it and came after her.

Prosecutors said that he left his wife bruised, but she refused treatment. She also told the police that Mitchell had beaten her before, giving her a concussion and shattered eardrum. Mitchell was arrested on two counts of battery, one count of spousal abuse, and one count of child endangerment, but pleaded not guilty to all of them. The Los Angeles Times then reported that Mitchell was sentenced to three years probation in 1996, but after more violence against his wife, he was sentenced to 60 days in jail. After Season 5 of Step by Step, Sasha Mitchell was out and Cody Lambert was gone.

Cody Lambert Returned to 'Step by Step' for One Episode

Season 6 moved on without Cody. In his place came a new oddball character called Jean-Luc Rieupeyroux. Played by Bronson Pinchot of Perfect Strangers fame (another early TGIF series), Jean-Luc was a business partner at Carol's beauty parlor. Jean-Luc was a parody like Cody was with his thick accent, but his character felt thin. He got laughs, sure, but they were more forced, and his character out of place. There were other newer cast members to fill the void of Cody as well, from the Lamberts' new daughter Lily (Emily Mae Young), who went from a baby in Season 5 to an adorable five-year-old in Season 6. There was also more of Rich (Jason Marsden), who became Dana's beau, effectively killing any fan hopes that Dana and Cody would get together. For Step by Step's last season, the series moved to CBS. It was there that Cody returned for a one-episode cameo.

Mitchell continued to act, doing small movie and TV roles in the 2000s, but he never regained the popularity he had in the early to mid-90s. In an interview with Jake Jarmell, he talked about being fired from Step by Step and Pinchot replacing him:

"I was mad about being fired at the time, but it was probably a good thing all in all. I needed to get my family life in order, and it was best for me to step away from the limelight of TGIF. As for Bronson, his character did not have the steam or popularity that came with Cody. Plus, the show was on the decline and headed to CBS when he arrived. It’s not his fault, really. I think he’s a seasoned actor."

In an interview with Hardcore Graveyard, Mitchell was asked how he felt about being remembered as Cory Lambert. He said it didn't bother him, and that, "It's good to make people laugh. That's why people remember you... Heartthrob people and things like that, tastes change... but if you make people laugh, they like you." He talked about how you can make people feel good with food, adding, "It's the same with laughter." Despite Sasha Mitchell's mistakes, Cody Lambert was the best character in Step by Step who still makes them laugh thirty years later.

Step by Step is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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