Julie McCullough is a name that definitely rings a bell for fans of classic ‘80s and ‘90s television. She’s best known for her role as Julie Costello, the charming girlfriend of Kirk Cameron’s character on the popular ABC sitcom Growing Pains, which aired from 1985 to 1992. While her time on the show wasn’t especially long or deeply impactful in terms of plot, it did come with a fair bit of drama behind the scenes. You see, things took a controversial turn in 1990 when Kirk Cameron, who had recently embraced evangelical Christianity, reportedly asked producers to let Julie McCullough go—mainly because she had posed nude in Playboy magazine back in 1986 as Playmate of the Month. It’s kind of wild to think about now, but yeah—Julie McCullough was written out after just eight episodes.
But hey, that wasn’t the end of her story by any means. Julie McCullough didn’t let that setback define her career. She kept pushing forward, making guest appearances on a number of well-known shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, Robin’s Hoods, and even The Drew Carey Show. In fact, just a year after her Playboy feature in 1987, Julie McCullough starred alongside veteran actress Angie Dickinson in Big Bad Mama II, a campy, action-packed sequel produced by Roger Corman. The film might not have been high art, but it gave Julie McCullough a chance to shine in a bold, edgy role—one that certainly contrasted with her brief stint on a family-friendly sitcom.
Over the years, Julie McCullough has continued acting, but she’s also branched out into other areas of entertainment. She’s taken the stage as a stand-up comedian, showing off her wit and charisma in live performances. And despite the earlier controversy tied to her Playboy past, Julie McCullough has actually stayed connected to the brand—contributing blog posts, lending her voice to a Playboy video game, and even appearing on the reality series The Girls Next Door, which offered a peek into the lives of Hugh Hefner’s companions. So while some might remember Julie McCullough for the scandal, others know her as a resilient, multi-faceted performer who’s made her mark in more ways than one. Julie McCullough, all these years later, still holds a unique place in pop culture history.
When it comes to Julie McCullough’s career highlights, her highest rated movie or film stands out as a true testament to her talent, while Julie McCullough has also had projects that didn’t resonate as strongly with audiences. Over the years, Julie McCullough has been involved in various creative endeavors, and among them, one particular film consistently earns top marks in reviews. On the flip side, there’s another movie—often cited as Julie McCullough’s lowest rated—that didn’t quite hit the same high notes. Still, every artist has their ups and downs, and Julie McCullough is no exception when it comes to the range of critical reception across her body of work.