‘Claim to Fame’ Contestants Open up About Their Famous Uncles After Shocking Double Elimination (Exclusive)

Claim to Fame brought double the drama and double the reveals on this week’s episode of the ABC competition show, as both Jill and Gracie Lou were sent packing in a surprise double-elimination that revealed the true identities of both of their famous uncles. Following their exit from the Claim to Fame house, Jill and Gracie Lou (real name Gracie Hyland) opened up to PopCulture.com about their devastating eliminations and how their celebrity relatives helped them prepare for their TV debut. 

In the Wednesday, July 17 episode of the reality show co-hosted by Kevin and Franklin Jonas, Jill and Gracie had their own famous relatives exposed as they incorrectly guessed the celebrity family members of their competitors Miguel and Adam to be Antonio Banderas and Dustin Hoffman, respectively. It was only then that Jill was revealed to be the niece of John Stamos, while Gracie’s famous uncle was unveiled as Jon Cryer. 

Gracie told PopCulture, “My uncle [Cryer] happened to be visiting with me when casting reached out and he was my biggest cheerleader to see it through! He kept saying, ‘You HAVE to do this! You would be perfect for the show! … This would be so good for you!’” 

In addition to warning her not to look directly into the cameras on set, Gracie revealed her uncle was behind her 100% of the way when it came to her time on Claim to Fame. She joked, “We even started brainstorming ideas to sneak him onto the show. For example, we thought he could be disguised as a pizza man, a bartender, or just a random guy that lingers on set!”

The Two and a Half Men star did end up making a cameo on Wednesday’s episode, picking Gracie up from the house in a sweet moment at the end of the episode. “It felt like such an honor to share the screen with my uncle after many years of watching him,” Gracie said. “That is a moment I will cherish forever!”

It was a fitting moment for an uncle-niece pairing Gracie describes as like a “Vaudeville duo,” sharing, “We will randomly find ourselves mid-conversation slipping into silly accents and characters. We have a good time!” More seriously, she added that her uncle “has always been a big supporter of me and my endeavors” and that she is “so grateful for him to be a part of my life, even with everything he has going on.”

For Jill, the game came to a heartbreaking end when her guess for Miguel turned out to be incorrect, despite her being “90% confident” he was related to the Desperado actor based on the investigations of her fellow houseguests. Having her famous uncle revealed as the beloved Full House star left her with “mixed emotions” as well, as she was thrilled that none of her fellow players had caught onto his identity but “still sad” to know her game was over.

Stamos left Jill with some heartwarming words in a video message before her departure, an indication of how supportive the actor had been of his niece throughout the Claim to Fame process. “I had multiple conversations with my uncle before agreeing to be on this season,” Jill told PopCulture. “We talked about everything from how to look the best on camera to how to not be nervous. He thought the idea was great and was super supportive the whole time!”

Stamos has supported Jill “in so many ways” throughout her life and the two are “super close,” she told PopCulture. “He checks in on me all the time and I know I can go to him for anything,” adding that her uncle “has been there for me in my darkest times and continues to check in on me and I can tell he truly means it.” Jill gushed, “It’s so cool to have a role model who has been through so much in his life rooting me on in my life.”

Claim to Fame (produced by Kinetic Content) airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.