The 90s were a golden era for family sitcoms on TV, with shows like Full House, Family Matters, and Step By Step gracing the screens of living rooms across America.
One of the standout child stars from those shows was Christopher Castile, who played the brainy Mark Foster on Step By Step for seven seasons.
While his co-stars went on to varying degrees of fame and success after the show ended in 1998, Castile seemed to disappear from the public eye.
In this article, we take a look at what exactly happened to this child prodigy-turned-sitcom star after his Step By Step days, examining his acting career, personal life, and what he’s up to now twenty-five years later in 2023.
Background Info
On June 15, 1980, Christopher Castile was born in Orange County, California. His parents are named Jon and Donna, and he has a younger sister named Bethany. He is known to enjoy golf and attended college in Southern California.
Beyond this, however, not much is known about his personal life beyond experiences being bullied as a child, as mentioned in his autobiography Being You is Most Definitely Cool.
Acting Career
Christopher Castile first started acting at seven years old in various commercials. His first role was in the My Two Dads episode “To Thine Own Elf Be True.”
He would continue to be cast in minor roles from 1990 to 1991 until he landed his most significant role in the sitcom Step By Step.
Step By Step
Christopher Castile’s most significant roles was the character of Mark Foster in the sitcom Step By Step (1991 – 1998).
Mark was one of the family’s youngest members until the character Lily was born. Mark was a nerdy character with an interest in computers and academics. He was also a timid character.
Christopher Castile played Mark Foster for 160 episodes. He seems to keep in touch with members of his Hollywood family on Twitter.
He would star in the show alongside Sasha Mitchell, Brandon Call, Angela Watson, Josh Byrne, Emily Mae Young and Staci Keanan.
Beethoven
Christopher was also cast as the character of Ted Newton in the movies Beethoven (1992) and Beethoven’s 2nd (1993).
Beethoven was a film written by John Hughes under a pseudonym about a family and their St. Bernard dog.
In Beethoven, Christopher Castile plays the role of Ted Newton, the second oldest child in the family. Beethoven would scare off Ted’s bullies, allowing him to gain confidence.
Christopher Castile would return for the sequel, Beethoven’s 2nd. The series would continue without Castile’s involvement, however.
What did he do after Step By Step?
Christopher Castile ultimately retired from acting after the cancellation of Step By Step in 1998, feeling unfulfilled by acting, as stated in an interview with the Downey High School newspaper.
He also published an autobiography, Being You is Most Definitely Cool. The book features discussion on his faith, which would also be seen in his career early on with his role in the Evangelical Christian radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey, where he played the character of Nick Mulligan. Beyond that, the autobiography was published in 1996, so he was still very much a child when it was released.
After acting Castile would turn his attention away from acting toward his education, pursuing a master’s degree. He would obtain his B.A. and M.A. degrees from California State University, Long Beach.
What is Christopher Castile doing now?
Today, Castile has successfully transitioned into the world of education. He teaches political sciences as a professor at Biola University in La Mirada, California, and also imparts knowledge to students as a U.S. History teacher at Downey High School.
His decision to step away from the spotlight and contribute to society in a different capacity speaks volumes about his character and the choices he’s made for his personal and professional fulfillment.
He seems to be popular with his students in high school and at Biola University. He currently carries a 4.3 rating out of 5 at Rate My Professor, with many student reviews citing how fun his college class can be.
His high school students also have said his classes are pretty fun. He is happy with his career choice and doesn’t carry a desire to pursue future acting roles.
Personal Life
After the cancellation of Step By Step, Christopher Castile attended public high school and met his future wife, Alison. They have been married since 2002, according to various sources.
Does he have kids?
Christopher Castile has two children, a daughter and a son, although details about their names and dates of birth are not readily available.
Christopher Castile has settled for private life, and his actor-past is a curiosity compared to his calling as a father and educator.
Christopher Castile can be found on social media. He can be found on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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