On-screen, George Jefferson was loud, proud, and fiercely protective of his son Lionel. But off-screen, the dynamic between Sherman Hemsley and original Lionel actor Mike Evans was far from fatherly.
According to multiple cast accounts, the two clashed over creative control and comedic tone. Evans, who also co-created Good Times, wanted more dramatic realism in Lionel’s storyline—college stress, racial identity, father-son tension. Hemsley preferred George’s over-the-top bravado to stay center stage.
The tension grew as Evans became more vocal behind the scenes, eventually leaving the series after just one season. He was replaced by actor Damon Evans (no relation), whose version of Lionel was lighter, softer, and far less confrontational.
Fans noticed the shift. “It didn’t feel like the same character anymore,” one critic wrote at the time.
Years later, Mike Evans returned for guest episodes, but the damage had been done. Though the characters shared laughs, the chemistry never fully recovered.
Still, the feud had an unexpected upside: it forced the writers to deepen George’s relationship with Louise and Florence, giving the show even sharper comedic bite.
Sometimes, friction off-screen brings fire on-screen. And in The Jeffersons, that fire kept audiences watching for over a decade.
