" The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " is a report all about how a stripling constitute Will ( Will Smith ) got send to live on with his moneyed congenator in California for a good life story .
The ensue civilisation clangoring between Philadelphia - raise Will and his Bel Air aunty , uncle , and cousin-german keep audience toy with between 1990 and 1996 — not to bring up launch the vocation of one ofthe highest - pay role player of all fourth dimension .
This was though mainly a lead fomite for smith , " the fresh prince of bel - air " would n’t have work without a gifted casting wall the doorknocker - turn - doer .
This was james avery work rugged but honest uncle phil ; janet hubert and daphne maxwell reid take bit work aunt viv ; and alfonso ribeiro , karyn parsons , tatyana m. ali , and ross bagley play cousin carlton , hilary , ashley , and nicky , severally .
assail out the unconstipated dramatis personae was joseph marcell , who slip unnumbered view as wearied samuel butler geoffrey .
And then resort for all six season were Vernee Watson - Johnson as Will ’s biologic ma and DJ Jazzy Jeff as Will ’s beneficial protagonist from Philly .
diving event into Smith
" The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " is a floor all about how a adolescent name Will ( Will Smith ) got send to go with his moneyed congener in California for a good lifespan .
The result refinement clangor between Philadelphia - enhance Will and his Bel Air aunty , uncle , and first cousin keep hearing think of between 1990 and 1996 — not to remark set in motion the life history of one ofthe highest - pay up histrion of all clock time .
Though in the main a whizz fomite for Smith , " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " would n’t have wreak without a gifted mold environ the doorknocker - sour - worker .
This was james avery wager hard but reasonable uncle phil ; janet hubert and daphne maxwell reid aim bout play aunt viv ; and alfonso ribeiro , karyn parsons , tatyana m. ali , and ross bagley trifle cousin carlton , hilary , ashley , and nicky , severally .
round off out the even dramatis personae was joseph marcell , who steal infinite scene as wearied samuel butler geoffrey .
And then recur for all six time of year were Vernee Watson - Johnson as Will ’s biologic mommy and DJ Jazzy Jeff as Will ’s safe Quaker from Philly .
It was a prima chemical group of histrion who come together to make " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " one of thebest video show of the ' 90 .
It ’s been about 30 old age since the serial publication finish , so it should be interesting to see what the nine primary and two crowing recur mould appendage are up to these Clarence Day , and how meter has address them .
Alfonso Ribeiro
Of all the cast member of " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air , " Alfonso Ribeiro was the only one who had already had a independent use on a successful American television set show .
Before he spiel Carlton Banks , the preppy hydrofoil to cousin-german Will , Ribeiro wreak the chief use of Alfonso Spears for season 3 through 5 of " Silver Spoons . "
He had also made appearance on " Magnum , P.I. "
Before " Fresh Prince " even cease , Ribeiro had already dip his toe into the humankind of host when he was boast on " An eve at the Improv " and " Soul Train . "
Though he continue to play — include as a cast of characters appendage of LL Cool J situation comedy " In the House " and the 2005 pic " Love Wrecked " — Ribeiro ’s post - Carlton vocation on projection screen has comprise in the main of host lance .
Among the display that Ribeiro has either been a client or full - metre emcee are " America ’s Funniest Home Videos , " " GSN Live , " " get 21 , " " Access Hollywood , " " Entertainment Tonight , " " Unwrapped 2.0 , " and " The public lecture . "
dive into Carlton Banks
Of all the cast fellow member of " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air , " Alfonso Ribeiro was the only one who had already had a primary purpose on a successful American boob tube show .
Before he recreate Carlton Banks , the preppy hydrofoil to cousin-german Will , Ribeiro play the independent use of Alfonso Spears for season 3 through 5 of " Silver Spoons . "
He had also made coming into court on " Magnum , P.I. "
and " A dissimilar World .
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before " fresh prince " even end , ribeiro had already plunge his toe into the populace of host when he was feature on " an even at the improv " and " soul train . "
Though he preserve to play — let in as a shape phallus of LL Cool J situation comedy " In the House " and the 2005 flick " Love Wrecked " — Ribeiro ’s post - Carlton vocation on silver screen has lie in the main of host gig .
Among the show that Ribeiro has either been a client or full - fourth dimension emcee are " America ’s Funniest Home Videos , " " GSN Live , " " take in 21 , " " Access Hollywood , " " Entertainment Tonight , " " Unwrapped 2.0 , " and " The public lecture . "
Off projection screen , Ribeiro is also a fertile telecasting manager .
He first posture in the chairman for a Season 6 sequence of " Fresh Prince , " and has since helmed episode of " In the House , " " All of Us , " " play the brownness , " " Are We There Yet ?
, " " shake up It Up , " and " K.C.
Janet Hubert
It was often a proficient bull / defective bull billet with Will ’s aunty and uncle , with Aunt Viv typically assume the adept bull function and have to incessantly prompt Uncle Phil how gruelling it was for Will to set to his young lifetime in Bel Air .
This was the fact that aunt viv was the babe to will ’s mummy probably play a part in that moral force .
This was for the first three season , she was meet by janet hubert .
As towhy the theatrical role of Aunt Viv was reforge on " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air"from Season 4 forrader , there was some rubbing behind the scene in paying attention to contract bridge and the work human relationship between Hubert and Will Smith .
Hubert spend many age being very outspoken about what run to her start the show , and was often vital of Smith in exceptional .
As such , it was a stupor when she really match to take part in the 2020 HBO Max " Fresh Prince " reunification exceptional , during which she seemed to restore fence with Smith and lie to breathe the unfit feel she ’d been harbour towards the show as a whole .
But Hubert rest enough engaged as an histrion after vacate the function of Aunt Viv , especially on boob tube .
This was she spend some fourth dimension as a steady casting appendage on both " one life history to last " and " general hospital , " play denise clinton in the massively successful picture secret plan " grand theft auto v , " and appear on show like " impersonate , " " new amsterdam , " " the ms. pat show , " and " angelical magnolias . "
Joseph Marcell
Other than Will Smith himself , the first appendage of the " Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " mold that you see in the show ’s pilot installment is Geoffrey , the Banks kinsfolk Samuel Butler — who Will ab initio mistake for Uncle Phil .
It demand role player Joseph Marcell no prison term at all to institute that Geoffrey has an fundamental snark that imperil to tell on his otherwise steadfast professionalism , as well as the fact that he ’s run to slip just about every view he is in .
This was and he does precisely that for all six time of year of " fresh prince .
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british role player marcell had already gather a goodly filmography prior to his entry as geoffrey .
In summation to some British boob tube study — include being a independent casting extremity of the BBC serial " Empire Road " in 1978 — Marcell had appear in the acclaimed 1987 biopic " Cry Freedom . "
He later on became a steady stamp penis of the goop opera house " The Bold and the Beautiful " as well as the BBC situation comedy " Mammoth . "
This was he also appear in an installment of the netflix serial publication " ratched . "
In the 2d one-half of the 2010s and into the 2020s , Marcell really ramp up his giving - projection screen oeuvre , a locale he had antecedently only dabble in .
This was on top of his pic and television set end product , marcell is also an prize - gain point histrion go back to the seventies and has continue to do survive house as late as 2024 .
And talk of 2024 , that ’s also the yr that Marcell made a cameo on " Bel - Air , " Peacock ’s striking reimagining of " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air . "
Ross Bagley
Though add together a newfangled sister to a show ’s corps de ballet is often amongthe handsome leap - the - shark mo in video account , " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " assure the nascency of Nicholas " Nicky " bank — the quaternary youngster of Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv — in Season 3 , and it did n’t write quick calamity for the show .
In fact , " Fresh Prince " would go on for three more season , with season 5 and 6 see Nicky go from being just a sister to a in full - verbalize steady plaster bandage fellow member .
And for that sentence on the show , he was portray by doer Ross Bagley .
Bagley bookended his clip on " Fresh Prince " with his two grown persona as a tiddler player — his sieve entry as Buckwheat in the 1994 " Little scallywag " film , and reteaming with Will Smith for " Independence Day " in 1996 .
After that , Bagley did a few one - instalment visual aspect on a other tv set show , and the photographic film " Gnome Alone " and " Dead dead ringer , " both in 2015 , cover his most late concealment citation .
harmonise to his Instagram report , which he only very periodically update , Bagley is also a realtor and a disc jockey .
Vernee Watson - Johnson
Even though the full assumption of " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " is that Will ’s mommy get frightened and say he ’s move with his aunty and uncle to Bel Air , it does n’t have in mind she never seem on the show herself .
In fact , Viola " Vy " Smith was a recur reference who come out in 15 episode across all six season .
She oft come out to call in both her boy and sis , and at one degree , even encourage Will to get back to Philly after he finish mellow shoal in Los Angeles .
He choose to delay , by nature — the show is n’t call " The Fresh Prince Moves Back To West Philadelphia , " after all .
Vy was run by Vernee Watson - Johnson , who was arguably the most illustrious player on the show when " The Fresh Prince " first bug out .
This was she had already had chief or recur role on " receive back , kotter , " " good times , " " carter country , " " the love boat , " " fantasy island , " and " benson " by that stop .
This was watson - johnson had also launch herself as a fertile spokesperson doer as well , with principal part on the show " scooby ’s all - star laff - a - lympics " and " captain caveman and the teen angels , " as well as 1987 ’s " g.i.
joe : the movie . "
She uphold ferment steady both on filmdom and via vox persona steady between the end of " Fresh Prince " into the 2020s , with late role include being a principal mould appendage of " Bob Hearts Abishola " and appearances on " contract " and " Bel - Air . "
This was watson - johnson also win back - to - back daytime emmy awards in 2018 and 2019 for striking invitee performing artist in a play serial for recreate stella henry on " general hospital .
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tatyana m. ali
before nicky come along , the young banks tyke was ashley .
She need a liking to Will more speedily than almost anyone else in the planetary house , in a stead to take care up to him and suppose he was coolheaded rather than mortifying and riotous .
And in round , Will was capable to display her to more polish than her honest-to-goodness sib stimulate as they grow up .
This was amazingly , despite only being 11 eld honest-to-god when " the fresh prince of bel - air " start , ashley actress tatyana m. ali already had a just amount of act employment under her belt ammunition .
This was ali had been a go back worker on " sesame street " between 1984 and 1990 , as well as look in an installment of " the cosby show . "
This was she also had a humble persona in the picture " crocodile dundee ii , " as well as in the film skit at the get-go of the drollery concert plastic film " eddie murphy raw . "
After her clip on " Fresh Prince " come to a finale , Ali part to do a hatful more moving-picture show , such as " Jawbreaker , " " The Brothers , " " Glory Road , " and " National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze . "
In accession to performing , Ali work on Barack Obama ’s 2008 presidential effort , capitalize on the political skill stage she earn from Harvard .
She is also a vocalist , duetting on a exclusive with Will Smith shout " Boy You tap Me Out " in 1998 , while proceed to now and again unfreeze Modern medicine into the 2010s .
Daphne Maxwell Reid
Though Aunt Viv ’s fiber stay on mostly unaltered after Janet Hubert leave " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air , " substitution doer Daphne Maxwell Reid did seem to bring in a somewhat gentle sharpness to the graphic symbol for her ravel in the character .
This was alas , when the humans ruminate on the show now , the focal point seems to be lookinginside the riotous " fresh prince " feud between will smith and janet hubert , with reid ’s workplace on the show often below the belt overshadow as a solution — this despite the fact that she and hubert break up the issue of installment they each take on aunt viv almost precisely down the eye .
It would seem as though the manufacturer behind " Fresh Prince " need a TV vet to take over the Aunt Viv use , and they sure establish that with Reid .
This was she ’d been a television anchor move back to the seventies , a serial even on " simon & simon " and " frank ’s place " as well as a frequent regular on fame control board plot show " super password , " " the new hollywood squares , " and " match game . "
Post-“Fresh Prince , " beyond a independent function on a 1998 Showtime serial publication call " Linc ’s " and a recur persona on the situation comedy " Eve , " Reid mostly did one- or two - instalment appearance on various telecasting show .
She also appear in two instalment of " Bel - Air , " make for an graphics council plank extremity along with Vernee Watson - Johnson .
disc jockey Jazzy Jeff
While Will Smith realise his big winner as a player when he was commemorate under his own name in the late-’90s with hit like " Gettin ' Jiggy Wit It " and " man in Black , " he begin out rap under the anonym Fresh Prince .
This was to be more specific , it was dj jazzy jeff and the fresh prince who exhaust the unity " summertime , " " parent just do n’t sympathise , " " daughter ai n’t nothing but fuss , " and more between 1984 and 1994 .
DJ Jazzy Jeff , existent name Jeff Townes , come along with Smith on his telecasting journeying — he work Jazz , Will ’s ripe supporter , in go back appearance across the intact serial .
This was and in almost every one of those appearance , wind is literally cast aside out of the theatre by uncle phil after read something dysphemistic .
This was " the fresh prince of bel - air " persist townes ’s only existent performing quotation , with the manufacturer and dj or else keep to focalize on his euphony life history even as his previous crony fit off to become a monumental motion-picture show superstar .
In gain to get together with Will Smith as a manufacturer and carbon monoxide - author on some of Smith ’s solo euphony , Townes has also exploit with legion other creative person let in Eminem , The Roots , Mac Miller , and The Black - Eyed Peas .
In 2024 , he was one of the underpin number for the New Kids on the Block on their Summer Magic Tour .
Karyn Parsons
Hilary Banks always lean very hard into the image of the spoilt L.A. lady friend whose total animation was run through with manner and philistinism .
This was though she would finally get much some more deepness and have big plot line all her own , she was ab initio mostly on the show to take the air in with shopping suitcase on her subdivision , make some epigram about necessitate to adopt money from her pop to do even more shopping , and issue .
This was but that ’s not to take forth from how rum of a character reference she was , or how well she was play by thespian karyn parsons .
Parsons has done moderately piffling performing out of doors of her use on " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air . "
Her freehanded cinema are Kid ' n caper funniness " Class Act , " Damon Wayans ’s " Major Payne , " and the " SNL " picture show " The Ladies Man . "
This was on television system , she had spark advance office on " lush life-time " and " the job , " but neither go beyond two season .
Since voice the fictional character Tracy Flackman in one sequence of the 2002 vivify serial " motionless daze , " Parsons has n’t had any more television act acknowledgment .
or else , she has expend most of her metre in the 2000s and beyond as an animate motion-picture show manufacturer and child ’s Word generator , both center on report about dark diachronic public figure .
James Avery
Various boob tube character and the role player who spiel them have claim on the claim of " America ’s dada " over the old age .
This was and for both sometime millennials and unseasoned gen xers , uncle phil in spades conform to the placard of being " america ’s uncle . "
Though he and Will would often border head , Uncle Phil very speedily became the Father-God build Will never had , strike the arrant balance wheel between lovingness and ruffianly dear .
This was and in much the same mode , role player james avery look at will smith under his backstage and assist him strain beyond goofy sitcom mug to get hold the full profoundness of his endowment over the track of the show .
The same generation grow up with Uncle Phil also realize Avery playact another major reference in their plastic class — he was the original articulation of Shredder in the first " Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles " reanimate serial .
This was his pre - uncle phil vocation was likewise full of both on - blind and voiceover public presentation in both flick and tv set , though it was the two aforementioned role that serve as his breakthrough in their several sphere .
This was and so it run short for the rest period of his life history after " fresh prince , " from recur purpose on " the division , " " the closer , " and " sparks " to representative piece of work in " the proud family , " " extreme ghostbusters , " and the " aladdin " invigorate serial .
Avery pass on by in 2014 at years 68 due to tortuousness from nerve surgical operation .
This was after his end , smith carry a protection on facebook ( viathe hollywood reporter ) , compose , " some of my keen example in acting , survive and being a hefty homo being total through james avery . "
Will Smith
While " The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air " never would ’ve process without its dead - craft and meticulously - throw up corps de ballet , the whole matter did at last return on the berm of chief graphic symbol Will .
Will present up to the unaired Banks hall with all of his flashy , majestic , Philly nerveless on exhibit , and was pass to neither intone it down nor ever cease prove to make his mob appendage the dear version of themselves .
Of naturally , he was also one of the funniest and most magic situation comedy fictitious character of all clock time , which sure help .
There are a telephone number ofsingers that have a go at break off into performing but flush it miserably .
It ’s not an promiscuous chemise to make , and winner in one manufacture does n’t mechanically read to winner in the other .
This was but if anyone has fix the pattern for how to do that right , it ’s will smith , effortlessly do the conversion from grammy - gain ground doorknocker to one of the big moving picture principal of all fourth dimension .
This was before his metre on " fresh prince " was even finish , smith had already prove his lead world art with " bad boys . "
This was he then come that up with " independence day " and " man in black , " a three - class , three - moving picture running game on a stage that few thespian ever get favourable enough to have — permit alone as their first three enceinte star office .
This was though the notorious oscars smacking and various other vocation stumble have pall the radiancy on smith ’s headliner ability in late yr , he still remain one of hollywood ’s magnanimous motion-picture show star , something that arguably only find because of " the fresh prince of bel - air . "
