Can you believe it's 30 years since The Fresh Prince first aired?
Will Smith came to prominence when he starred in the hit show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alongside a diverse cast of characters. There were his cousins, the bubble-headed Hilary and the goodie-two-shoes Carlton, whose legacy lives on in the form of "The Carlton" dance.
Fresh Nostalgia
The nostalgia-trip takes us fans and the stars alike down memory lane. Will Smith has launched a clothing line inspired by the 90's show, called “Bel-Air Athletics,” featuring 26 pieces in total, for men, women, and kids.
Fans have created a short film of what the Fresh Prince would look like had it been made today (hint - darker...).One thing is for sure - everybody misses this show.
What has happened to the cast since? How many legendary cast members have recently died? Was the show really canceled 3 times?
All the answers are ahead, starting with...
Ross Bagley: Nicky Banks
For many child actors, film sets become a second home.
Ross Bagley played Nicky Banks between 1994 and 1996, giving us a chance to watch the little guy grow up.
Read on to see what he's up to today...
Ross Bagley - Today
Since Fresh Prince, Bagley starred in films such as The Little Rascals and Independence Day (alongside Will Smith) and studied film at California State University Northridge.
He has appeared sporadically in film and TV since 2000, with a guest spot on Judging Amy and a role in the 2015 film Gnome Alone.
Nia Long: Lisa Wilkes
Nia Long was introduced as Lisa Wilkes in Season 5 of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The character went on to become Smith's steady girlfriend.
Interestingly, Long also appeared as a separate character, Claudia, in Season 2!
Nia Long - Today
Since Fresh Prince, Long has gone on to star in numerous popular films, including Friday, Soul Food, Big Momma's House and the Are We There Yet? franchise.
In addition to her work in TV and film, she is an activist and supporter of PETA.
Donald Trump??
Before he became the President of the United States, Donald Trump was known for his larger-than-life personality and was frequently on TV.
In the fourth season episode of Fresh Prince, the “Donald” played himself and offered money for the Banks’ home. As the family considered his offer, the show featured a variety of clips.
This was to be the second-to-last episode of the show, as NBC was planning to air the series finale immediately after. That plan was, of course, canceled when they brought it back for two more seasons.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Will Smith's Fresh Prince popularity was complimented by a hip-hop act alongside Jeffrey Allen Townes called, you guessed it, "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince." Townes had a recurring role on the show as "Jazz," Smith's best friend on the show.
Outside of the show, the duo enjoyed amazing success, earning hits on the Billboard Top 100 including "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime." The group has sold over 5 million albums in the U.S. and won two Grammy Awards.
Townes occasionally reunites with Smith to perform but is mostly known for his DJ and producing work these days.
Karyn Parsons: Hilary Banks
Karyn Parsons played Hilary Banks, Will's fashion-forward cousin.
She was known for her superficiality, arrogance, and for not being all too bright.
Karyn Parsons - Today
Offscreen, Parsons is anything but dull-witted. She is now a writer and producer, and achieved some recognition for starring in films such as Major Payne and The Ladies Man.
Parsons has also used her celebrity for good causes, having starred in an EPA public service announcement for reducing pollution in local communities.
Fun Fact: When Will Met Jada
Will Smith was a single guy when he was on Fresh Prince, but little did he know that when he met young Jada Pinkett, she would one day be his wife.
Jada Pinkett tried out for the part of Will's on-screen girlfriend at the time, but it was said that she was too short for the role, which went to actress Nia Long. Will and Jada seemed to connect and stayed in touch as friends. A few years later they were dating, and the rest is history.
Will Smith Memorized EVERYONE's Lines
During the filming of the first six episodes of the show, Will Smith would memorize everyone's lines. In fact, if you look closely, you can see Smith miming the other actors' lines.
Smith explains his reasoning for doing this: "You can look at the first six episodes of The Fresh Prince and I was so just hell-bent on not failing that I memorized the entire script. And you can see in certain shots they tried to cut around it as much as they can, but I am mouthing the other actor's lines. [...] It took six episodes for someone to tell me to stop doin' it."
Queen Latifah’s Double Appearance
Did you know that Queen Latifah was once on Fresh Prince playing two different characters... in the same year? That’s right, Dana Owens, better known as the Queen, popped up on the show as both as diva actress and Will’s blind date.
Back in the 90’s, television shows weren’t known for their continuity efforts, especially if it was cheaper to get a guest actress you already tested!
Latifah would have her own show, Living Single, just two years later. She has since won a Grammy, an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and has a new show on FOX, Star, by the creator of Empire.
Joseph Marcell: Geoffrey The Butler
You might remember Joseph Marcell as the hysterically witty, dry, and sarcastic butler Geoffrey from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but Marcell is actually quite an accomplished performer.
Back then, his main duty was to keep the family up and running, to offer constructive criticism and much-needed advice from time to time.
Joseph Marcell - Today
Outside of Fresh Prince, Marcell is a classically trained British actor and member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He currently serves on the board of the Globe Theater in London.
James Avery: Philip Banks - RIP
James Avery played Philip "Uncle Phil" Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He was the picture-perfect father on the show, keeping Will and the rest of the gang in line. It's possible he was also a father figure to the cast off-screen as well.
Unfortunately, Avery passed away in 2013. Cast members including Joseph Marcell and Will Smith praised Avery after his passing. Smith particularly singled Avery out for the positive influence he had on him.
Janet Hubert: Vivian Banks
Janet Louise Hubert played the original Vivian Banks on the series from 1990 until 1993.
Uncle Phil's wife (and equal in every possible way), Hubert's Banks was feisty, intelligent and tough.
Janet Hubert - Today
Hubert was allegedly fired over a contract dispute over how to work the actress's pregnancy into the show. Several cast members including Will Smith said that Hubert was difficult to work with.
Still, she has continued to work steadily with roles in Gilmore Girls, Friends, and Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
Daphne Maxwell Reid: The Second Aunt Viv
Daphne Maxwell Reid took over for Janet Louise Hubert in the role of Vivian Banks during Season 4 of the show.
Daphne seemed to be a kinder and gentler Aunt Viv.
Daphne Maxwell Reid - Today
Now, Daphne Maxwell Reid plays a different kind of role as the owner of her very own photography business.
The name of that business? It's Fresh Prints, of course. She traveled the world and captured architectural photos which she sells on her photography website.
Vernee Watson-Johnson: Viola "Vy" Smith
Vernee Watson-Johnson played Viola "Vy" Smith, the mother of Will's character.
With her marriage to Fred Wilkes at the end of Season 5, she also becomes the mother-in-law of Will's girlfriend, Lisa. Yes, that means Lisa and Will went from boyfriend/girlfriend to step-siblings.
Vernee Watson-Today
Watson-Johnson has gone on to make guest appearances on numerous TV shows over the years.
Most recently, she appeared on MTV's Teen Wolf.
Alfonso Ribeiro: Carlton Banks
Carlton Banks was the comedic foil to Will.
A preppy conservative with Ivy League aspirations, Carlton's interactions with Smith's title character provided much of the show's comedy.
Alfonso Ribeiro - Today
Alfonso Ribeiro spends most of his time directing these days, though he has also made appearances in a handful of reality TV shows.
He brought his signature Carlton moves to Dancing with the Stars in 2014, winning the competition alongside professional dance partner Witney Carson.
The Origin of The Carlton Dance
Actor Alfonso Ribeiro came up with it when he simply read the line "Carlton dances" in an episode script.
He said that it was an impromptu improvisation that combined Eddie Murphy's "White Man Dance" with Courteney Cox's performance in Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark."
Ribeiro figured that given Carlton's overall conservatism and prudishness, that's about the hippest dance he could come up with. Little did Ribeiro know, his improvised dance would become a sensation.
Coming Back from the Dead: Fresh Prince Cancelled...then Brought Back!
Any Fresh Prince fan knows that the show aired for sixth seasons, but few know that the show was actually canceled in the fourth season.
NBC decided to let it go, and Will Smith’s character headed back to Philadelphia, bookending the show which opened with him leaving Philly.
The show was called “The Philadelphia Story” and aired in May 1994. The fans weren’t happy, and NBC rethought the decision. The fifth season aired a few months later in September and featured the character returning back to Bel-Air.
It went on to air for a complete fifth and sixth season.
Who Drove the Cab?
Fans have long wondered who drove that famous cab in the show’s opening sequence and many think that it’s Quincy Jones, the show’s composer and executive producer.
DJ Jazzy Jeff has debunked that rumor and tried to lay it to rest. The real cab driver hasn’t been revealed. As for the cost of that cab ride from Philadelphia to Bel-Air, Huffington Post used a website to calculate the fare cost, finding the total would possibly be around $8,356.96. What a cab ride!
The Basis for the Show
While the show featured a character named Will who was from Philadelphia, much like its star, it wasn’t based on Will Smith’s live exactly.
You may be surprised to hear who inspired the show: Benny Medina.
He and his writing partner Jeff Pollack came up with the format for the show. The Fresh Prince was inspired by Medina attending Beverly Hills High with a friend, Kerry Gordy.
Gordy had lived with his mother until he was a teenager, then relocated to L.A. to live with his father. When they were younger, Gordy invited Medina to live at his family’s estate, and the show took on a semi-autobiographical format based on these experiences.
Of course, Will Smith added a lot to the show, but now fans know that it all started in L.A.!
The Theme Song Lives On
The show’s theme song is officially known as “Yo Home to Bel-Air.” The theme was composed by Quincy Jones, with lyrics contributed by Will Smith, and produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Along with the show’s album being released exclusively in the Netherlands in 1992, “Yo Home to Bel-Air” was also released as a single (CD and vinyl) there the same year.
That doesn’t mean that it faded away either because you can hear Ving Rhames sing it in an Arby’s ad as of 2016. It was also re-released in 2016 by Enjoy the Ride Records, plus it was covered by Ed Sheeran and One Direction while on tour.
Upside Down?
"Now this is the story of how my life got turned upside down" is the beginning lyric of the show's theme song. However, Will's real-life was anything but "upside down." He had already made it big prior to the show.
Smith brought his incredible talent to the set and then went on to bring it to the big screen. How many actors can boast that they went from rap star to television star to movie star?
Fun Fact: Will's Squeaky-Clean Image
Will Smith was unique in the music industry when he and Jazzy Jeff started out in the late 80s. While most rap and hip-hop focused on the grim topics, the duo's lyrics were fairly innocent and focused on universal teenage themes.
It was a successful formula that made them millionaires before the age of 18.
Smith continued performing solo as he launched his successful movie career, providing tracks for his films Men In Black and Wild, Wild West.
The White House
If you remember the intro to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, you might recall the house in the beginning.
While the scene and setting of the show supposedly took place in Bel Air (hence the name), that house is actually not located in Bel Air.
The house from the intro of the show is actually set in Brentwood, a neighboring town. Either way, this is one white house anyone would want to live in.
So Many Guest Stars
You won’t believe the list of celebrities who appeared on The Fresh Prince. Oprah, Chris Rock, Boys II Men, Evander Holyfield, Jay Leno, Sherman Hemsley, Zsa Zsa Gabor, B.B. King, Raven-Symone, Bob Eubanks and even more celebs appeared on the show.
Some played themselves while others popped up “before they were famous,” such as Christa Miller, Chi McBride, Don Cheadle and more. And of course, Donald Trump was on the show before he was POTUS.
Canceled For The 2nd time!?
Bad Boys had been a good box office hit for him, and Independence Day was around the corner.
He was all ready to make movies, saying “TV is a good workout facility, where you get to work on your timing and other paces, but I think I’ve had enough time in the gym. Now I’m ready for the coach to put me in the game… motion pictures.”
Despite its cancellation, it lives on in syndication and is even viewable on Netflix Ireland and UK as of 2017.
The Spinoff
Popular TV shows seem to always have spinoffs, and Fresh Prince was no exception, with the show Out All Night. The show was set in the Fresh Prince universe and had the same creators and composers.
Patti Labelle was the star of the show and played a nightclub show. Sadly the show lasted only one season despite having several big musical guests, including Boyz II Men, MC Hammer, Natalie Cole and more.
The Cast Diary
It has been said that the cast kept a diary of sorts in one of the drawers of the kitchen island. The cast would write notes, funny poems and the like throughout the seasons as time went on.
Karyn Parsons was said to have kept the diary when the show aired its last episode as a keepsake. One would imagine this to be a memorable keepsake indeed, and probably a valuable one if she ever tried to sell it.
What Fresh Prince fan wouldn't want to get their hands on such a piece of memorabilia?
The Fresh Prince Soundtrack
The soundtrack to Fresh Prince featured the show's theme song, performed by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, plus the duo singing "Summertime," "The Things That U Do," and "Ring My Bell".
They weren't the only artists on the CD, however, famous acts like Salt N' Pepa, Bobby Brown, House of Pain and more appeared on the album. The Fresh Prince soundtrack was released in cassette and CD in 1992.
What's strange is despite the show's popularity on American TV, the album was only released in the Netherlands. Now thanks to the Internet, fans can easily scoop up a copy for themselves, but back in the 1990's, it was quite hard to obtain a copy!
The Fresh Prince Crossovers with Blossom
As is customary in the television world, NBC decided to have a crossover episode or two with another show on their network. First, Will Smith appeared on Blossom, which followed Fresh Prince in the programming block, as himself/The Fresh Prince.
Karyn Parsons, aka Hilary Banks, appeared on a later episode of Blossom, and also the show Out all Night, as Hilary. That’s not all though, as Alfonso and Tatyana played their Fresh Prince characters on the show In the House. Talk about crossovers!
Will Smith: A Fictionalized Will Smith?
Did Will Smith choose his own name for the show? Possibly.
It is said that he may have chosen the name, "Will" at the suggestion of a castmate because people would associate him with that name for the rest of his life. Good thinking on someone's part!
Will Smith - Today
Now, of course, we all know him in as a bonafide A-list movie star.
He starred in Independence Day to The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend, and most recently, Suicide Squad.
Tyra Banks: Jacqueline "Jackie" Ames
Tyra Banks played Jacqueline "Jackie" Ames, a recurring character on Fresh Prince's fourth season.
A childhood friend of Will's, Jackie moves to Bel-Air on a basketball scholarship and the two resume their friendship. Several times it is hinted that the two had romantic feelings for each other, but nothing ever came to pass.
Tyra Banks - Today
Banks was already a pretty famous model when she starred on Fresh Prince, and has since gone on to build a venerable media empire as a TV personality, producer, businesswoman, author and more.
She is consistently ranked as one of Time Magazine's most influential people.
Tatyana Ali: Ashley Banks
From her early (super early, at that) start on Sesame Street to landing the role of Ashley Banks, youngest daughter of the clan, Tatyana Ali is all grown up now.
Not relying solely on her acting talents, Ali is also a singer and a graduate from Harvard. If that's not enough, add an activist onto her long list of talents and skills.
Add three-time NAACP Image Award winner to the mix for good measure, too.
A Do-Over? Who Knows
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air certainly left a lasting impression for those fortunate enough to enjoy the show while it aired. Could there ever be a remake of the original show of sorts? There have been rumors over the years of a reboot or reunion, but nothing has come to pass.
One thing is for sure. Whoever steps up for a potential reboot has huge shoes to fill. There will never be a Fresh Prince like Will Smith ever again.