An affluent teenager attending private school in the ritzy Bel-Air sub-section of Los Angeles, he was known for button-down collared shirts and sweaters (often knotted around his neck). Janet Hubert was never difficult on that set. Will and Carlton have just moved out of the Banks mansion and into their own apartment during their college years. At the end of the day, when most people watch a show like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air they dont put much thought into why the actors agreed to star in the series. Queen Latifah portrays two separate characters in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Will reveals that he and Jackie once hooked up back in Philly, but Jackie maintains that they are still just friends. Tyra and Will remain close friends and even have inside jokes. ' During the scene in which Will goes off on not needing his father but then ends up breaking down and asking his uncle why the man doesnt want him, Smith also shared that he flubbed the line at first, Avery reset him by telling him to use me, and then at the end of the take when they were embracing, Avery whispered in his ear, Now thats acting.. Just 23 years old at the time, the new West Philly kid (coincidentally from Philadelphia himself) has gone from studying musical theatre to being studied and scrutinised by fans of the original. I felt the change. It had been 27 years since he had sat down with Janet. According to CBR.com, the outcry from fans was loud and strong, forcing the network to change its mind. While it's easier to cast an older actor to portray a child for a variety of reasons, this age gap is extreme, especially since audiences were expected to just roll with it. Queen Latifah portrays two separate characters in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." She is seen portraying Hilary's tough-as-nails boss Marissa Redman for an episode in Season 1, "Working It Out . Having a fresh and reverent take on the character meant Freeman didn't have to do what Janet and Daphne did. This article was originally published on April 3, 2017, The Real Story Of How 'Gilmore Girls' Got Its Name, Joshua Jackson Reveals Truth Behind *That* Viral 'Dawson's Creek' Scene, At 28, Julia Louis-Dreyfus Joined 'Seinfeld' & Bought Too Many Throw Pillows, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. The outside is a large white home with pillars and freshly cut grass. Speaking to Sandra Bookman on WABC's "Here & Now" interview program, Hubert explained her disappearance from the show after the third season, when she was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid, leaving many viewers puzzled. Banks and Smith have clear chemistry as Jackie and Will, with the writers stating that their friendship was more than platonic back in Philadelphia. To put it lightly, it's an incredibly exciting move. Sadly, knowing that makes it harder to see the show solely in a positive light so it is much easier to ignore her comments. I never left the set. After. tag the friends youre gonna watch the anniversary special with #FreshPrince30th @hbomax, A post shared by The Fresh Prince (@freshprince) on Sep 10, 2020 at 4:40pm PDT, But still, there was a lot behind the feud between Janet and Will that probably also added to the drama. Karyn Parsons was a huge part of the show's success, taking on the role of Hilary Banks. Janet Hubert, who played the original Aunt Viv in the hit 1990s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," is setting the record straight about why she left the show -- and opening up a. To keep the energy up for all involved, there was a basket on set full of tambourines, sticks and other items that could be used to hype up the crowd. But she still ends the series in one of the best positions ofall the main characters. Over the years, Ashley has shown her talent in the arts in many forms, so the decision to have her attend an exclusive arts school in New York is an exciting one. What started out as just a friendship grew into something more back in 1993. Who was Wills girlfriend on Fresh Prince? 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Taken for granted time and again, Geoffrey is seldom given the narrative importance he deserves, apart from a few episodes that find him at the center of schemes cooked up by Will and Carlton, and even his own biological son. The two have a baby, before divorcing. She also made an appearance on The Cosby Show in 1989. Who are the famous characters on Fresh Prince? In fact, he owed so much that the IRS seized 70% of his salary from the show during the first 3 years. Although Long was cast in a previous episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" as a different character in Season 2, as Lisa she manages to steal Will's heart and put a stop to his womanizing ways. Sources::screenrant.com,nickiswift.com,funnyordie.com,freshprince.fandom.com. Who was Will Smith dating during Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? Geoffrey is always one of the most reliable voices of reason and sources of humor acrossFresh Prince's six-season run. But by having a Black family on-screen, millions of audience members around the world tuned in and saw themselves reflected or tuned in and saw a Black family that was just like their own family. Youd just start following like the Piped Piper, said Parsons. Still, when Nicky went from being a newborn to a preschooler in between seasons it was off-putting. Jeffrey Allen Townes aka DJ Jazzy Jeff looked back on the scene in which his character was testifying in court and at-first didnt want to put his hands down because the white bailiff had a gun, noting that they focused on stories that had a truth to them. Lisa Wilkes | The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air | Fandom #FreshPrinceReunion My Heart is so full right now. For years, people believed that Janet was sacked from the show in 1993, but in the reunion show, she revealed that this isn't actually true. Dim-witted but well-meaning, Tyriq is involved in various memorable schemes, including the boys' appearance on the game showDouble Trouble. Forming a rap group with his childhood friend Will Smith, the two were quick to find success as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. As revealed in the second part of the fourth season premiere "Where There's A Will, There's A Way", Jackie was born and raised in West Philadelphia, in the same neighborhood Will was brought up in. For another three seasons, until Fresh Prince eventually ended, Aunt Viv was played by Daphne Maxwell Reid. After season 3 of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Hubert left the series. The alleged story behind Janet's departure is actually pretty dramatic. 4 Father of the Year. For that reason, very few of us truly know all of the lyrics to the song. Because I had been trained as a young woman, you always have you dignitybut I realized that redemption was not gonna come unless I did it myself., Hubert even went on the record saying she had no interest in rekindling her friendship with any of the cast members. Then, out of nowhere, she becomes a weather person on the news, despite being incredibly underqualified for the role. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" debuted on NBC in 1990 and ran for six successful seasons before audiences said goodbye to the lovable Banks family. I wasnt unprofessional on the set, I just stopped talking to everybody because I didnt know who to trust, she said, adding that she was told it was Smith who banished her. Since the shows end, the cast has gone on to varying amounts of fame. When it was revealed that Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv were going to have another child, the idea of a youngster crawling around in the background of scenes wasnt very appealing. They'll come back, but they didn't," Hubert explained. Bravos Andy Cohen Locks In Another Reality Show. Unfortunately, after just appearing in eight episodes, Jackie disappears and is never mentioned again. Offers may be subject to change without notice. There's no doubt the Banks children enjoy financial privilege in their lives. When it comes to the aspects of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that are inconsistent, there is none more jarring than the fact that two women who look extremely different played Aunt Vivian. Similarly, they looked back on the time Will and Carlton were pulled over, which gave Carlton a glimpse into how some police see Black men. And they said it was you who banished me, she said, according to USA Today. Her show has been given the green light to move from California to New York City, a real expansion and step up that provides Hilary with much-needed fulfillment in her career. She left in 1994 due to growing tensions among her, the producers and Will Smith. Smith told the LA Times that saying goodbye to the character was difficult but necessary, saying, "We've all grown as actors and as people, we had an incredibly talented cast, but the show is just limiting.". At the time, Hubert's sudden absence from the show and replacement was thought to be attributed to creative differences. They seemed to have lost touch with each other after Will left for Bel-Air, which Jackie was initially upset about and caused her to slap Will in the face when they encountered each other for the first time in three years after Will's departure from Philly. For most Fresh Prince fans, thinking about the shows lead actors is bound to bring a smile to their face. During an early episode, Will is revealed to be so good at basketball that a major school has sent someone to scout him and a player from a team he is set to play. She is one of Will Smith's childhood friends and past girlfriends from West Philadelphia, who moves out west to Bel-Air, California after accepting a basketball scholarship from the University of California, Los Angeles. Seems to be a recurring theme for important people in Will's life. "The cast was offered money to take me down," Hubert continued. As much of a trash fire 2020 has been, hopefully it's at least shown us the power of rebuilding relationships and letting things go. Often used as a form of comic relief to balance out Will's sarcasm, Kellogg is well known for being terrified of getting in trouble with the school board but wants to make a difference where he can. Having already worked her way up in the television world from weather girl to talk show host, Hilary is once again on the up and up. But in the end, Will is left alone. Early episodes see Hilary as a college student who takes an interest in event planning and possibly catering. Katerina is a List Writer here at Screen Rant with a background in literary criticism and creative writing. After season 3 of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Hubert left the series. The year that it happened, Smith addressed the controversy on an Atlanta radio station with some less than favorable statements, claiming: Meanwhile, Perez Hilton reported that, in 2009, Ribeiro did a stand up set in which one of his jokes revolved around Hubert being replaced on the show, claiming: However, according to Hubert, there was plenty more happening behind the scenes that was, perhaps rightfully, provoking whatever behavior had annoyed her co-stars. In fact, she turned down a new contract offer following the third season in the hopes of a renegotiation. No matter what, to her I'm just the Antichrist. This decision wasn't the result of studio interference, but rather due to the choice of one actor: Will Smith. Peacock / Greg Gayne/Peacock. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Marjorie "Jackie" Harris (born 1956) is played by Laurie Metcalf on the series. 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air': The story behind Will Smith's iconic hug According to CBR.com, Smith was excited to move on to bigger and better things. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast reunited for a 30th anniversary reunion special on HBO Max on Thursday, November 19, 2020. This was the ultimate reason why she got fired after the end of Season 3. still family after all these years! As the eldest child of Phillip and Vivian Banks, obviously, the age gap between Hilary and her parents is less pronounced than any of her siblings. Kellogg joins Will in a sit-in at school over what Will sees as an unjustified firing of his favorite teacher. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV Series 1990-1996) - IMDb ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream. With Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali. Will learns that Omar has grown up and so should he . After Janet Hubert expertly played the role for three seasons, the actor was mysteriously replaced by someone else. Over the history of television, many actors have played multiple characters on a single show because producers were sure virtually nobody would pick up on that. I got slammed. Below is an episode guide of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air which highlights episodes in which DJ Jazzy Jeff appears as "Jazz". He felt ready to say goodbye to television, as he'd just landed a career-boosting role as Mike Lowrey in Michael Bay's hit franchise "Bad Boys." HBO Max/Instagram It was initially reported that she left due to "creative differences" (which is a catch-all term that could literally mean anything and nothing), but some believed it had to do with her fighting with Will Smith. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Jackie was offered $1m not to divorce JFK before - IrishCentral The alleged story behind Janet's departure is actually pretty dramatic. Wild, right? Jackie Harris | Roseanne & The Conners Wiki | Fandom Dee Dee goes to school with Will and Carlton and has a good friendship with Will. He had no way of knowing what was about to happen. She seemed to detest the world's devouring and often cruel interest in herbut she might well have avoided the public gaze, had she wished,. Since Fresh Prince ended its run in 1996, Smith and Hubert hadn't been shy about their ongoing feud, publicly criticizing and slamming each other in interviews over the years due to bad blood. The fiery feud between "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" co-stars Will Smith and Janet Hubert, who played Aunt Viv on the hit '90s sitcom, has come to an end, decades after the stars stopped speaking . Unfortunately for Carlton, things don't go according to plan, as it turns out Jackie and Will know each other from their time living in Philadelphia and quickly rekindle their friendship. Smith acknowledged that he may not have handled her personal situation the best at the time. Considering it would have cost a fortune and taken months to completely overhaul a home like that, why doesnt anyone ever mention the change? '90s sitcom viewers felt right at home with Will Smith and the Banks family in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. When asked if she was surprised other cast members didn't support her, Hubert said, "No I wasn't surprised. As the character with arguably the most bizarre narrative journey in the series, Hilary Banks somehow ends the series on top of the world. Show night rituals featured a lot of music Fans are excited to see the original Aunt Viv, who they've missed since her departure. After years of feuding, Will Smith extended an apology to Hubert during an episode of "Red Table Talk" for the way he treated her on the sitcom's set. Powered by. He only agrees if Hilary will go out with his friend Jazz, who's head-over-heels in love with her. Moment Jock Zonfrillo supported MasterChef contestant Brent Draper Like Tyra Banks, this role is one of Latifah's first acting credits (via IMDb). Unfortunately, he pretends he's not interested in her when he's with his friends as she's considered ever so slightly overweight. No matter how entertaining The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is, there is still no doubt that there are aspects of the series that were unfortunate. I lost everything reputation, everything, she continued. Hubert portrays Vivian as headstrong and no-nonsense, while Reid's take on the character is softer and more nurturing. It also offers a rare opportunity for the series to capitalize on the bond between opposite sisters Hilary and Ashley, as they will now be living together in their own apartment in the city. Advertisement. On top of that, the shows producers must have enjoyed having another popular figure involved in their show. Because the two of them grew up together, Will and Jackie are often shown to have been extremely close and know each other very well. Those contractors must have been amazing to do all that in record time. On top of that, the show's producers must have enjoyed having another popular figure involved in their show. Radziwill was on the list, and the list helps to explain why Kennedy didn't leave anything to her sister in her will when she died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in May of 1994. The real impact of the show would be felt years later thanks to the various reruns on stations around the world - the show became iconic during the years that it was off the air. 12 Jackie's Random Disappearance Already an established model when she landed her first acting role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, you'd think Tyra Banks would be overjoyed to be a part of the series. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In fact, Lisa is never seen again. "We could create our own character," she said. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: What Happened To Jackie - Screen Rant That said, the fact that Will Smith agreed to star in the show because he owed a fortune to the IRS is a bummer.