The original cast from the show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” returned to the show’s living room set for an emotional and funny reunion after thirty years, according to NPR on Nov. 19, 2020. The reunion is now streaming on HBO Max.
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” a comedy that premiered 30 years ago in September, was on air for six seasons from 1990 to 1996 on NBC. Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton Banks), Daphne 
Maxwell Reid (Aunt Viv 2), Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks), Tatyana Ali ( Ashley Banks), Joseph Marcell (Jeffery, the butler), and DJ Jazzy all reminisced about their co-star, James Avery who played Uncle Phil. Avery died in 2013 from complications from open-heart surgery.
Janet Hubert, who played Aunt Viv in the first three seasons of the Fresh Prince, before being replaced by Ried, also returned for a conversation with Smith about their differences. They spoke about their fiery feud and how they could move forward. Hubert and Will decided to bury the hatchet. She alleges that she was in a very toxic marriage with James Whitten and pregnant during the third season, which caused conflict on the set. Smith acknowledged that he was insensitive.
Homelife was not good at all,” she says. “I was no longer laughing, smiling, joking because there were things that were going on that nobody knew about.
The Fresh Prince cast was happy that they were able to reunite and put their differences aside. The series positively changed television.
Written by Jessica Letcher
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
USA Today: Will Smith and Janet Hubert extinguish ugly, decades-long feud in ‘Fresh Prince’ reunion; by Erin Jensen
EW: Will Smith and Janet Hubert reconcile in emotional Fresh Prince reunion: ‘You’re still my Aunt Viv’; Derek Lawrence
People: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: 5 Standout Moments from the Reunion Special; by Ally Mauch
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Martin de Witte’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Christian Haugen’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
