What Happened To The Cast Of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air?

The 1990s were ripe with terrific sitcoms, namely “Seinfeld,” “Frasier,” “Friends,” “Home Improvement,” and “Everyone Loves Raymond.” However, tucked between these shows was “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” a snappy, energetic, incredibly entertaining family comedy that launched star Will Smith to superstardom, was nominated for and won a slew of awards, spawned a modern-day spinoff series, and crafted a beloved theme song that Quincy Jones believes cemented hip-hop into pop culture. It also packed quite the emotional punch and it wasn’t afraid to hit the dramatic beats. 

“Fresh Prince” ran for six solid seasons, garnering positive reviews for its cast and strong viewership ratings. Nearly everyone involved used their time on the show to achieve fame and fortune on other projects, whether television, movies, or video games. While most of the main cast never rose to the same success they enjoyed on “Fresh Prince,” they remained relevant in the decades following its conclusion in 1996. So, in case you were wondering what happened to the cast of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” we’ve done the research for you. Whistle for a cab with a dice in the mirror, and then say, “Nah, forget it, yo, home to Bel-Air!”  

During his six-year stint on “Fresh Prince,” Will Smith displayed the winning charisma typically found in big-screen movie stars. Lucky for audiences, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay saw the potential and cast him opposite Martin Lawrence for 1995’s surprise hit “Bad Boys.” Smith quickly shot into the stratosphere and became the de facto Summer Blockbuster King thanks to mega-hits “Independence Day,” “Men in Black,” and “Enemy of the State.” In 2001, Michael Mann tapped him to play legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in the biopic “Ali,” and the actor stunned everyone with his realistic, Academy Award-nominated performance, proving he could do more than big-budget action comedies.

Smith seesawed between commercial-friendly fare such as “Bad Boys II,” “Hitch,” “I, Robot,” and Disney’s live-action “Aladdin,” and dramatic ventures such as “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Concussion.” In 2021, he portrayed Richard Williams, father of tennis pros Venus and Serena, in the dramatic true story “King Richard,” and scored his first Oscar. He, um, also famously slapped Chris Rock during the award ceremony, but let’s keep this positive. 

Aside from that minor misstep, Smith remains a popular Hollywood icon, capable of producing hits like the recent “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” He’s also an accomplished musician with several Grammy-winning singles, both with DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and as a solo artist. His net worth is estimated at $350 million, making him one of Tinseltown’s most bankable and enduring stars.

Thanks to his performance as the stern, short-tempered, and ultimately lovable Uncle Phil, James Avery became a recognizable pop culture figure. However, it was far from the actor’s first role. In fact, by the time “Fresh Prince” rolled around, Avery had nearly 100 credits to his name dating back to 1978. The man appeared in everything from TV shows “The Jeffersons” and “Family Matters” to big screen vehicles “Fletch” and “License to Drive.” Most ’80s kids likely recognize him as the voice of the Shredder on the popular cartoon series “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” making him a legend among Turtle fandom.

Following his stint on “Fresh Prince,” he kept himself busy, primarily through voice acting and walk-on cameos, even if he never achieved similar success. His lengthy list of credits includes “Spider-Man: The Animated Series,” “The Prince of Egypt,” “Dr. Dolittle 2,” “That ’70s Show,” “The Closer,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Sadly, Avery passed away on December 31, 2013, at the age of 68, leaving an extensive legacy in his wake. 

Fans may recall the character of Vivian Banks undergoing a slight change about midway through the series. Janet Hubert initially played the character for 73 episodes before Daphne Reid replaced her for the rest of the show. Hubert explained the hows and whys during a cast reunion in 2020, explaining that her personal life was in turmoil, impacting her on-set demeanor. She was also pregnant. When the studio offered her a “bad deal,” she immediately turned it down and was hurt when they opted to recast rather than renegotiate. Word began to spread that Will Smith “banished” her from the series, and from that point on, she was known as a difficult actor.  

Regardless, Hubert continued to work steadily in TV shows like “NYPD Blue” and “Gilmore Girls,” while also dabbling in films such as Netflix’s “The Perfect Find.” Most recently, she starred in the Tubi Original “Snatched,” and enjoyed a three-episode stint on “The Ms. Pat Show.”

Hubert’s replacement on “Fresh Prince,” Daphne Reid, was no stranger to television when she took over in 1993. Beginning in 1979, the actor took part in popular series like “The Love Boat,” and “The A-Team,” before landing a starring gig on the short-lived “Frank’s Place.” After “Fresh Prince,” she continued to work on various shows and film productions. Funny enough, Reid appeared in three episodes of the “Fresh Prince” remake “Bel-Air,” where she spars with (who else?) Aunt Viv (Cassandra Freeman). 

As the nerdy but kindhearted Carlton Banks, Alfonso Ribeiro danced his way into homes across America, making for one of the better sidekicks in TV history. The “Carlton Dance” is something most ’90s kids remember, but the actor’s incredible chemistry with Will Smith played a key factor in the show’s success. Uniquely, Carlton was originally designed as a cool character until Smith stepped in, setting up one of the biggest What Ifs? in TV history.

Playing Carlton was a roll of the dice for the actor, especially coming off the heels of an extended stint on “Silver Spoons.” Thankfully, the gamble paid off. After “Fresh Prince,” Ribeiro starred in the successful series “In the House” alongside LL Cool J and Maia Campbell from 1995-1999 and lent his voice to “Extreme Ghostbusters” in 1997. From there, he enjoyed parts in shows like “Cedric the Entertainer Presents,” “Lovewrecked” and the short-lived “Are We There Yet?” In 2020, he appeared in a series of State Farm ads as The New Chris Paul, portraying a clumsy imposter of the NBA star who’s in constant need of insurance to cover his accidents. The following year, he played Ghost of Fred on Disney’s “Muppets Haunted Mansion.” As of this writing, he’s been hosting ABC’s “America’s Funniest Home Videos” since 2015.

Ribeiro proved an adept director over the years with 17 television credits to his name, including “All of Us,” “Meet the Browns” and “K.C. Undercover.” He also won season 19 of “Dancing with the Stars,” and went on to host the show as well.  

Karyn Parsons brought Hilary Banks, Uncle Phil’s flighty eldest daughter, to vivid life, creating a memorable character whose snobbery perfectly countered Will’s street-savvy attitude. Surprisingly, despite being one of the standout characters in the series, Parsons shied away from the public eye, taking only a handful of gigs over the last three decades.

Memorably, the actor co-starred with Damon Wayans in the terrific 1995 comedy “Major Payne,” directed by Nick Castle, portraying Emily Walburn, the mother of Orlando Brown’s character. The film was only moderately successful at the box office. Still, the part proved Parsons could tackle a more straightforward role light years removed from Hilary. Even so, her big-screen career never took off, with “Mixing Nia,” “The Ladies Man,” “13 Moons,” and “Sweet Thing” serving as the only movies on her resume post-“Major Payne.” In between, she made appearances in popular shows like “Melrose Place” and “The Job,” lent her voice to the cartoon series “Static Shock,” and published a few children’s books and a pair of novels. 

Tatyana Ali portrayed the other Banks sister, Ashley, and managed to leverage her stardom into extraordinary success. In fact, during her time on “Fresh Prince,” she honed her singing skills and eventually became a popular musical artist. Her “Kiss the Sky” album debuted in 1998 and was quickly certified gold. Her most popular song, “Boy You Knock Me Out,” featured “Fresh Prince” star Will Smith and reached No. 3 in the United Kingdom. The pair later collaborated on Smith’s “Willennium” album for the track “Who Am I.” 

As for acting, Ali kept busy and has amassed quite the portfolio thanks to her work in films like “Kiss the Girls,” “Jawbreaker,” and “Glory Road,” as well as TV shows such as “Half & Half,” “The Young and the Restless,” and “Key & Peele.” She also received a Bachelor of Arts in African-American Studies and Government from Harvard University and was a political advocate for Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign. 

Another “Fresh Prince” mainstay was Joseph Marcell, who assumed the role of Geoffrey Butler for the entirety of the series. Marcell enjoyed a strong career before “Fresh Prince, ” like his fellow cast mates,” even co-starring in the Academy Award-winning “Cry Freedom” with Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline. After bidding adieu to Geoffrey, Marcell bounced around the TV map — a 26-episode stint on “The Bold and the Beautiful,” nine episodes of “EastEnders,” an episode of “Death in Paradise” — with the occasional film role tossed in for balance.

In 2021, he played Father Michael Lewis in “The Exorcism of God” and later appeared in Brian Taylor’s “Hellboy: The Crooked Man.” He also made a cameo in a Season 3 episode of “Bel-Air” titled “Baggage,” in which he portrayed a mysterious figure from the Banks family’s past. 

Moreover, Marcell is a distinguished stage actor, having starred in productions of “King Lear,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “The Tempest,” among others.   

Will’s cousin Nicky Banks repeatedly popped up in Seasons 3 and 4 but finally became a recurring character in the final two seasons. Where other actors portrayed the Banks’ youngest child early on, Ross Bagley took over the role for good as the show wound down. Luckily, the child actor, who had already made a name for himself as Buckwheat in the 1994 big-screen adaptation of “The Little Rascals,” was up to the task. Uniquely, Bagley would play Will Smith’s son in the mega-hit “Independence Day,” which our staff selected as one of the most American movies, followed by a few forays into television shows such as “Profiler,” “Providence,” “The Wild Thornberrys,” and “Judging Amy.”

Around this time, in 2004, Bagley stepped away from Hollywood to focus on his education at California State University. He resurfaced in 2015 to appear in the low-budget horror flicks “Gnome Alone” and “Dead Ringer.” His other notable credits include “Babe,” where he supplied his voice for Puppy, and the 1996 Sally Field drama “Eye for an Eye.”

Diving further into the supporting cast, Jeffrey Townes, aka DJ Jazzy Jeff, formed one half of a popular musical duo with Will Smith in the late ’80s and ’90s. As such, he earned a supporting bit as Will’s smooth-talking pal Jazz in “Fresh Prince,” often getting the pair into trouble with his big mouth and oversized ego. A recurring bit on the show had Jazz irritating someone (usually Uncle Phil) to the point they tossed him out the nearest door. 

Since his time on “Fresh Prince,” Townes has devoted himself solely to his musical career. In 2008, he reunited with Smith on stage during the premiere of the actor’s superhero film “Hancock” and later collaborated with Will, Jaden Smith, and Alfonso Ribeiro for a live musical number on “The Graham Norton Show.”

Townes amassed two Grammys, specifically for best rap performance for 1988’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and best rap performance by a Duo or Group for 1992’s “Summertime,” both shared with Will. In fact, “Summertime” is so popular that it’s slated to become a feature-length hip-hop musical.

Vernee Watson only appeared in 15 episodes of “Fresh Prince” as Will’s mom, Viola “Vy” Smith, and certainly left an impression in her limited screen time, often contending with her sister and brother-in-law over her son’s well-being. Still, that was a minor blip in the actor’s massive oeuvre. Watson has over 180 credits to her name on IMDB.com, dating back to a walk-on role in the 1970 film “Cotton Comes to Harlem.” From there, she landed roles in TV’s “Chicago Story,” “Punky Brewster” and “Hill Street Blues,” among many others, and did voice work for “G.I. Joe: The Movie,” “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm,” and the animated TV series “Captain Planet and the Planeteers.”

She continued this trend throughout her career, supplying her talent to everything from “Superman: The Animated Series” to the 2000 Disney film “The Kid,” starring Bruce Willis, and the 2002 Denzel Washington drama “Antwone Fisher.” From 2019 to 2024, she played Gloria on the TV series “Bob Hearts Abishola,” while simultaneously enjoying a recurring role as Stella Henry in the long-running series “General Hospital,” for which she collected two Daytime Emmy Awards in 2018 and 2019.

As if that weren’t enough, Watson has a handful of video game projects under her belt, namely 2003’s “True Crime: Streets of LA,” “2004’s “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” 2006’s “The Ant Bully,” and 2020’s “Mafia: Definitive Edition.” 

Similarly, Virginia Capers accrued an impressive body of work since making her Broadway debut in 1957. Bit parts in classic shows like “Have Gun — Will Travel,” “The Untouchables,” “My Three Sons,” and “Dragnet” led to gigs in films like “The Great White Hope,” “Big Jake,” and later, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Howard the Duck.”

In “Fresh Prince,” she commanded the screen as Uncle Phil’s outspoken mother, Hattie, for six episodes, memorably calling her son by his nickname, Zeke. For the next decade, she continued working in TV, with “Party of Five,” “The Pretender,” and “ER” being the most notable entries later in her career.

Sadly, the talented actor passed away in 2004 at age 78. She left behind a powerful legacy, particularly on Broadway, where she won the Tony Award for best lead actress in a musical in 1974’s “A Raisin in the Sun.” Other TV/film credits include “Batman: The Animated Series,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and “Beethoven’s 2nd.” 

Finally, Jenifer Lewis had a recurring role as Aunt Helen in “Fresh Prince,” popping up to poke fun at her brother-in-law, Uncle Phil. Again, her performance was merely a quick stop for Lewis, who had already proven a capable actor in projects like the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film “Red Heat,” the Bette Midler drama “Beaches,” and TV’s “Murphy Brown” and “In Living Color.”

She made a career out of playing mothers in films such as “Poetic Justice” and “The Wedding Ringer.” She received NAACP Image Award nominations for her performances as Tina Turner’s mother in “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” Lewis’ vocal talents were also put to good use by Disney in “The Princess and the Frog” as Mama Odie and Pixar’s “Cars” franchise as Flo — roles she reprised for “Cars Land’ and “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” at Disney’s theme parks. She dabbled in video games and music videos and even wrote a book about her life titled “The Mother of Black Hollywood: A Memoir.”