The beloved and mega-hit 1990s television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air helped propel lead Will Smith to stardom, and is a classic comedy staple. The show ran from 1990 to 1996 for six highly-successful seasons, and introduced the world to America’s favorite uncle Philip Banks, the iconically hilarious dance “The Carlton,” and the dynamite talent of its insanely gifted leads.

During the show’s lucrative run, Smith branched out and took the big screen by storm, headlining epic blockbuster hits like Bad Boys and Independence Day. The sitcom served as a stepping stone for his ever-growing entertainment career, and also gave the cast a monumental platform to build upon. During its run, The Fresh Prince was the recipient of numerous accolades including NAACP Awards, Young Artist Awards, and two Golden Globe nominations for Smith, and drew in more than 20 million viewers a week at its height, a quarter of the entire national TV audience at the time.

A reunion special brought the electrifying cast back together in 2020 at HBO Max, and featured a moving tribute to James Avery, who sadly passed away in 2013. A dramatic reboot of the adored series, titled Bel-Air, debuted on Peacock in February 2022 with Smith signing on as an executive producer. The original sitcom saw a resurgence in popularity following the hype around the reboot, garnering a new generation of fans and viewers. Here’s where The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast is now.

Will Smith (Will Smith)

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For his lead role on the ‘90s classic sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, actor and rapper extraordinaire Will Smith portrays a fictionalized version of himself, appearing as a street-smart Philadelphia teenager who is sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in their Bel-Air mansion. The show was partially inspired by famed music manager Benny Medina and Smith’s lives, and though by that point the actor was well-known for his music career as The Fresh Prince, Smith was struggling financially and jumped at the chance to star. During production of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the performer found immense success on the big screen, starring in the drama Six Degrees of Separation, along with Bad Boys and the summer blockbuster hit Independence Day near the end of the show's run.

Following the conclusion of the sitcom in 1996, Smith went on to become one of the most influential and dominant presences in Hollywood, starring and producing in countless lucrative pictures like the sci-fi comedy franchise Men in Black, action flicks like I Am Legend, and the Bad Boys trilogy among a myriad of others. The esteemed actor most recently won the Golden Globe Award for his vulnerable performance in the 2021 biopic King Richard.

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James Avery (Philip Banks)

Fresh Prince Cast Remembers James Avery in Emotional Uncle Phil Tribute Video

America’s beloved uncle to all, James Avery appeared as the commanding and strict family patriarch Philip Banks, who loves and cares for his children very deeply but has high standards for them. Over the course of the series, Uncle Phil develops a close bond with his nephew and goes out of his way to ensure Will becomes a well-rounded young man on a promising life trajectory. After The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended, Avery found continued success on television, playing the lead role in the UPN comedy series Sparks and making memorable appearances on That 70s Show, The Closer and The Division.

He had a notable voicework career, most famously as Shredder in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego, and narrating R.L. Stine’s anthology series The Nightmare Room. The larger-than-life performer sadly passed away on New Year's Eve 2013, following complications from open-heart surgery. His Fresh Prince family publicly honored Avery, with Will Smith commenting: “Some of my greatest lessons in acting, living, and being a respectable human being came through James Avery. Every young man needs an Uncle Phil. Rest in peace.”

Janet Hubert (Vivian Banks)

Vivian Banks Fresh Prince

Janet Hubert originated the role of the vivacious and nurturing Vivian Banks, with the actress showcasing a more fiery and ambitious version of Will’s Aunt Viv. She portrayed the character for three seasons before allegedly being fired for her on-set behavior by the producers, with the part being recast by Daphne Maxwell Reid; at the time Hubert and Smith were notoriously at odds. During the sitcom’s 2020 reunion special, Hubert sat down with Smith and revealed, “I wasn’t unprofessional on set; I just stopped talking to everybody, because I didn’t know who to trust, because I had been banished. And they said it was you who banished me.”

The actress later expressed how her personal life was in turmoil, and she was stuck in an abusive marriage, and turned down a fourth season contract she believed was a bad deal. The gifted performers buried the hatchet during the special and made amends, with Smith apologizing for his role in her departure. Hubert has gone on to make numerous television appearances on popular shows like Gilmore Girls and The Bernie Mac Show, in addition to roles on the soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital. She most recently was featured in an episode of the FX drama series Pose.

Daphne Maxwell Reid (Vivian Banks)

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Following the departure of Janet Hubert after The Fresh Prince’s third season, Daphne Maxwell Reid took over the role of Aunt Viv, who was re-imagined as a homemaker once Nicky was born and introduced. The actress portrayed the character for three seasons, giving Aunt Viv a more demure and soft-spoken demeanor. Reid went on to appear alongside her real-life husband Tim Reid on the Tia and Tamera Mowry sitcom Sister, Sister as well as on Eve, Crossing Jordan, and on the BET romantic comedy series Let’s Stay Together. She is also an accomplished photographer and clothing designer, and in 2022 she guest starred on the Peacock original show Bel-Air, a dramatic re-imagining of Fresh Prince; Reid appeared in the ninth episode and portrayed Helen, an Art Council Board member.

Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton Banks)

AFV Hosts
ABC

Will’s preppy and conservative cousin Carlton Banks is famous for his iconic and hilariously entertaining dancing, and oftentimes serves as the main foil to his more adventurous cousin. At the show’s 2020 reunion special, Will Smith noted that the Fresh Prince’s comedy “was originally centered on the friction between Will and Uncle Phil…but it quickly became evident that the Will-Carlton dynamic would be the series’ primary source of humor.”

Though often at odds with the brash and daring Will, Carlton becomes his best friend and like a brother figure to the main character. He may not have wanted a Fresh Prince reboot, but Alfonso Ribeiro has had a very impressive hosting career since his days as the amusing character in the original, providing presenting duties for GSN’s Catch 21 and the ABC Family gameshow and spelling bee series Spell-Mageddon. In 2014, Ribeiro competed on the 19th season of Dancing with the Stars, winning the competition with his partner Witney Carson. Since 2015, the charming performer has been the host of ABC’s Funniest Home Videos, replacing Tom Bergeron.

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Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks)

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The oldest child of the Banks family, Hilary is the attractive and dim-witted cousin of Will and despite being depicted as shallow, cares deeply for her family and loved ones. Hilary is shown as being extremely privileged and spoiled, but over the course of the series matures and develops a strong sense of integrity. Karyn Parsons stars as the self-centered fashionista, appearing in the lively role for all six seasons.

She co-wrote, co-created, and appeared in the sitcom Lush Life and the critically-acclaimed yet short-lived show The Job, alongside Denis Leary. The actress found more success on the big screen, with notable roles in the comedies Major Payne and The Ladies Man. Parsons is a distinguished author, having written and published two books for children: 2019’s How High the Moon and the 2020 picture book Flying Free. She is also the creator of Sweet Blackberry, a content company featuring stories about unsung Black heroes.

Tatyana Ali (Ashley Banks)

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The Streamy Awards

The youngest daughter of Philip and Vivian Banks, Ashley develops a close-knit bond with her cousin Will when he first arrives and sees him as an inspiring big-brother figure. Tatyana Ali’s vocal talent was showcased on the sitcom, with co-star Will Smith telling her she should seriously consider pursuing a musical career. In the series’ finale, Ali did in fact perform several songs and went on to release her debut album Kiss The Sky in 1998.

The album was certified gold and spawned the hits “Daydreamin,’” “Boy You Knock Me Out” featuring Smith, and “Everytime;” she released an extended play called Hello in 2014. Aside from her musical career, Ali landed roles in films like The Brothers, Glory Road, and Home Again and had a recurring appearance as Roxanne in The Young and the Restless. She currently lends her voice to the Disney Junior animated children’s series Fancy Nancy.

Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey Butler)

Joseph Marcell

The Banks family’s sardonic and cynical butler Geoffrey is well-mannered and intelligent, and prides himself on his service to others and maintaining order in the household. The character is famous for his witty lines and frequent insults for the laziness of the Banks’, yet he develops deep ties with each of the members. Joseph Marcell portrays the entertaining Geoffrey, and has gone on to have immense success on both the stage and in front of the camera. He memorably played Gonzalo in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London, the titular character in King Lear and as Lord Lorton at Vaudeville Theatre’s production of Lady Windermere’s Fan. Marcell most recently appeared in an episode of the psychological thriller series Ratched in 2020. He stars as a troubled priest in the recent, dark horror film The Exorcism of God.

DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jazz)

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Will’s best friend and right-hand-man Jazz was initially introduced to the series as a recurring character, but was so well-received he became a regular shortly thereafter. Jazz is frequently shown being physically ejected from the house by Uncle Phil, and had an ongoing and unrequited crush on Hilary. Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff created their successful hip-hop duo together, having created numerous hit songs like the Grammy-winning singles “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and “Summertime.”

Following the split of their group and wrap-up of The Fresh Prince, DJ Jazzy Jeff continued putting out music and solo work, releasing mix-tapes like Hip-Hop Forever III and The Return of the Magnificent. In 2017, he and Smith reunited and performed two shows in Europe: MTV Summerblast Music Festival and the Livewire Festival.