ABC/Randy Holmes(LOS ANGELES) — Fans of the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air were reunited with the beloved Banks family last month for a reunion special and, on Thursday, Will Smith shared a seven-minute video detailing everything they didn’t see.
Smith, 52, posted on YouTube a video titled “Everything you didn’t see in the Fresh Prince Reunion” where he praised the groundbreaking sitcom.
When asked about what makes the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated show stand out, the Aladdin star credited “the casting.”
“You cannot buy or fake chemistry,” said Smith, who was 21 when the series started production. “When people vibe, when people are in sync and in tune and in harmony, you can’t fake that. And when you have it, it creates magic.”
“I think we could all sense that something special was bubbling,” he added of the show, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year.
Another behind the scenes look showed an emotional Smith sitting at the reconstructed set and gushing, “This is crazy! Dude, big chunk of my life on this set!”
Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Carlton, winced when reviewing his audition tape and exclaimed to his laughing cast mates, “Everybody in that cast has more experience than me… and they picked me?!”
The video also showed more about Smith and Janet Hubert’s emotional reunion, with the actor admitting the two hadn’t spoken for 27 years.
“I have to say, after 27 years, being here today and having the conversation Will and I had together, the moments that we shared the other day, it’s healing,” said Hubert after a large sigh. Hubert played Aunt Viv before being replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid in the third season.
The Fresh Prince ran from 1990 to 1996 on NBC. The 30th anniversary reunion special is streaming now on HBO Max.
By Megan Stone
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