It’s the show that launched Will Smith’s career, gave us The Carlton, and introduced
prime time viewers to hip-hop culture.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has often been lauded as one of the best shows of the 90’s, but
that didn’t guarantee rewarding careers for its entire cast.
After a reunion photo in late March of 2017 sparked unfounded rumors of a Fresh Prince
reboot, we thought for this edition of we’d do a little digging and see what our favorite
Bel-Air family has been up to since the show’s final episode in 1996.
James Avery – Philip Banks After spending six years keeping his nephew’s
boisterous personality in line, Avery enjoyed years of success, appearing briefly in quite
a few different television shows and taking smaller roles in movies.
Of his more notable parts, the former television father-figure was in The Closer, The Division,
Sparks, and lent his voice to the Kinect Disneyland Adventures video game.
Sadly, on December 31st, 2013 at the age of 68, Avery passed away from complications after
open heart surgery.
Though we may have lost our favorite our favorite Bel-Air judge, we’ll at least have this
snap of an older Smith looking very-much-so like his on-screen uncle.
Janet Hubert– Vivian Banks # 1 Look up the definition of spiteful and you
might find an image of Hubert, the first of two actresses that portrayed Smith’s television
aunt.
Rumors as to why Hubert was fired after the third season range from a contract-breaking
pregnancy to continued feuds with the production crew and cast, but none of it seemed to slow
her down.
After leaving Fresh Prince, Hubert appeared in various walk-on roles and is currently
slated for the Marcus Garvey Biopic.
After missing out on the 2017 cast reunion photo, Hubert went public with some unkind
words for former co-stars Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro.
Daphne Maxwell Reid – Vivian Banks # 2 After replacing a rather sour Janet Hubert
in Season 4 of Fresh Prince, Reid didn’t quite enjoy the same on-screen success as
her predecessor.
Instead, she and husband Tim Reid owned and operated New Millennium Studios, a full-service
movie studio, until 2014.
In 2010, Reid and her husband founded the Legacy Media Institute, a non-profit organization
working with newcomers to entertainment media to pair them with professionals in the film
and television industry.
In April of 2017, Reid and her husband hosted a fashion show to benefit the LMI.
Karyn Parsons – Hilary Banks Since hanging up Hilary’s staple fashionable
garb in 1996, Parsons has sprinkled her presence in a variety of walk-on roles on Melrose Place
and Linc’s, eventually landing a longer run on The Job as Toni.
While her career may not be incredibly active, Parsons’ has been keeping herself busy with
her children, daughter Lana and son Nico, born in 2003 and 2007 respectively, and husband
Alexandre Rockwell, whom she married in 2003.
In 2013, Parsons founded The Sweet Blackberry Foundation, a non-profit devoted to teaching
children about “unsung black heroes” through animated films.
In 2017, she’s slated to appear in the short On Monday of Last Week.
Tatyana Ali – Ashley Banks As Fresh Prince started to wind down, Tatyana
geared up for her short-lived musical career which didn’t pick up enough steam to keep
her from taking on occasional walk-on parts and a recurring role on The Young and the
Restless.
In 2008, she broke from acting and toured as a spokesperson for Barack Obama, in 2014
release a new EP titled "Hello", and in 2016, married Dr. Vaugh Rasberry and gave birth
to her first child, Edward Aszard.
A year later, Ali made headlines when a lawsuit she filed against creators of The Real was
dismissed.
Her acting career is still ultimately active as she’s slated to appear in The Good Nanny
and The Reason in 2017.
Joseph Marcell – Geoffrey Butler Not everybody was destined for the spotlight,
which may explain Marcell’s fairly quiet career after Fresh Prince ended.
Since 1996, he has made the occasional appearance on shows like In the House, Brothers and Sisters,
Jericho, and A Touch of Frost, and even held lengthy roles on The Bold and the Beautiful
and EastEnders.
Marcell joined several shorts in 2016, including The Complete Walk: Henry V and The Complete
Walk: King Lear, and is starring in the ImagiCon Entertainment film Thrice.
Alfonso Ribeiro – Carlton Banks Almost immediately after Fresh Prince ended,
Ribeiro landed a role on In the House and partook in walk-on parts and voice overs.
In 2006, he started his directorial career with All of Us, hosted the game show Catch
21 from 2008 to 2011 and started hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos and Unwrapped 2.0 in
2015, but his claim to fame was – and always will be – The Carlton.
For season 19 of Dancing with the Stars, Ribeiro took his keen moves all the way to the end
and declared season champions alongside Witney Carson - of course ensuring his signature
move showed up at least once.
He may blame Fresh Prince for casting the Carlton Banks shadow on his career, but he
embraces it often, specifically during the “World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day
Parade” in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Will Smith – Will Smith Who has the time to run through all of Mr.
Smith’s big screen accomplishments?
He’s saved the world from aliens on multiple occasions, survived a post-apocalyptic world
of vampires, ruled the wild west, blew up the streets of Miami, gave the 90’s some
of its more catchier tunes, befriended Harley Quinn, and advocated for same-sex marriage.
Though Disney’s tight wallet will be keeping us from seeing Smith in the upcoming Disney
live-action remake of Dumbo, fans will be able to catch him in future productions of
Bad Boys for Life, Bad Boys 4, and Netflix’s Bright.
When not dominating the big screen, Smith is ushering his younger children, Willow and
Jaden, into the limelight.
Ross Bagley - Nicky Banks He stole hearts as the youngest child of Phil
and Vivian in the show’s final two seasons, but all of that “looking cute for the camera”
is far behind Ross.
The grown-up child actor and former adorable kid hasn’t had the most boisterous of careers,
but his roles in The Little Rascals as Buckwheat, Independence Day alongside Will Smith, and,
most recently, Gnome Alone and Dead Ringer, have kept him active.
If you really want to follow Bagley’s current going-ons, it’s best to follow him on Instagram
@bossragley.
Looking for a new home in the southern California area?
Bagley also works as an agent for Keller Williams Realty.
Jeffrey Allen Townes - DJ Jazzy Jeff Following Smith into the limelight, Jeff joined
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a recurring friend of Smith’s aptly named “Jazz.”
Despite being bitten by the acting bug, Jeff’s true passion lied with music.
The hip-hop artist and record producer is still in the music scene, having produced
nine songs in 2014 alone.
If you’re big into clubbing, you may see Jeff pop up to man the booth at locations
like Rehab Beach Club in Las Vegas, or you can just follow his career around the world
as he stops at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates or Liverpool.
Since the conclusion of Fresh Prince, Jeff and Will have teamed up for projects like
the premiere of Hancock and will be taking the stage together again in Europe in August
of 2017.
Or be sure to check him out right here on YouTube under the user jefftownes.