Though it debuted on NBC over 30 years ago, there’s still plenty to love about The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The classic sitcom featured winning performances from Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro and co. as well as some A+ jokes and gags that are simply timeless. The show is also still fondly remembered for its cavalcade of guest stars, many of whom played love interests for Smith. Up until this point, one could only wonder how the star handled the wave of beautiful and talented women that were on the set. Smith has now explained, though, that his dad gave him some NSFW advice on how to handle the circumstances.
Fresh Prince was essentially a “who’s who” of Hollywood back in the ‘90s. When it came to actresses alone, the comedy played host to Naomi Campbell, Vivica A. Fox, Tyra Banks, Nia Long and more. It’s certainly interesting that so many of these notable names would end up on the same show alongside the same leading man. But as Will Smith explained, that wasn’t exactly by design. The Oscar winner simply chalks it up to the series’ position in the Hollywood landscape at the time:
It wasn’t on purpose, but it’s the hot show and one of the handful of Black shows on. So everybody was coming through on Fresh Prince. Thank God, I was married, I would’ve ruined my life for sure if I wasn’t married. I knew [the position I was in] that young, too.
That explanation is fair, as Fresh Prince was one of the most popular Black sitcoms of the ‘90s. In terms of the ladies, I can’t even fathom the thought of being in the I Am Legend star’s position at that time. During Will Smith’s interview on Showtime’s All THE SMOKE, even co-host Stephen Jackson admitted that he would “have been all over the place” if he’d been in the actor’s shoes. Smith didn’t succumb to any kind of temptation, though, after his father hit him with a blunt piece of wisdom early on:
My father was hardcore. I’d done something… He gave me the greatest quote. He was furious. I had girls at work and stuff like that, and he just screamed at me, ‘Keep your dick out them people’s money!’ And I was like, [gasps].
That’s a wake-up call if I’ve ever heard one, though it sounds like it was more than effective. As someone who’s seen plenty of Fresh Prince episodes (which Will Smith says he can’t watch), I can say that it’s always fun to see the actor chop it up with his on-screen lovers. Some of those romances were better received than others, as co-star Alfonso Ribeiro was slightly miffed about Smith (unintentionally) squashing a romance between Carlton and Tyra Banks’ Jackie.
But ultimately, each one of those faux relationships played out perfectly, and Fresh Prince is definitely better (and funnier) for having them. I will say that anytime I watch those scenes now, I”ll be thinking about the words that Will Smith’s father imparted to him. Smith Sr. certainly knew how to paint a picture, but he made a good point about not allowing lust to mess up your finances.
You can check out those classic episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air by streaming all six seasons with an HBO Max subscription. Peacock subscription-owners can also stream the dramatic reimagining, Bel-Air, which returns for its second season on February 23 as part of the 2023 TV schedule.
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