Will Smith Recalls Misjudging ‘Fresh Prince’ Co-star Janet Hubert

Photo: Golden Globes website

Will Smith is continuing to reflect on his past conflict with former “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” co-star Janet Hubert, admitting he deeply misjudged her during their time on the show. Hubert, who portrayed Vivian Banks for the first three seasons of the 90s sitcom, left the show amid reported tensions with the show’s leading star, who was Smith.

“I made a horrible error and misjudged her value, power, and beauty in the show,” Smith shared on Vice’s “Black Comedy in America.” “I horribly underestimated what she was for me at that point in my life.”

She was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid because Smith made remarks suggesting that the actress was difficult to work with and that she was trying to dominate the series. Hubert denied the allegations.

Eventually in 2020 the two reconciled during the “Fresh Prince” 30th-anniversary reunion on HBO Max. Their conversation addressed years of miscommunication and emotions. Smith and Hubert have since rebuilt their bond with Hubert telling People in 2021, “We text each other back and forth all the time".