What Are ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Actors Doing, 29 Years Later?
One of the most popular shows of the ‘90s, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air launched Will Smith into the acting scene, transforming every cast member’s lives in the years to come.
The entire cast is in perfect sync, and seeing Will Smith more or less play himself in the sitcom was and still is worth watching!
Will was the biggest star on the TV series, and we all know what he’s been up to, since after the show, he’s been landing a bunch of great roles. But what about the rest of the cast?
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
It takes an entire team’s effort to create a successful TV series, and this is what happened with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
So, if you were wondering what Ashley, Aunt Viv and the others have been doing since the series ended back in 1996, let’s find out!
We chose to start with one actor we’ll never forget…
James Avery as Philip Banks
The head of the Banks’ family, Philip Banks, was played by James Avery. Also known as Uncle Phil, since he was Will’s uncle, we loved the many laughs he brought in the show. He might have been uptight, but he had a good heart.
What did James Avery do after the show ended?
James Avery’s Roles
Before playing as Uncle Phil, Avery was a recurrent actor in Hill Street Blues. The actor got roles in different TV series, such as That ’70s Show, The Closer, Grey’s Anatomy and Sherri.
He was also a voice actor in many high-profile movies and animations – Iron Man, Aladdin, and Shredder’s voice in original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Later on, he played in The Closer, That ‘70s Show, and Star Trek: Enterprise. Unfortunately, life has been tough on him in his last years…
James Avery, a Mentor
The beloved actor had passed away on Dec. 31, 2014 during an open heart surgery complication. Smith shared on his Facebook page some moving words about Avery:
“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.”