Will Smith Confesses His Janet Hubert Feud on 'Fresh Prince' Was a 'Horrible Error'
Will Smith is opening up about his bitter feud with his former 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' co-star Janet Hubert, who played his aunt Vivian in the first three seasons of the 90s sitcom.
Smith spoke out about his feud with Hubert in an episode of Vice's 'Black Comedy in America.'
In the episode eight interview, the Philadelphia native described how he made a "horrible error" with Hubert, not realizing how important she was to the show. The father of three also shared that he didn't know how vital Hubert was to him at that time in his life.
"I made a horrible error and misjudgment of her value and power and beauty to the show," he said. "I horribly underestimated what she was for me at that point in my life."
'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' executive produced by Quincy Jones, ran on NBC from 1990-1996. The series followed Smith, now 56, as a fictional version of himself, who moved with his well-to-do family on the West Coast, including a wealthy Uncle Phil, played by James Avery, his wife Vivian, and their three children: Hilary (Karyn Parsons), Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro), and Ashley (Tatyana Ali), and later Nicky (Ross Bagley).
Daphne Maxwell Reid replaced Hubert, 68, after she exited the series after its third season. Smith and Hubert later reconciled while filming a reunion special, which was released on Max in 2020 for the show's 30th anniversary.
During the special, Smith and Hubert had a heartfelt moment where they reflected on their past tension. Since then, the pair have stayed in touch and maintained a positive connection.
In 2021, Hubert told 'PEOPLE' how they "text each other back and forth all the time."
"I meant it with all my heart when I hugged him, because I saw that little boy, that little 21-year-old boy," Hubert said. "Had we had an opportunity to talk back then, I think this would have never happened."
"He was in a place, and I was in a place, we were both in a bad place. When you're both in a bad place and there's no communication, you have to talk," Hubert added. "So it's been wonderful, it's been lovely to have him back in my sphere."
A more dramatic reimagining of the series, titled 'Bel-Air,' premiered on Peacock in February 2022. Per 'Deadline,' the show's fourth season will be its last.