The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
During the recentFresh Prince of Bel - Airreunion show , Will Smith and Janet Hubert , who play the original Vivian Banks or " Aunt Viv " for the first three seasons , in conclusion entomb the hatchet after a decades - tenacious feud . During their heart - to - bosom , Will defended his legal action by tell he was " just a kid " back then .
Was he ? Well , technically no . Though he was a presumably young untried grownup , he was , by definition , already an adult . But how oldwashe ? Here ’s a look at how old each cast member was when the show premiered in 1990 and how old they are today .
Will Smith (Will Smith)
Born in 1968 , Smith was 22 years old when the series first aired in 1990 , potentially 21 if his September birthday had n’t yet arrive ( and in all likelihood 21 when cinematography began ) . By definition , then , he was already an grownup and much old than the high school day - aged teen he was propose to be .
Based on the fact that Will and Carlton were in high school day for several years , Will was presuppose to be about 17 years old when he arrived at the Banks ' home . Today , Will Smith the doer is 52 and has becomea monumental movie star . In fact , he is one of the most bankable star in Hollywood .
James Avery (Philip Banks)
Avery , who played the Banks ' towering and strict paterfamilias , was brook in 1945 and thus was 45 when the first season was on the air . This falls in telephone circuit with how previous his character , a successful judge , was say to be as well .
In existent life , Avery sadly make it away in 2013 at the age of 68 following complication from heart surgery . He would have been 75 today . He was remembered during the reunion special , and made his mark in other roles as well , such as Shredder inTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesand Haroud Hazi Bin in the animatedAladdinseries .
Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton Banks)
Will ’s preppy cousin , Carlton was supposed to be the same eld as Will , as they attend eminent school together and were presumably in the same score . In real life , the actor Alfonso Ribeiro was just 19 years former , a few years younger than Smith . And while many believeFresh Prince of Bel - Airwas his breakout purpose , he had actually starred on another pop sitcom before it , Silver Spoons , alongside Ricky Schroeder .
Today , Ribeiro , whowonDancing with the Stars ' 19thseason , currently serve as host of the long - running showAmerica ’s Funniest Home Videos . He is 49 years quondam .
Tatyana Ali (Ashley Banks)
Ali was just 11 year old when the show start , playing the new Banks child ( until little Nicky was digest ) , who was about the same age . She was carry in 1979 and her first acting role was at the age of six onSesame Street . She also competed onStar Searchas a nestling , spill the beans " Ai n’t No Mountain High Enough . "
This would make Ali 41 class previous today . And she has accomplished a lot since the show end , including earning a degree from Harvard University . She continues to act in soap operas likeThe Young and the Restless(from 2007 - 2013 ) and various Hallmark and Lifetime movies . And she persist in to let the cat out of the bag professionally .
Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks)
Parsons was 24 when the serial began , a few yr older than Smith . And indeed , she was recreate a character who was to be a few age quondam than her brother Carlton and full cousin Will . Though Hilary was supposed to be a bit youthful in season one .
Today , Parsons who was born in 1966 , is 54 . She continues to act though she took more than a decennary off . She also recently publish her first novel , designed for middle graders . CalledHow High the Moon , it is slackly based on stories of her own mother ’s childhood develop up in the Jim Crow South .
Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey Butler)
Most recognizable as the loveable , sarcastic , andquick - witted kinsperson Samuel Butler , Butler ’s eld was never discussed , though it ’s likely he was in his early forty . Marcell , indeed , was 42 when the show began .
He keep on to act , and thoughhe was n’t a independent character , he most recently look in the Netflix seriesRatched . A member of the Royal Shakespeare Company . Today , Marcell is 72 and despite sporting a frosty , clean beard , he seems just as immature at mettle as he was 30 years ago .
Daphne Reid (Vivian Banks)
Thesecond actor to play Aunt Vivian , and the one to toy the theatrical role through to the series ' end , Reid was 42 – the same geezerhood as Marcell – when the show begin . This is likely in and around how old Vivian would have been , having experienced a surprise maternity and give parentage to Nicky as a fledged mother .
As with Marcell , this makes Reid 72 old age previous today . She continues to playact , most recently in the movieHarrietand as a serial publication regular on the showJacqueline and Jilly .
Janet Hubert (Vivian Banks)
The original Aunt Vivian , Hubert was much younger than Reid when the serial publication commence , at just 34 twelvemonth old . This would have made the character about 37 when she receive fraught with Nicky . Indeed , while the type ’s years was never explicitly stated , she was estimate to be anywhere from 39 to 45 .
Today , Hubert , enounce the fallout fromFresh Prince of Bel - Air , and being label difficult in Hollywood , severely touch her calling expectation . That say , she has been consistently act over the last almost three decades , mostly with lowly guest or minor roles . She currently appears as Mignon Pappion on the seriesKing Ester . She is 64 years old .
DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jazz)
Smith ’s existent - life best supporter and collaborator in the rap duoDJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince , Jeff , substantial name Jeffrey Allen Townes , was really quite a bit older than Smith when the show started : he was 25 . Though he easy pull off being the same years .
Today , it ’s elusive to believe that the man who wasrepeatedly shed out of the Banks household by Uncle Philis now 55 age onetime . He bear on to work out as a successful DJ .
NEXT:5 Things We Want To See In The Fresh Prince Reboot ( & 5 Things We Do n’t )
