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Will Smith Opens Up About Misjudging ‘Fresh Prince’ Co-star Janet Hubert

The Oscar winner previously implied that Hubert was challenging to work with.

Will Smith is reflecting on his past conflict with “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” co-star Janet Hubert, admitting he deeply misjudged her during their time on the iconic show.

“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.”

Hubert, who portrayed Vivian Banks for the first three seasons of the iconic 90s sitcom, left the show amid reported tensions with the show’s leading star, Smith. 

At the time, Smith made remarks suggesting that the actress was difficult to work with and that she was trying to dominate the series, which Hubert has strongly denied. Actress Daphne Maxwell Reid ultimately replaced her.

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The pair eventually reconciled in 2020 during the “Fresh Prince” 30th-anniversary reunion on HBO Max. Their emotional conversation addressed years of miscommunication, with Hubert saying she saw “that little 21-year-old boy” during their exchange.

Smith and Hubert have since rebuilt their bond with Hubert telling People in 2021, “We text each other back and forth all the time," confirming their relationship is stronger than ever.

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