The episode featured the man-hug loved (and memed) around the world as Uncle Phil (James Avery) doesnt so much embrace as completely envelop his nephew, who is coming to grips with the loss of his absentee father for a second time. The entire show was quiet, even during the funny parts, and I could not figure out why. Lou claims it was great to see Will again, and Will responds "You too Lou" instead of Dad, officially disowning Lou as his father. But before all that, he was a sitcom star, someone who, it would not have been foolhardy to assume, couldnt handle more dramatic material. By Awa | You know what? William 'Will' Smith ", "He kept me in line. He waltzes in here after 15 years? Find talent. It was great seeing you, son. Uncle Phil, however, thinks Lou will again disappoint his son. Make connections. This was the first time the show just went there and stayed there and let it resonate, Zuckerman said of the episodes lasting impact. The trend of very special anti-drug family sitcom episodes was inspired explicitly byNancy Reagan, to the point where she literally appeared in an episode ofDiff'rent Strokesto deliver her anti-drug screed, and the relationship between the Reagan administration, drugs, and the Black community is a vile one to study (making the interpolation of "Just Say No" as "Just Say Yo" feel particularly gross). People were crying for a long time when it was over, doing their best not to make noise before the director said cut., I was ten years old. Lou Smith : By the time Phil and Viv show up to bail them out, and for Phil to deliver a typically fiery speech about what justice should look like in this country (delivered to a particularly weaselly-looking Hank Azaria), the damage is done. This article was published more than2 years ago, This week marks the 30th anniversary of the premiere of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the classic 1990s sitcom that transformed a buoyant (and broke) young rapper into Will Smith, blockbuster movie star. Firstly, Will Smith's father was very much present during his childhood. Speaking of "Will's father is out of the picture". William 'Will' Smith : He's my father. 2019 Ted Fund Donors He showed up, did this scene in one take, then disappeared again. Ben Vereen (Lou) stated in an interview that he broke into tears himself after walking out of the camera shot. After more than a decade of being absent from his life, Will's father Lou (Ben Vereen) returns, eager to spend time with his son Will here in the fancy hills of Bel-Air. I worked my ass off trying to keep him in line! Philip Banks How Many Of These 90s One Hit Wonders Can You Name. He's joyful, performative, and cares not what others think about him. Lou Smith : I just wasn't ready to be a father. This pages comprises the full verbal transcript of the first episode of Season 1 - The Fresh Prince Project . : Sheridan Smith beamed as she left the Duke of York's Theatre in London on Thursday after her West End show, Shirley Valentine. The idea was to have Wills father come back and leave again, disappointing his only son for a second time. Before this scene, Will Smith disappeared. When we started the series, Will was definitely not there, but he grew as a man and as an actor, he said. Lou exclaims that Phillip is a better man than himself, thinking that's what Phillip wants to hear, and asks him to break the news to Will, but Phillip refuses to do Lou's "dirty work", and Lou opts to duck out and call from the road. It's Carlton, Phil's son, whom we see suffer this trauma the most severely, even more so than Phil himself. Lou Smith : Ashleys first date with R&B princeling Tevin Campbell? : But Viola is ready to boycott the wedding, and forbid her son from going, too. Got through my first date without him, right? And he told us that this was going to be our gig over the summer. Those qualities I assigned Carlton regarding the previous episode? Ted's Bio; Fact Sheet; Hoja Informativa Del Ted Fund; Ted Fund Board 2021-22; 2021 Ted Fund Donors; Ted Fund Donors Over the Years. The entire show was quiet, even during the funny parts, and I could not figure out why, a Reddit user wrote. I might have been 12 and my brother 9 when one day he decided he wanted a new front wall at his shop. I started feeling trapped. (Via), Smith: My father was in the military, so everything was really regimented.. Ashley asks her if she was nervous, and Hilary responds that she absolutely was, but she "was ready." Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's Saddest Part Was Will's Dad - CBR I know my dad had been planning this for a long time. Geoffrey Butler approaches the door and lets Will in. Why did it take so long? Directed by Shelley Jensen with a script from David Zuckerman and Bill Boulware, Papas Got a Brand New Excuse is about Wills father, played by Ben Vereen, returning to his sons life after 14 years. : In the episode, Will's deadbeat father Lou (played by Broadway legend Ben Vereen) returns after a 14-year absence to spend time with his son. Im messing up the lines because I wanted it so bad, Smith said in the podcast interview. In honor ofThe Fresh Prince's 30th anniversary, here are the 10 best times the sitcom got serious throughout its run, in chronological order. Now that the building is done, he gets to live in it. ', Atlantic Records is Now Hiring Content Creators, Extras Richmond Casting Call for 1770s Types, $4,000 Casting Call for Women with Migraines, SCAD Documentary Casting Call for Church Types, "She Buries Me" Open Casting Call in Philadelphia, $125/Day Fort Lauderdale Music Video Casting Call, Paramount+ Series Casting Call for 2-Year Old Actors, "His Story: The Musical" Open Casting Call, $350/Day Docu-Style Project Casting Call for Blonde Actors, $1,500 Commercial Casting Call for Skiers in Colorado. This is the same guy who didn't think enough of you to pick up the damn phone! She thought college was the only way. But Top Dog makes the opposite decision, deciding that WIll is more "authentically Black," calling Carlton a "sellout.". Fourteen years and acts like nothing has happened. He also played Richard Williams, father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard. (Via). That childlike sense of rage, coupled with his newfound maturity, rises into his throat; his final act of defiance is to refuse to call his father "Dad," opting for his name instead. Co-writer Bill Boulware based this episode on his own life experiences growing up with a single parent, noting he was always interested in shows about fathers due to his lack of one growing up. So what's the real story behind the tear-jerking scene, you ask? There are around 148 episodes over six seasons, but one episode titled Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse made many fans emotional. When my father got out of the Air Force, he started his own refrigeration business. Philip Banks Lou Smith : [to Will] You see, the day you were born was the happiest day of my life. I'm sorry. But then, in an all-time line reading, Will simply asks his uncle, "How come he don't want me, man?" Recently, a rumor started to circulate that this scene wasn't scripted, and that Will Smith really lost it because his actual father was an absentee. The Best Serious Moments in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' - Collider Will then, becoming a touch of a father figure himself, must set his cousin straight. The actor went off-script and played . ", The Real Story Behind the Most Heartbreaking Scene in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air'. William 'Will' Smith: You know what? Here's What James Avery Secretly Whispered To Will Smith During 'Fresh : Yeah, that's cool. His father was a question mark, or, as cousin Hillary puts it in the episode, a deadbeat who left him and his mom flat.. "I did not make the rules, but I do know how to play the game. I had *fourteen* great birthdays without him. Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to be part of an upcoming music vid "Dad was tough but not tyrannical," Smith told Essence. But these are all catchy seasonings to a fundamentally kind, responsible, and curious main dish. : : Lou Smith He eradicates the box of one proper Black identity not with force, but with precision. Vivian Banks William 'Will' Smith: Hey, why should I be mad? Will Smith: Oh, my fault, man. What millennial doesnt jump to finish the theme songs lyrics when prompted by Innnn West Philadelphia, born and raised? Ashley speaks with her sister, the oft-materialistic and flighty Hilary (Karyn Parsons), to ask her, directly, when she knew she was ready for sex. Philip Banks The Fresh Princeis unbelievably silly, no doubt, with its oft-arch performances and willingness to surreally break the fourth wall ("How come we can't afford ceilings?" It's a brilliantly played scene, rife with warmth and gentility even as they discuss tricky stuff. Geoffrey Butler approaches the door and lets Will in. At 2:04 Will goes off script, so everything that happens after that is real. His character was contending with all the things hed never be and Vereen was deep in that moment. Ain't like I'm still five years old, you know. Plus, the specific choice of drugs amphetamines and the specific effects we see Carlton dancing himself into a frenzy unfortunately brings to mind other campy very special episodes, particularly the infamousSaved by the Bellcaffeine pills debacle. ButThe Fresh Princemight be the most successful because of what it implies about the future of its characters, and how neatly it closes the arc for Will. When they express how this is going to crush Will, Lou asks Phillip and Vivian to break the news to Will. He loves pizza and the Mortal Kombat movie. However, Smith revealed in his 2021 memoir Will that the relationship was occasionally turbulent due to his father's abuse of his mother. Here's the Tumblr version of events that we've come to believe as the truth: Tells him he grew up on the streets of Baltimore. This pages comprises the full verbal transcript of the first episode of Season 1 - The Fresh Prince Project. Will is at the Peacock when he sees a man staring at him. You probably remember the goofy dancing scenes and guest appearances from DJ Jazzy Jeff, but every so often, The Fresh Prince would attempt something legitimately poignant. William 'Will' Smith: How come he don't want me, man? He tries to make the exit without Will noticing, but Will does. Like, James Avery wouldnt give me a damn inch, the actor recalled on TIDALs Rap Radar podcast series. She expresses her worries for Janice "as an African-American woman" for whom life has already stacked the deck against. No, he said. After all, given his upbringing, getting threatened by folks packing guns is an unfortunately common part of life. So the only thing true about this rumor is the emotion conveyed by Will in the scene. The show wasn't afraid to tackle issues like drugs, sex, drunk driving, sexism, racism, and violence to teach us an important lesson or two about life. Did he actually accomplish anything during this time living with his upper-class relatives? Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper.Known for variety of roles, Smith has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award and four Grammy Awards. When Will and Carlton are held up at gunpoint at an ATM, a shot is fired, and Will is the victim. The show begins with Will Smith at the door singing and knocking on the door. Uncle Phil, however, is worried that Will's father will simply disappoint Will again and disappoint Will he does. So we're gonna have to put our trip on hold. He loves dancing, especially to Tom Jonesand theSugarhill Gang. It was selfish and cowardly, but that's what I did. I had always been interested in shows with fathers, because I grew up with a single parent, he said. William 'Will' Smith This remains, by my estimation, the single greatest example of a television sitcom getting real and I wouldn't be surprised if it continues to be for the rest of the medium's history (gritty reboots be damned). The two awkwardly find themselves talking with Lou claiming he's a self-employed truck driver now, and that he recently spoke to Will's mother, who informed him that Will was now in Bel-Air with his Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian, so he drove down to see his son. Following Avery's words, Smith pulled off the most iconic and emotional scene in the show's history. He also recalls that unusually for a sitcom with a live audience, the audience was entirely silent during filming, comparing the average taping as like a football stadium but this taping like "being in a church.". Look, why are you telling me this now? The story behind the episode is almost as good as the episode itself. Will Smith Explains The "Dad Episode" of Fresh Prince, According to episode co-writer David Zuckerman, this episode was written to showcase Will Smith's dramatic acting talents, following his recent turn in the dramedy, The initial script for this episode cast Lou as a pool shark breezing through town. While Will and Lou bond at a carnival, Lou tells him that the real reason that he abandoned him was because he was scared of having a kid. The True Story Behind The Saddest Scene In The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air History, GloRilla, Ice Spice, And The Carefree Black Girl Backlash, Karol G Tells Us About Her Most Personal Album Yet, Maana Ser Bonito, And Collaborating With Shakira, The Rundown: Cousin Gregs Finest Moments From The Succession Final Season Trailer, Ranked, Creed III Has What Every Sequel Needs, A Director Who Seems Personally Invested, How Bail Bag Helps The Formerly Incarcerated Get Back On Their Feet, Advice From A Finance Pro For How To Survive (And Thrive) In This Economy, Why We Shouldnt Forget About The Game Stop Short Squeeze, Five Cities Where Latinx Street Art Is Alive And Well, Travel Budgeting Pro Gabby Beckford Shares Her Best Financial Advice For 2023 Adventures, We Blind Tested Our Favorite Fast Food Double Cheeseburgers & Crowned A New Champ, How To Actually, Truly Buy Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon For Real, Were Picking The Very Best Air Jordan IIIs Of All Time, Game On: How Grant Williams Embraces His Role On And Off The Court, Jamal Crawford On Joining TNTs Tuesday Night Desk, Brooklyns Turnaround, And The NBAs Offensive Explosion, How Sneaker Customizer Marcus Floyd Is Breaking Into Pro Sports, One Horse Shoe At A Time, Talib Kweli & David Cross On Boots Riley, Bob Odenkirk, Palestine, Tribalism, NLE Choppa Takes Uproxx Behind His 23 Music Video, B-Lovees Uproxx Sessions Performance Of IYKYK May Have Been Ice Cold But Hes With All The Smoke, 112s Cupid Video Gets Some React Like You Know Love From 2Rare And TiaCorine, All The Best New R&B From This Week That You Need To Hear, The Most Anticipated Albums Of Spring 2023, Don Tolivers Stylish Third Album Love Sick Is A Step In The Right Direction, All The Best New Pop Music From This Week, Steven Hydens Favorite Music Of February 2023.