The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air the actors are as close as they were three decades ago.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE after their Zumba class reunion, Alfonso Ribeiro and Tatyana Ali — who played sibling duo Carlton and Ashley Banks on the ’90s series — revealed that The Fresh Prince stars keep in touch via group chat. Although Ribeiro, 52, remained tight-lipped about what the former colleagues were talking about, he compared their messages to a “family” update on their lives.
The Dancing with the stars the co-host emphasized that his fondest memories are of filming The Fresh Prince are related to the relationships he’s cultivated with his co-stars, telling PEOPLE that Will Smith is still his “brother,” while Ali, 45, and Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks) are his sisters. Ribeiro also paid tribute to his television father James Avery, who died in 2013 at the age of 68, calling him his “second dad”.
“So many relationships were created then that still have an incredible impact on our lives today,” Ribeiro said. “It meant everything in the world. It changed all of our lives.”
Tatyana Ali “relaxed” after filming with the actress in the role The Fresh Prince Character: ‘Heart Exploded’ (Exclusive)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/tatyana-ali-alfonso-ribeiro-zumba-1-062324-bb3e80ff0d374b02bd998584b25d3abb.jpg)
Alfonso Ribeiro and Tatyana Ali reunite for a Zumba class in June 2024.
Courtesy of Zumba
For on-screen siblings Ribeiro and Ali, their dynamic continued off-camera into adulthood. Now based in different parts of the country, the two make it a point to visit each other whenever they are in the same city. Ribeiro added that their families are also friends, and his wife Angela is in contact with Ali.
“Tatyana has always been my little sister, even though there are times when she says, ‘I don’t want to be your little sister anymore,'” Ribeiro joked. “It was like a teenage girl. Now that we’re grown up, she’s okay with me getting older.”
Premiered in 1990 on NBC, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air followed Smith, now 55, as a fictionalized version of himself sent from West Philadelphia to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. The series ran for six seasons, ending in 1996, but has since cemented its legacy in television history with its ability to juxtapose humor with serious subjects.
Will Smith and the new Prince cast reunite for a tour of the show’s Bel-Air mansion
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/fresh-prince-of-bel-aire-reunion-062424-53dd4416636c42dc894716a99e271908.jpg)
(L-R) Will Smith, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Karyn Parsons, Alfonso Ribeiro, Joseph Marcell, Tatyana Ali and DJ Jazzy Jeff reunite for ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, 2020 30th Anniversary Special.
Courtesy of Will Smith
In the midst of the pandemic, in April 2020, Smith invited his actors to his Snapchat series Will From Home. In a video call, in which Smith, Ribeiro, Ali, Parsons, Joseph Marcell and Daphne Maxwell Reid participated, The Fresh Prince the family reacted together to old clips from the sitcom.
“You guys are my second family,” Smith said at the end of the episode. “I was shaped by my interactions and relationships… when I look back, the best moments of my life were on that set. ”
Never miss a story — subscribe to PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In celebration of the show’s 30th anniversary, the stars reunited for an HBO Max special. They recounted unforgettable behind-the-scenes moments, paid tribute to the late Avery and talked The Fresh Princelong lasting effect.
“A continuing legacy for The Fresh Prince it will simply be that we changed television in a positive way and we will go down in history as one of the best to ever do it,” Ribeiro said during the reunion.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air transfers entirely to Max.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education