Will Smith Praised By "Fresh Prince" Co-Star Alfonso Ribeiro: "That's Family"

BYErika Marie2.9K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Kevin Winter / Staff / Getty Images
Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro
Will Smith's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" cousin Alfonso Ribeiro praised the actor for being a "beacon" for him.

We all remember him as Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but Alfonso Ribeiro has been in the entertainment industry much longer than that one sitcom stint. The 48-year-old multi-hyphenated entertainer has been a working professional for four decades, and while his resumé is extensive, Ribeiro admits his Fresh Prince co-stars are more like his family than any other actors he's worked with in the past.

Kevin Winter / Staff / Getty Images

"It was that show," Ribeiro told Sway in a recent interview. "I've been working for 40 years. That's family. Other shows are friends, people that I work with, people that I've spent time with. That is family. And the only other person that I put in that category is Whitney Carson from Dancing with the Stars." When speaking specifically about Will Smith, he had nothing but praise for the actor.

"Nothing but love," said Ribeiro. "Supported the right way. You can give a guy a fish but teach him how to fish...that's the right way. He has always been a beacon for me. Just like, he used to always say, while everybody else is sleeping, I'm working. And now I don't sleep as much. I'm up early. Five a.m. in the morning I'm like, alright, and there's no reason for me to be up at five, but that means get up. Get your body going. Get your mind going. What are you creating? What are you doing? This stuff I learned from Will."

Watch Alfonso Ribeiro's motivating interview below and see what else he had to say about always staying hungry in the industry and treating every gig as if it's he's excited about booking his first job.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
...