When The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s OG Aunt Viv actress, Janet Hubert, left the sitcom following Season 3, there was bad blood between her and co-star Will Smith. Back then, the show’s lead star allegedly claimed that Hubert caused issues on set. For years, the two actors didn't speak to each other. However, But they resolved their feud when Smith and the cast reunited on the Max special that aired in 2020. And Hubert and Smith just came together once again for the latter's book event, and fans are loving that "there is healing here."
It’s beautiful that the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air special to spark the emotional conversation between Will Smith and Janet Hubert that led to them making up. By clearing the air and acknowledging that they’re both different people than when they were years ago, they could start anew. The love between the two was truly palpable in an Instagram video that showed the two reuniting at Hubert’s book event for her pilot-to-series feature JC and the BC Kids. Take a look at the wholesome video of the pair who truly seem like family:
Isn't that the sweetest thing? As you can see in the video, the stars warmly embraced each other and then started catching up. From there, the Sweet Magnolias star invited her TV nephew to the stage to help promote her book, and he read sections of JC and the BC Kids. The Oscar winner also had a cute moment, as he kindly had the kids in the audience chant a shout-out to the children's book’s author. It looked like a very heartwarming event not just because of the reunion but because it appeared the kids could feel empowered to be their true selves as well.
I’m not the only one who got a kick out of watching the inspirational book event. A number of Instagram users loved watching this sweet reunion unfold before their eyes. Take a look at the praiseworthy comments below:
- blacktvsitcoms- 🫶🏾 We love to see it. There is healing here. Love to see the support for Janet aka OG Aunt Viv.
- lexxistalking- This is what forgiveness and maturity looks like. So healthy ❤
- nicole_svnhwb- I love seeing this. Forgiveness & reconciliation IS possible.
- thejessiewoo- I smiled so hard this entire clip. I need Kleenex! 🥹☺️❤️
- julesaujus- I love how you have reconnected with her ❤ it was such a beautiful reunion to witness.
All of these comments are absolutely right that forgiveness and growing up is the right path to take. It likely wasn’t for Will Smith and Janet Hubert to meet and have their deep conversation after decades of not seeing each other. They spoke about the real reason Fresh Prince’s OG Aunt Viv left the show, which was due to a bad deal she was given in the third season. As part of that, she was to only get two weeks of work for two months. As the sitcom actress was pregnant at the time with a husband out of work, she left the NBC comedy contrary to reports that she was fired.
The tension between the two allegedly started when Will Smith reportedly made negative comments about the actress, which made it hard for her to find work after her exit. But, now that the I, Robot star is an older adult with three kids of his own, he admitted on the special to being more understanding of Janet Hubert’s tough situation now than he was back then.
Following the reunion, the Fresh Prince stars' relationship now seems to be better than ever, as they frequently text each other. The A-lister also sends love to his Aunt Viv any chance he gets like when giving her a shout-out for their impactful reunion or sending Ms. Hubert a cute birthday message It’s a huge relief that the two former co-stars are friends again.
Will Smith and Janet Hubert reuniting for her special book project shows that talking through your problems can be incredibly invaluable. And fans will surely continue to be grateful that Hubert and Smith found their ways back into each other's good graces.
All episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as well as The Fresh Prince Reunion are available to stream with a Max subscription. And make sure to take a look at our 2024 TV schedule for information on shows returning and premiering this year.
