Still chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool! The cast of beloved ‘90s sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunited on Monday, March 27, following a joyous get together at Tatyana Ali’s wedding in July 2016.
The only difference this time was Monday’s reunion included a key figure–series lead Will Smith, who wasn’t able to join his castmates at Ali’s wedding last summer. Alfonso Ribeiro, who portrayed Smith’s sweater vest-adoring cousin Carlton Banks, took to social media to reveal the gathering.
“Always amazing to spend an afternoon with my Fresh Prince family,” the actor and former Dancing With the Stars Mirror Ball champ wrote. “Wishing that James Avery was still with us to make this complete.” (Avery, who portrayed stern-but-affable Banks family patriarch Uncle Phil, passed away in 2013.)
Family members present for the latest intimate get-together included Ali (Ashley Banks), Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks), Smith (Will Smith), Daphne Maxwell Reid (the second Aunt Vivian) and Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey the Butler). Parsons subsequently revealed the purpose of the reunion to TMZ, sharing that the stars had all agreed to a charity luncheon at Nobu Malibu in support of her organization, Sweet Blackberry.
The oceanfront reunion was foreshadowed by yet another Fresh Prince moment last July, which took place at Ali’s lavish wedding in Beverly Hills. The actress—who married Stanford professor Dr. Vaughn Rasberry at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills—was joined by 120 guests including some of her beloved former coworkers. They included Ribeiro, his wife Angela Unkrich, Parsons, and Marcell.
Tatyana Ali’s wedding to Dr. Vaughn Rasberry on Sunday, July 17, was a mini Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion. (Credit: Dennis Kwan Photography)
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum Tatyana Ali married Stanford professor Dr. Vaughn Rasberry in Beverly Hills on Sunday, July 17 — and some of her former costars were there to witness the gorgeous affair. (Credit: Dennis Kwan Photography)
Ali’s wedding planner Michael Russo subsequently explained the reason for Smith’s absence. “He was shooting a movie,” he told The Knot in a Facebook Live earlier this year.
As for whether Ribeiro did his trademark dance move? “He always does the Carlton,” Russo joked.
One of the most memorable elements from the nuptials was the inclusion of a mini lemon tree at the couple’s guest book station. “She planted that at her house after the wedding,” Russo explained. “Once I told her to do something different like that, she loved it… The roots are growing into the earth… and then they can make lemonade!”
