Janet Hubert Opens Up About Her Relationship with Will Smith

The former "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" star clarified the state of her relationship with her ex co-star following a decades-long feud that began following her exit from the show.

Janet Hubert is opening up about where she stands with Will Smith. The 69-year-old actress spoke about her relationship with the actor during her appearance on "The Big Tigger Morning Show," which aired Wednesday, September 3.

Hubert had a public falling out with Smith after leaving "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" at the end of its third season in 1993. She played the beloved Vivian Banks, affectionately known as Aunt Viv, on the hit sitcom opposite Smith, who starred as himself.

The pair later reconciled during the show's HBO Max reunion special in 2020, where Smith offered an official apology to Hubert. When asked about their relationship now, following the reconciliation, Hubert happily replied, "So good."

Following her exit from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," Hubert was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid and later blamed Smith for her "firing." The "Bad Boys" star had claimed in a radio interview on Atlanta's V-103 radio station that Hubert had tried to overshadow him on the show.

"I can say straight up that Janet Hubert wanted the show to be 'The Aunt Viv of Bel-Air' show, because I know she is going to dog me in the press," the 56-year-old said at the time.

"She's mad now, but she's been mad all along. She said once, 'I've been in the business for 10 years, and this snotty-nosed punk comes along and gets a show.' No matter what, to her, I'm just the Anti-Christ," he continued.

Hubert responded to Smith’s comments, saying he was “probably responsible” for her being pushed out of the show. "He has gotten me fired from the show, and now he's trying to get my career snatched away from me," she said.

She later clarified that she wasn't fired, but had chosen to leave after turning down a contract in hopes of renegotiation. She saw the contract, which limited her earnings and outside opportunities, as a way to "put her in her place." But all that is now water under the bridge

"As a matter of fact, I'm going to give my boy—I'm going to give my baby his props. He put together the website with his team for me," Hubert shared on "The Big Tigger Morning Show," referring to her animated feature, "JG and the BC Kids." Smith also helped her promote the film.