The Truth Behind 'Fresh Prince's' Most Emotional Scene - TheThings I had *fourteen* great birthdays without him. Did he actually accomplish anything during this time living with his upper-class relatives? Will is at the Peacock when he sees a man staring at him. The fatherhood episode was pivotal, Jensen added, because it marked Smiths arrival as a force to be reckoned with. It's entirely possible that two people named Smith that are completely unrelated could meet, fall in love, and start a family. The duo was forced to pivot when 'Fresh Prince' came along. It's purely powerful stuff, the kind of moment that immediately casts the rest of the episode in a better glow. By Awa | We tried to make him not a bad guy sympathetic, explained Zuckerman, who wrote Papas Got a Brand New Excuse with veteran TV writer Bill Boulware after an initially disastrous table read of a different script had cast Wills father, Lou (to be played by Broadway alum Ben Vereen), as a pool shark who breezes into town. The latter is a secondary part (Whoopi . (Via). : After landing a role on Fresh Prince, Will also snagged a leading role in the 1993 film adaptation of Six Degrees of Separation. Lou Smith : I just wasn't ready to be a father. We're doing alright, huh? are heading to New England themselves to be closer to their family. This film was the first movie he ever worked on, and this really helped him make the giant leap from being a TV actor to a film actor. Home; About. Usually, the director would retake the scene, but really, nothing could replace this moment. There is no funny outtake of the cast messing up their lines. You are not my father! After all, given his upbringing, getting threatened by folks packing guns is an unfortunately common part of life. I've been waiting for this for a long time, my whole life and ain't nobody gonna stop me. Will Smith: I once cursed out an NBC exec on 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' It's a scene even the most casual ofFresh Prince fans have committed to memory, effectively staged and played without a studio audience to give us any emotional relief. Sheridan Smith beamed as she left the Duke of York's Theatre in London on Thursday after her West End show, Shirley Valentine. William 'Will' Smith William 'Will' Smith: Got through my first date without him, right? In its six seasons on NBC, the series a grittier version of The Cosby Show that juxtaposed hip-hop culture with Black upper-class ethos tackled everything from racism to sexism to a two-step dubbed the Carlton.. The theme, extended in this pilot, summarizes the "pauper to prince" narrative of Will's initial journey with catchy, goofy flavor, but it doesn't stop the inherent complexities of this initial narrative's center from being any less pertinent. Vivian Banks I'ma get through college without him, I'ma get a great job without him, I'ma marry me a beautiful honey, and I'ma have me a whole bunch of kids. It was great seeing you, son. Will and his dad, Willard Carroll Smith, Sr., remained on good terms until he passed away in November 2016. In the episode, Will's deadbeat father Lou (played by Broadway legend Ben Vereen) returns after a 14-year absence to spend time with his son. But during filming of this episode, director Jensen likened the mood of the normally wild show to being in church.. : Baker is the husband-to-be of Janice (Charlayne Woodard), who's set to be married in the Banks' spacious Bel-Air backyard if Will's mother Viola (Verne Watson-Johnson) doesn't blow a gasket first. (Via), Smith: My father was in the military, so everything was really regimented.. Youwillcry at the acapella song the family sings over the credits. But that specific episode? Papas Got a Brand New Excuse was a watershed 23 minutes for the situational comedy, which, until that moment, hadnt fully explored the emotional depths of Smiths character. I ain't need him then and I don't need him now. Lou Smith Class and race issues are at the core of Will's journey from Philadelphia to Bel-Air, and after a series of fish-out-of-water shenanigans where Will's lower-class upbringing clashes with the Banks' upper-class upbringing during a dinner party, these tensions explode explicitly. : Just for a couple of weeks. (Via). ', Atlantic Records is Now Hiring Content Creators, Extras Richmond Casting Call for 1770s Types, $4,000 Casting Call for Women with Migraines, SCAD Documentary Casting Call for Church Types, "She Buries Me" Open Casting Call in Philadelphia, $125/Day Fort Lauderdale Music Video Casting Call, Paramount+ Series Casting Call for 2-Year Old Actors, "His Story: The Musical" Open Casting Call, $350/Day Docu-Style Project Casting Call for Blonde Actors, $1,500 Commercial Casting Call for Skiers in Colorado. : Emotional and great. William 'Will' Smith I was actually at the taping. But as he reveals to Will in a tense, hospital-set two-hander finale (staged this time, curiously,with a studio audience), he hopes deep down inside that he can meet the man who shot Will, and get his revenge. During the episode, Will reunites with his father, Lou, who was absent from his life for 14 years. Behind the scenes, the episode was also meant to showcase Smiths dramatic acting chops. [pause] While Will is forgiving and understanding, Phillip and Vivian not so much. TIL that during Will Smith's monologue about his father on Fresh Prince, it was so heart-wrenching that audience members can be heard crying after it is over. [long pause as Will struggles to regain his composure]. I had always been interested in shows with fathers, because I grew up with a single parent, he said. He also recalls that unusually for a sitcom with a live audience, the audience was entirely silent during filming, comparing the average taping as like a football stadium but this taping like "being in a church.". Casting Calls and news is updated daily get the industry news here! Will William 'Will' Smith : That year we won the first Grammy given to a rap artist. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - Will's Father leaves - YouTube [Uncle Phil rushes forward to hug Will, and Will breaks down sobbing]. But in fact, Wills dad was an active participant in his sons life, and even encouraged him. The show begins with Will Smith at the door singing and knocking on the door. The 'Fresh Prince' Deadbeat Dad Reflects On Heartbreaking Scene With At least he said goodbye this time. ", you know. Will is thrilled at this news, ready to rekindle his paternal relationship without much skepticism apparent. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Love at First Kiss' on Netflix, a Spanish Rom-Com About a Man Gifted with 'Romantic Clairvoyance' Stream It Or Skip It: 'Tonight You're Sleeping With Me' on Netflix, a . [takes out a small statue of a father sitting with his son on his lap]. It was that specific episode for me as a director [that] I saw him connect and make it work. There are around 148 episodes over six seasons, but one episode titled Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse made many fans emotional. He also played Richard Williams, father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard. I agree so much . Relax. Actually, this works out better for me, you know. Vivian Banks Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Wikipedia For more, www.smithlgreg.com, The Best Serious Moments in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air', 'The Last of Us' Made Flashbacks Work, But Episode 7's Doesn't, The 10 Best 'South Park' Episodes of All Time, Ranked According to IMDb, 10 Best Villains from 'Batman: The Animated Series', Ranked. Hilary, this is Lou Smith That year we won the first Grammy given to a rap artist.". Will Smith recalls iconic "how come he don't want me" scene + Being Know the story behind Will Smith's iconic 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air However, Smith revealed in his 2021 memoir Will that the relationship was occasionally turbulent due to his father's abuse of his mother. His acting from that moment on improved dramatically. So we're gonna have to put our trip on hold. The entire show was quiet, even during the funny parts, and I could not figure out why, a Reddit user wrote. Here's the Tumblr version of events that we've come to believe as the truth: "That awful moment when you learn that this wasnt scripted. William 'Will' Smith: How come he don't want me, man? And yet. People were crying for a long time when it was over, doing their best not to make noise before the director said cut. I was ten years old. Will has grown and learned immeasurably from his new circumstances and familial compassions, and these growths came so organically that he didn't even notice them happening. But it means, more than ever, we can't lose faith in people. Smith would even come out himself and hype up the audience. But these are all catchy seasonings to a fundamentally kind, responsible, and curious main dish.