Janet Hubert aka Aunt Viv lashes out at Will Smith – Calls him an egomaniac A$$hole!
Tell ’em why you mad son!!!!
There were photos of the Fresh Prince Reunion circulating around the web. The one thing noticed was the absence of Aunt Vivian.
WHAT HAPPENNED?
Jane Hubert the woman behind Vivian Banks was not part of the photos and if she has it her way, she won’t be doing anything with the A-lister ever again. She told TMZ,
“It was All Good Just a Week Ago”
“There will never be a reunion … as I will never do anything with an a–hole like Will Smith,”
Do you remember the old Vivian Banks was replaced with a new, improved, softer Vivian. Sort of like Lionel’s (from the Jefferson’s). Jane Hubert credits this too Will Smith. She said that Will Smith turned on her because she wasn’t about to kiss his butt. Three Seasons in, she was replaced with Daphne Maxwell Reid who finished out the role.
Daphne Maxwell Reid – A Kinder, Gentler, Less Talented Aunt Viv
THE AUNT VIV OF BEL-AIR SHOW
Smith gave an interview in the Atlanta journal describing what he believed was jealousy, and just an angry woman,
“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 … She has basically gone from a quarter of a million dollars a year to nothing. 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 AntiChrist.”
Her response in 1993 was:
“He probably is responsible for my firing. He has a lot of clout. It’s-too bad that it’s a Black-on-Black attack. I tried not to name names. I have more class than that. I wish Will would tell the truth. If you’re going to talk, tell the truth. He has gotten me fired from the show and now he is trying to snatch my career away from me (with his recent comments). I have not slandered him in any way. Anyone who stands up to Mr. Smith on “Fresh Prince” is gone. I reprimanded him constantly for being rude to problem and locking himself up in his room….
Her response today……
“He is still an egomaniac and has not grown up. This constant reunion thing will never ever happen in my lifetime unless there is an apology, which he doesn’t know the word.”
SMITH’S PSEUDO-APOLOGY
I think Smith sort of apologized in his 1996 Ebony interview, but it’s still wasn’t enough for Hubert.
“That wasn’t me,” he told Ebony magazine in a 1996 interview. “Janet (Hubert) was an incredible actress. She brought so much spirit and fun and warmth to ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.’ She made that set a home. She was really special. Of course, there was pain in her not returning to the show and all that, but then there was the thing that she thought it was me. That kind of irritated me a little bit, but people will make their own beds, and they are going to have to sleep in them. I didn’t have anything to do with it. She just never believed that. I think the show suffered with the loss of Janet.”
I think what Aunt Viv needs to realize is that he is Will Smith! King Smith. While she was doing bit roles after the Fresh Smith, he was dominating the box office. This isn’t like the Florida Evans, Jimmy Walker beef, where JJ went on to be….to be….a joke. Will Smith’s kids earn more then Janet Hubert now.
Having the chance to patch things up, and possibly work with Will in the future would be a lot smarter then trying to continue this beef that you can’t win.
…and by the way, just like the first show went on without you, so would a reunion show. Looks like she hasn’t gotten over herself yet either.
