Janet Hubert Wants To Make Peace w/ Will Smith, Wants to do "Fresh Prince" Reunion - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 03-30-2013, 07:06 PM

Janet Hubert, Original Aunt Viv, Would Attend "Fresh Prince" Reunion, Wants To Make Peace with Will Smith (VIDEO)
3/30/2013

Janet Hubert, the actress who played the original Aunt Vivian on "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" but was replaced after three seasons, says she's tired of feuding and wants to patch things up with Will Smith.

In the wide-ranging interview with TheGrio.com above, Hubert explains the details surrounding her departure from the series and concedes that after twenty years of bickering, she wants to make peace with Will Smith and rest of the show's cast.

There has been a lot of speculation about why you left "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air"...

but why?

I think it's because a lot of fans were shocked to see you leave the show. Could you get into it now on why you left?

Oh, yes! They offered me 10 episodes to which I said "No", that was 10-weeks of work. Then they told me "You can't act or perform anywhere else", so that was cutting my salary by $150,000 a year. How could I pay the bills that I needed to pay with 10 episodes? I could not.

So, I think they thought I would take it, they thought I was hog-tied. Then they said "We want you to go before the cameras and we want you to go before the world and we want you to tell the world that this was your idea." I said "Hell no!"

Then they said "Well you know what, we're just going to move on." It was a negotiation issue where they thought I would come back, like most do, we were a very successful show and I was a very integral part of that.

It sounds, based on your answer to that question, that it wasn't a cast feud.

Oh, there was that. I was extremely professional on that set, probably too professional on that set. I just didn't adhere to that whole star system, like when someone would say to me "I want to fix your lines," and I'm going "But, my lines are ok."

Janet Hubert does not do that. I don't play their game. I guess because of that, it cost me. I think what happened was, because the audience was so on my side at the time, that Will [Smith] thought that he had to go out and tell a lot of lies. Alfonso [Ribeiro] went around to colleges and told a lot of lies.

I have proof that all of that didn't happen, but what are you going to do? Are you going to fight this for years and years? It's like being condemned. I was condemned for a crime that I did not commit. And I will fight until the day that I day to tell you that I did not do those things.

What's the biggest untruth out there about you?

That I was difficult and that I wanted to "be the star of the show". "Stars" backwards spells "rats", you know. I come from the theatre and everybody comes with their own light. When I do a show I want the best people out there on stage with me and I thought that we were the best.

The cast of "The Fresh Prince" was exceptional, everybody was great. Somebody didn't like that, you know.

I'm going to ask you right now... 21-years later NBC calls...

NBC?

Would you want to do a reunion with "The Fresh Prince" cast?

Absolutely!

If you could say one thing to Will Smith, what would it be?

I would say to him that we need to heal this. You've done some things and said some things that were not true and you know it. I also said some things that I probably should have never said.

We've got to come together and end this 21-year saga. I don't know about him, but I don't want to have another 21-years like this.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0..._2985529.html?

shotzette · 03-31-2013, 02:57 PM

LOL! I'm sure that she wants to "reconcile". I doubt her residual checks are enough. Why would he need to reconcile with her?

Johnny be good! · 07-27-2017, 10:46 PM

Because life is too short.

03-30-2013, 07:06 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,135	Janet Hubert Wants To Make Peace w/ Will Smith, Wants to do "Fresh Prince" Reunion *Janet Hubert, Original Aunt Viv, Would Attend "Fresh Prince" Reunion, Wants To Make Peace with Will Smith (VIDEO)* 3/30/2013 Janet Hubert, the actress who played the original Aunt Vivian on "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" but was replaced after three seasons, says she's tired of feuding and wants to patch things up with Will Smith. In the wide-ranging interview with TheGrio.com above, Hubert explains the details surrounding her departure from the series and concedes that after twenty years of bickering, she wants to make peace with Will Smith and rest of the show's cast. *There has been a lot of speculation about why you left "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air"...* but why? I think it's because a lot of fans were shocked to see you leave the show. Could you get into it now on why you left? Oh, yes! They offered me 10 episodes to which I said "No", that was 10-weeks of work. Then they told me "You can't act or perform anywhere else", so that was cutting my salary by $150,000 a year. How could I pay the bills that I needed to pay with 10 episodes? I could not. So, I think they thought I would take it, they thought I was hog-tied. Then they said "We want you to go before the cameras and we want you to go before the world and we want you to tell the world that this was your idea." I said "Hell no!" Then they said "Well you know what, we're just going to move on." It was a negotiation issue where they thought I would come back, like most do, we were a very successful show and I was a very integral part of that. It sounds, based on your answer to that question, that it wasn't a cast feud. Oh, there was that. I was extremely professional on that set, probably too professional on that set. I just didn't adhere to that whole star system, like when someone would say to me "I want to fix your lines," and I'm going "But, my lines are ok." Janet Hubert does not do that. I don't play their game. I guess because of that, it cost me. I think what happened was, because the audience was so on my side at the time, that Will [Smith] thought that he had to go out and tell a lot of lies. Alfonso [Ribeiro] went around to colleges and told a lot of lies. I have proof that all of that didn't happen, but what are you going to do? Are you going to fight this for years and years? It's like being condemned. I was condemned for a crime that I did not commit. And I will fight until the day that I day to tell you that I did not do those things. What's the biggest untruth out there about you? That I was difficult and that I wanted to "be the star of the show". "Stars" backwards spells "rats", you know. I come from the theatre and everybody comes with their own light. When I do a show I want the best people out there on stage with me and I thought that we were the best. The cast of "The Fresh Prince" was exceptional, everybody was great. Somebody didn't like that, you know. I'm going to ask you right now... 21-years later NBC calls... NBC? *Would you want to do a reunion with "The Fresh Prince" cast?* Absolutely! If you could say one thing to Will Smith, what would it be? I would say to him that we need to heal this. You've done some things and said some things that were not true and you know it. I also said some things that I probably should have never said. We've got to come together and end this 21-year saga. I don't know about him, but I don't want to have another 21-years like this. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0..._2985529.html? Attached Images

07-27-2017, 10:46 PM	#3
Johnny be good! Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 18, 2007 Location: Westland, Michigan Posts: 1,633	Because life is too short.
	__________________ Alex Bogue

03-31-2013, 02:57 PM	#2
shotzette Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2004 Posts: 1,782	LOL! I'm sure that she wants to "reconcile". I doubt her residual checks are enough. Why would he need to reconcile with her?