The History of Will's Girlfriends on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' as Told by Will's

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Calling The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air a "cultural touchstone" is a gross understatement. Although it’s one of the most important black television shows ever made, it transcended race. Everyone was aware of the show, and a certain age group—regardless of race—can recite every word of the iconic theme song. Having an intro that DJs can randomly drop in the club over two decades later is admirable, but it’s far from the show’s most impressive element. That’s reserved for the career boost given to the actors who appeared on the show, from the main players to the ones who only had scenes in one or several of Fresh Prince's 148 episodes.

No one has benefited more from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air than its star, Will Smith. It was the vehicle that took him from the Fresh Prince, to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, to Academy Award-nominated megastar. The fusion of charm, savoir faire, and touching honesty you’ve seen in his best work was honed during the show’s six-season run. Furthermore, that finesse helped the TV-version of Will Smith score the attention of some of the most talented and desirable young actresses of that era. Appearing opposite Will was a revolving door of Jet Beauty of the Week candidates who matched wits with the young actor, keeping him on his toes.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air provided many of these actresses with the exposure they needed to ascend the next plateau. In honor of the show’s 25th anniversary, we spoke to a few of them—Nia Long, Jasmine Guy, Lela Rochon, Elise Neal, and Vivica A. Fox—about their memories from the show, the impact it had on their careers, and its lasting influence. These are the moments you can’t find on YouTube.

The audition process was a different experience for each of the actresses. Some auditioned multiple times before securing their roles, others say they barely auditioned, and one actually read for a major role prior to her guest appearance.