: For years there were tabloid rumors surrounding how the first Aunt Viv from the Fresh Prince Of Be Air fired. The unofficial word was that she and actor Will Smith had a falling out - and that Will demanded that she be fired.
Well in a new interview with Essence magazine, actress Janet Hubert (AKA the first Aunt Viv) dished the dirt ... well kinda. Here's what they're reporting:
Q: The reports were you and Will didn’t get along. Is that true?Girrrrrl ... you better tell what happened. We know that there's a whole lot more to this story ...Aunt Viv: We got along fine. We had so much fun on that set. That’s why I was so shocked. But there was something about Will at that time that I hope has changed. He always had to win. He has an unbelievable competitive spirit.
Q: How did all of that affect your career?
Aunt Viv: I actually wrote a book, “Murder of a Sitcom Mother.” I needed to set the record straight for my son. [But I’m not] going to publish the book because my soul is healed. I’m getting a chance to talk to you, to talk to the public and to let people hear my side, finally, 15 years later. It was devastating what happened to me afterwards. Unbelievable things happened. It was horrible.
Will Smith was the star of the show. So if anybody was to get fired it wouldn't be him. The same as with J.J. and the father on Good Times. But, the fact that her *** didn't work for twenty years after that show is no reflection on Will. He didn't have the power to blackball anybody. She is a DARK-skinned woman in Hollywood, and not that great an actress.
WELL WHITE AMERICA WAZ AND ARE STILL NOT READY FOR A DARK SKINNED NUBEAN QUEEN TO BE IN THE HOMES OF PRIME TYME SUBURBIA
YALL KNOW THAT THEY ALSO GOT RID OF THAT DARK SKINNED GURL WHO WAZ ON THE VERY 1ST 3 OR 4 EPISODES OF "MY WIFE AND KIDS"
WHITE AMERICA ALONG WITH BLACK AMERICA STILL ARENT READY FOR THE CHANGES THATZ COMING. HOPEFULLY OBAMA CAN WEATHER THE STORM.
I think will is fake,he's an actor so there you go. To be black listed after working with someone who is a big baby,Yes baby, he is not competitive just spoiled and corrupted he wants everything his way his marriage for instance can tell you that much, he wants her, her and who knows what ever else.Thats what happens when you sell your soul to the devil for fame and fortune, You tend to forget about whats right and doing right, instead when wrong comes your way you would break your neck at the opportunity to do wrong.
WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT THIS STORY IS, NOT ONLY IS THIS INFORMATION WELL BEYOND OLD, A DAY LATE & DOLLA'S ***...BUT 2 SAY THAT WILL HAS SUCH A COMPETITIVE NATURE COMES AS NO SURPRISE,.....CAUSE IN HOLLYWOOD, ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE.....SHE OBVIOUSLY HASN'T & WHO CARES AUNT VIV...LOL.
WILL HAS FAR SURPASSED HER & HER CAREER WITH SO MANY PROJECTS WHILE HER CAREER SEEMINGLY CAME 2 A SCREECHING HALT....THAT'S HER FAULT THO. DON'T BE UPSET WITH A HUNGRY LIL BROTHA FROM PHILLY WHO WENT FROM RAPPIN 2 STR8 CRAPPIN ON HER ON HIS WAY TO THE TOP.....LOL
IT SIMPLY SHOWS THAT HE WAS YOUNG, HUNGRY, A GO-GETTA & NOTHING COMES 2 A SLEEPER, BUT A DREAM.....WAKE UP AUNT VIV, IF SHE COULD HOLD A CANDLE 2 WILL, THERE PERHAPS WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME COMPETITION, BUT I CANT SEE HER BEING AN OBSTICLE 4 WILL IN ANY RESPECT, HE'S WAYYY GIFTED & TALENTED & THUS THE WINNER!!!
GET OVER IT AUNT VIV...SHE SHOULD HAVE NEVER EVEN MENTIONED THE BOOK IF SHE HAD NO INTENTIONS ON PUBLISHING IT.....YET ANOTHER FAILED ATTEMPT AT ***....HOW SAD!
The book was her way of venting. She was upset with what had happened on the set. As she stated in the interview, her soul his healed. She reacted like most would have, wanting to trash their so called enemy. I respect the fact she was woman enough to be a bigger person and not release the book. Don't nobody know what kinda person Will was then except those who worked wit him. Her story could be true!!!
This is s[SPAM] late...and I don't believe her...I never did. Why would he have to be competitive if it's his show...it wasn't like Webster where the black kid stole the show from the white celebrity couple...this show was his from the outset...so whatever would he be competing for? I think she was a phenomenal and serious actress who just didn't like the fact that the show revolved around somebody who literally had to mumble the other person's lines during taping in order to deliver his own...I think she found his being the numero uno absurd. And perhaps that belief would have had a tiny bit of merit had it not been a silly sitcom... She was funny, if that helps her in any way...and I totally missed her character when she left...she was funny and unbelievably talented...not to mention so extraordinarily beautiful...*** it was Will's show...not hers..
I LOVE WILL SMITH...IF HE WAS THAT WAY THEN, HE HAS GROWN SO MUCH SUNCE THEN..AND HE IS A LEADING MALE ACTOR..WHY HASN'T ANYONE ELSE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS...SO CALLED COMPETITIVE ACTOR...
[link to external website removed] [link to external website removed] [link to external website removed] [link to external website removed] I WOULD LUV THE ADD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AGREE DREAYONN... IT SEEM LIKED WHEN SHE GOT PREG AND HAD THE BABY THAT HAD NO MORE ROOM FOR HER AND REPLACED HER WITH THE CORNY LIGHT SKIN AUNT VIV AND THAT FUNNY LOOKIN LIL BOY WHO DID'NT BRING NOTHIN TO THE SHOW ANYWAY SHE SHOULD STILL DO HER BOOK IF FAITH AND KIM HOSORIO ARE SO CAN U AUNT VIV LOL...
MTO, Y'ALL NEED TO STOP THIS *** OR Y'ALL *** ARE GONNA GET SUED FOR SLANDER. AND Y'ALL KNOW Y'ALL AINT CARRYING BIG DOUGH. I SAW MS HBERT-WHITTEN ON T.V. A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. SHE SAID THAT WILL SMITH DIDNT CONTROL THE SHOW IT WAS THE PRODUCERS WHO FIRED HER. SHE SAID THE PRODUCERS OF THE SHOW STOPPED SHOWING HER AND PHIL ROGETHER AS A LAWYER AND PROFESSOR. AND ONLY WANTED HER WORK DAYS ***, SHE DIDNT LIKE IT BECAUSE SHE WASNT GETTING PAID WELL IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THAT SHE NEEDED THE MONEY BADLY AND TRIED TO GET MORE DAYS ON THE SHOW TO GET A MORE MONEY TO SUPPORT HERSELF. THEY GAVE HER A HARD WAY TO GO. AND THEY SRARTED SHOWING HER LESS AND LESS. SHE SAYS SHE LIKE WILL VERY MUCH AND THINKS HES VERY TALENTED AND FUNNY AND KNEW HE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT BIG. SHE SUPPOSE TO HAVE A CHILDREN DINOSAUR CARTOON SERIES SOON.
I agree wit chucks1 I don't mean to sound mean or whatever but I think Will was jealous of her cause she played Uncle Phil's wife and that's the role he wanted to play LMAO...Cause we all know Uncle Phil and Carlton was How You Doin and so is Will...he was jus jealous of her thats my theory typical DL man jealous of a beautiful powerful woman SMDH. And YES the original Aunt Viv was waaaayyy better than the decoy Hehehe
OK! This interview is 15 years too late...She got fired because she wanted to be the star of the show. The show was called, " The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air " not the " The Fresh Aunt Vivian of Bel-Air " so why try to pull a coup because he is the star and you are the co-star. Everyone knew their roles and played them out, hence everyone else kept their jobs except her. And what exactly has she been in except for " ONE " episode of the Jamie Foxx Show as a acting instructor...lol. C'mon nah ya'll...
She was clearly the best Aunt Viv. She was beautiful, had a wardrobe to die for, and a figure to match, however, if you read the article, Essence asked her the question about Will and she answered it.
Just like Sexy41 broke it down, according to E! THS, she was pregnant and they cut her lines down to almost nothing. In the interview she said, and I paraphrase, Aunt Viv was the one that lived in the mansion, not her. She had gained weight (from being pregnant) and was acting ***.
Everyone keeps saying she should get over it. I think she has. She said she was healed and has moved on.
P.S. She did have a few appearances on the Bernie Mac Show as Wanda's mother.
Please everyone has said that Will Smith is really a genuinely nice person! And why hasn't he done it to anybody else ever? *** is just mad! She didn't fit that role anyway! The other mother was better! I'm glad they kicked her off! Sour grapes! 15 years? She *** even want to talk about it if she were really "healed".
Also out of all the people does she really think that SHE was Will's biggest threat? HA! Tatyana Ali maybe because she had potential to be a future star - her on the other hand no! That is complete garbage. Will did not need to compete will her. His career speaks for itself he was destined to be successful. Some are some aren't.
She got fired because she was too Dark. Quincy Jones was one of the executive producers.I bet it was his idea. His motto is ''The Lighter The Better''. He WORSHIPS white women. If Quincy had full authority over the show, there would have been 3 black men and 3 white women living in the house. The show would have been called ''The Fresh Prince Of Jungle Fever'' and all of Will's girl friends would have been white.
THE 2ND AUNT VIV WAS JUST HORRIBLE. SHE HAD NO PERSONALITY OR NOTHIN. REALLY THE SHOW WAS NEVER THE SAME. THEY MADE HILARY ACT MORE STUPID TOWARDS THE END AND THE SHOW JUST WENT DOWNHILL.
AND @ ***- THE DARK GIRL FROM MY WIFE AND KIDS LEFT B/C HER MAMA DIDNT LIKE THAT EPISODE WHERE RAVEN SYMONE GUEST STARRED AND PLAYED A PREGNANT TEEN. HER MAMA DIDNT WANT HER EXPOSED TO THAT SO SHE TOOK HER DAUGHTER OFF THE SHOW. LOOK THAT UP....NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO DO WITH BEING DARK.
I agree that the first Aunt Viv was alot better on the show then the second one and that she probably was kicked off the show due to the fact that white America is not comfortable with dark skinned African Americans actresses. It's shame but that is just the way this country is. But after 15 years of still talking about how Will Smith did you dirty. It's time to let that whole issue go and try to maybe reclaim what's left of your career.
SHE WAS SMART NOT TO TALK ABOUT WILL AND THE PRODUCERS AT THE TIME THEY LET HER GO BC IT WOULD'VE BACKFIRED ON HER. MOST THE MEN ON THAT SHOW WERE *** OR HAD TENDENCIES SO THEY CARE ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE JUST HAD A CHILD SHE HAD TO PROVIDE FOR. IF THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH HER, THEY COULD'VE TRIED TO RESOLVE IT BY DISCUSSING IT WITH HER. THAT'S WHAT A GOOD EMPLOYER DOES.
AS FAR AS HER NOT ANYTHING SINCE THEN, HOLLYWEIRD DOES NOT EMBRACE BLACK WOMEN. I AGREE WITH "MR. ***". HOLLYWEIRD HAS MADE SMALL IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS.
My point EXACTLY..." IF " she is so healed and has moved on, WHY is she still talking about 15 years later? If you have moved on you let your credibility and acting prowess show you have moved on...Not saying I'm not going to publish my book because I have healed and moved on. Nah uh uh you are still bitter and sour about it. Why talk about it now...
i'm so *** MAD my first comment got erased.... EFFING MTO... well what i pretty much said was... this elderly roach is "tried it" for calling herself coming out of the woodworks and even trying her hand... this bi-centennial hen must NOT have gotten the memo 45 years ago when she was walking her bitter *** around "tellin on Will", that A. she BEEN blacklisted, so it's a little too late to try CLEANING UP the story... and B. it's too *** LATE to be trying to TELL anything any-***-way....
she trippin, and if she know what's best for her, she'd take her D-list *** [and THAT'S pushin it!] and get some *** pride and sense about herself; take her *** on VH1 like the rest of the wanna-bees and has-beens and get it togetha..
---officially socked it TO that hoe!
The 1st Aunt Viv was the best, but she messed up by getting pregnant, why do these female actresses decide to get pregnant as soon as they on a hit show, Tisha Campbell could of gotten pregnant after the Martin hiatus, but she got a kid on My Wife and Kids and Phylicia Rashad on The Cosby Show and Lisa Bonet on Different World, so dumb.
OLD NEWS MY ***...YOU IDIOTS WOULD GIVE UP ON ANYTHING. SHE WAS REPLACED OUT OF NO WHERE. ITS A MYSTERY UNSOLVED AS FAR AS THE PUBLIC GOES. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY SHE GOT FIRED AND WAS REPLACED BY A WOMEN WITH HALF HER TALENT.THAT'S DEFINITELY SHADY. AND WILL SMITH HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.IF THAT'S NOT JUICY, THEN THIS ISNT MTO!
i LOVED the original Aunt Viv. she was waaay better than that white-washed, no talent 2nd Aunt Viv. and her dark complexion made more sense when it came to how you got carlton and ashley! i really missed her when she was gone and the show was never quite the same after she left. if will was responsible for her leaving well then he *** himself in the foot because ratings definitely went down when she left. plus, her role and look was timeless-she was like the new clair huxtable-we just wouldn't feel the same about the cosby show if they had suddenly replaced phylicia rashad mid-run. whoever was in charge of letting her go really put a damper on the show and its timelessness as a good black sitcom.
YEAH THATS RIGHT LIKE SOMEONE SAID UP THERE.THE MEN ON THAT SHOW WERE *** OR HAD *** TENDENCIES. THEY DIDNT HAVE SYMPATHY FOR PREGNANCY AND DIDNT UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING A BABY REQUIRE ATTENTION.SO SHE GOT SCREWED BY A BUNCH OF FLAMERS.ANY OTHER SHOW WHERE THE WOMAN GOT PREGNANT WORKED THIER WAY AROUND IT. WILL SMITH WAS SELFISH AND WANTED THINGS HIS WAY.
MTO has the stupidest group of readers around. You people sound so stupid. The lady was blackballed!!! How can she stfu and get a job?? And if I'm not mistaken, the interviewer asked HER about this situation. She didn't offer this info for no reason at all. You broke b it ches are always pointing fingers.
Half of YOU don't even have jobs. Losers.
She was beautiful, black Aunt Viv and she was the best!! The replacement was horrible. Anyway, she has already told this story. Will did not get her fired, but he didn't fight for them to keep her. The producers did not get along w/ her, during her pregnancy which they wrote into the show. When she came off leave and wanted more money, they refused her and she feels no one really fought for her.
She has major talent, dancing skills and performs all over broadway. She's good! Next story....
Let me add....she is not "Just" coming out and talking. Read the article in essence. She already addressed this years ago. Essence recently went looking for her, to do a "where are they now" story. When they interviewed her, they ask the question and she answered. How is that her whining about it??? She wouldn't have answered, if they hadn't ask!
SPOONISHA Flag post MAF I cant do it...i tried to act civilized not ot her but aropund her and the *** wont stop *** with me!
she gonna make take a flight to NEW YORK and beat that *** for real! ------------------------------------------
Lol What a joke you are Spoonisha I swear, every time I read a comment from you I laugh, I swear to god! I laugh at you every time Fat people say the darnest things, I swear! You couldn’t even meet Vain and them in your own state Let alone spend money you don’t have on plane tickets
Sure. I believe you!
SPOONISHA Flag post womp
you are funny i swear! **giggles**
hey ...i heard you got another space open on your friends request box on myspace!
maybe i should send you a request or sumthin!
hahahaha! lmao!
or maybe i should email you! hehehe!
uno momento' por favor.......ok its done!
check yo email womp...i swear you da ***!
hahaha!
now gracias...and have a *** up weekend --------------------------------------------
What’s becoming of you spoon? Honestly! You are “sounding” like me more and more each day Why do you look up to me so much? I know I am different and very creative But got ***.... I am really starting to get annoyed now I am honestly not flattered.
Don’t watch me bytch, watch tv!
So of course you think I am the *** Duh! You bite my way of writing, the way I used my words
Someone you didn’t think was the ***, you wouldn’t copy Am I right or am I RIGHT? Haha haha haha
Go back and read the way you use to go at it on here You’ll see! Haha lol.
Again, don't watch me Watch TV!
As much as I like Will Smith, I always knew she was fired. And that was a bad move for the show. I never really felt Dalphine Maxwell as the mother and I thought the show took a step backwards when she left the show. The show was centered around him and should've been, hence the title, but she played her role great. I love Fresh Prince, but my favorite episodes are when she on the show. I think that's unfortunate to have happened to her because she was such a class act.
Oh and I was reading Friday’s post few minutes ago You "sounded" so happy Like a fat lady at a "all you can eat" buffet. So that’s all it took to bring you to life People acknowledging you again? ***, you need some loving in your life.
I thank ya’ll for making spoon’s day the past few days! Keep making her day, please! lol
She seemed like she was fighting for a position on Friday I don’t know what or why But it's like She wanted someone’s approval...
But whatever makes you feel good lady Be my guest!
Good luck with that! Haha haha lol
I am just so glad you no longer have to apologize anymore...seemed a bit tiring....no? lol
haha haha
Hunh??
Carlton & Ashley were dark skinned. Hillary was very light skinned. Will wasn't even Aunt Viv's nephew by blood, so his caramel color was neither here nor there. Uncle Phil was his blood-relative.
Therefore, the original Aunt Viv & her skin color worked as a parent of the darker 2 kids.
Now, as far as this story being OLD - yeah, it is! But, obviously this actress' life was greatly & negatively affected for years. I feel badly for her & am very curious about the details of what actually happened.
I have to add that her departure from the show created a void for me causing me to miss much of the final 2 years of The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. That was never satisfied with the replacement actress whose skin color happened to be in direct contrast to the original mother on the show. Kinda stupid.
@APR-DID YOU EVEN WATCH THE SHOW? AUNT VIV WAS WILL'S MOTHER'S SISTER. REMEMBER 'DIVAS'? *** YOUNG *** PEOPLE DON'T KNOW SCHITT.
ANYWAY SHE WAS KICKED OFF AFTER SHE GOT PREGNANT AND I'M INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS *** SHOW RUN BY *** MEN HAD LITTLE TO NO PITY FOR HER MORNING SICKNESS,OR HORMONAL IMBALANCES. YEAH SHE WAS MOODY, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO PREGNANT WOMEN BUT INSTAED OF MANNING UP AND TAKING IT, THEY GO THEIR LITTLE FEELING HURT AND DECIDED SHE WAS A *** AND REPLACED HER.
DAPHNE MAXWELL REID DID A GOOD JOB BUT SHE WAS NOT AS GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL AND AUNT VIV'S DARK SKIN COLOR EXPLAINED THE KIDS PERFECTLY. I HAVE A GREEN EYED BIRACIAL COUSIN WHO MARRIED A DARK SKINNED WOMAN AND ALL THEIR KIDS LOOK LIKE ASHLEY EXCEPT ONE OR TWO HAVE GREEN EYES.
Ahh!! Despite ole news, i really did like this aunt Viv... she was miles better than the new one , i am just surprise she never pop up anywhere else. However my take is.. there is only competition if you think you are the star.Despite Will age at the time; Others realise it was his show and let him be the man , i guess Aunt Viv thought she was a equal if not better and push back.
(*_*)
lmao@ womps ***!!!!!
hahahaha
chile...im not trying to sound or type leke you hoe....i was *** with you!!
it seems to me that there is something you want to say to a few other people on this site, but you wont....nooooo too scurrrred! lmao!
all you wanna do is come here to *** with me lmao!
now whos throwing indirects hoe!!!! hahahahaha!
dont get mad cause you scurrrrrrred to say what you wanna say...like i said tell us who is included in yo im here bytches greeting?
weak hoe!
well lemme leave you alone befo you go and mask up again!
rotflmao!
*dammit typos*
silly *** ....and tell me how many im not a masker emails did you send out explaining yo self!
rotflmao womp....do you really think im maskin up ?? hahahaha!
and you supposed to be a ***.....well you might as well be a self *** ...cause you just *** yo self!
wid all them dammit masks!
hahahaha!
@the type2wife & carmel666: MY BAD!!!
I'm gonna have to blame the Aunt Viv/Wlll nephew mix-up on 'brain ***', lol! WHAT was I thinkin'? VERNE WATSON (I can see her face right now) played Will's mother & she WAS the sister of Aunt Viv. UNCLE PHIL was not blood-related hence some of his & Will's hilarious issues
... walkin' away with egg on my face.
@DaisyDooks: You're contradicting yourself with the comments in your 1st & last paragraph.
You said, "Ain't no way in hell Uncle Phil and the original Aunt Viv could have had a kid looking like Hilary. But the new one and Uncle Phil could have and still had Carlton and Ashley looking the way they do."
Then, you said, "Er, um, we have ALWAYS known this, but to your appeasement, WHITE SCIENTISTS have affirmed and confirmed that black folks contain the genetic code to produce EVERY race and skin tone. Albeit, it does depend on combinations. However, it is not rare for dark-skinned parents to produce light-skinned offspring or vice versa."
Hunh?? Since you agree that 2 dark skinned parents can produce a light skinned child, how do you then figure that 1 dark skinned parent & 1 light brown parent cannot achieve the same result?
I hate how people wait so long and then talk *** about people. If there is a problem solve it when it happens and thats real talk, ya dig!!!!
Another thing, I been visiting this site since '06 WTF is up with the I got first ***?! WHO GIVES A *** IF UR FIRST, we all gonna get a chance to speak our minds. Yall act like *** kids grow up...oooo look I got last..is that something to brag about too?!
Whomp Whomp. Whether Will was competitive or not, it didn't make a difference. Will had his whole career and then some left, "Vivian" had Fresh Prince and that was it. I did like her as Aunt Viv and I did NOT like the other one when she came in. I thought that the original Viv had a baby. She really was pregnant. Maybe that's why she left.
