Will Smith reveals James Avery whispered something to him after famous scene
16 November 2020, 17:32 | Updated: 17 November 2020, 15:11
Actor Will Smith tells a story about what happened behind the scenes of filming his famous emotional monologue with James Avery.
Will Smith has opened up about a moment close and dear to his heart.
The 52-year-old actor revealed that James Avery whispered something in his ear during a famous emotional scene in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
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Avery, who played Philip 'Uncle Phil' Banks on the series, died in December 2013 aged 68, following complications from his open heart surgery.
Will Smith announced Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot
In the trailer for the upcoming reunion show, Smith referred to Avery as a “Shakespearean beast” before reflecting on a life-changing scene for him.
Smith explains why filming the classic season four episode, “Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse”, was such an important episode to him.
The episode sees Smith perform an emotional monologue about his absent father, concluding with the line: “How come he don't want me, man?”, with tears in his eyes.
Recalling filming the scene with Avery, Smith said: “I fall into his arms at the end of the scene, and he's holding me and the shot pans off, and he whispers in my ear, 'Now that's acting.’”
In August, the reunion show was announced, leaving many fans aniticipating when it will be on screen. The reunion show is set to air on 19 November on HBO Max.
HBO Max has described the reunion as “an unscripted special looking back at the series and the cultural impact the series has had since its debut”.
In addition to Will Smith, the reunion will include Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Trailer
The reunion will see the first meeting between Will and Janet Hubert, who originally played Aunt Viv, in 27 years after a popular feud. "I couldn't celebrate 30 years without Janet," Will revealed in the trailer, shocking his other cast members.
Will has also confirmed that US streaming service Peacock has picked up his reimagined reboot for two seasons.
