“It’s Terrible.” Will Smith Revealed That He Hates Watching the First Episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in the virtual world of entertainment, I can’t help but empathize with Will Smith’s plight. Just as I’ve had my fair share of epic wins and crushing defeats, he too faced his own trials on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.


Back in the day, I made my acting debut by portraying a fictionalized version of myself on the popular TV series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” To this day, that role and the show itself are fondly remembered by fans. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that viewers adored the sitcom about a kid from Philly moving in with his wealthy California relatives, I personally can’t bring myself to watch the initial episodes featuring yours truly as the main character.

Instead of saying “And it’s not that the Men in Black star doesn’t like seeing himself on screen, but rather that he can’t stand his acting in these particular episodes,” you could rephrase it as “The Men in Black actor finds it hard to watch himself in these episodes because he dislikes his performance.” He admitted this during The Graham Norton Show, explaining that since these were his first appearances on screen, he aimed for perfection but unfortunately, the result wasn’t as expected (as shared by ET).

In my debut performance, I was incredibly determined to excel, so I memorized the entire script as well as everyone else’s lines. If you look at the first few episodes, you might notice me silently reciting other actors’ lines. It’s quite cringe-worthy and I can hardly bear to rewatch it.

It’s apparent that overzealous preparation can sometimes hinder a performance. Additionally, stress was a factor, mainly due to the high expectations and anxiety felt by Will Smith regarding both his personal achievement and the success of the popular sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.

Although the actor initially mimicked other characters by moving his lips in the early episodes, the TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” still became a hit, running for an impressive 148 episodes. On that set, Will Smith undoubtedly gained valuable experience, such as allowing other actors to deliver their own lines, and moreover, it served as a stepping stone towards his acting career.

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2024-11-15 13:31