Will Smith described the scene where Will breaks down as one of his most difficult as a young actor, as he was unsure if he was able to properly convey the right emotions. | [3] Find talent. The rest of the family may find this all surprising, and Uncle Phil may at first think Frank (Baker) is a valet (in one of the best-staged act outs I've seen in a TV comedy; not to mention its sneakily provocative racial flip). This article was published more than2 years ago, This week marks the 30th anniversary of the premiere of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the classic 1990s sitcom that transformed a buoyant (and broke) young rapper into Will Smith, blockbuster movie star. However, Smith revealed in his 2021 memoir Will that the relationship was occasionally turbulent due to his father's abuse of his mother. But before all that, he was a sitcom star, someone who, it would not have been foolhardy to assume, couldnt handle more dramatic material. When Will calls him Lou, oh my God, his whole frame just shrunk because he realized at that point that hed lost his son. Becoming an actor, model, or performer is tough. : When the police pull over Will and Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) in a borrowed Mercedes, on the way to a Palm Springs vacation with Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv (Janet Hubert-Whitten), Carlton, covered in the security blanket of his class, his rational thinking, and the fact that his father is a judge, assumes they will explain what's going on and drive away no harm done. This erroneous claim first appeared in a Tumblr post in the early 2010s with no source given, nor has one emerged beyond the rumor simply being repeated verbatim uncited, including on IMDb. The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air is a FANDOM TV Community. : So the only thing true about this rumor is the emotion conveyed by Will in the scene. And when Carlton does buck up and speak to his father, vulnerability and everything, it's simply stunning television. You are forced to invest your time, family, and even your wallet to make your dream come true. : William 'Will' Smith Just for a couple of weeks. Will Smith: Hey man, it's cool if you just call me Will, man. We didnt realize it had affected that many people until years later., Did any of us know this show would become what it has become in the last 30 years? Filming & Production Will Smith Explains The "Dad Episode" of Fresh Prince, According to episode co-writer David Zuckerman, this episode was written to showcase Will Smith's dramatic acting talents, following his recent turn in the dramedy, The initial script for this episode cast Lou as a pool shark breezing through town. Youwillcry at the acapella song the family sings over the credits. Who cares what you think? It was written by David Zuckerman and Bill Boulware, and directed by Shelley Jensen. You saw the light bulb go off, he said. Will's very pleased with this. He loves pizza and the Mortal Kombat movie. I'm ready to be part of your life if you'll let me. What millennial doesnt jump to finish the theme songs lyrics when prompted by Innnn West Philadelphia, born and raised? They were all pretty the same: the dialogue would get cheesy (well, cheesier) and the music, sappy (sappier). (One year later, Rodney King's beating by police will spark a series of protests and clashes in Los Angeles.) When Will was five years old, he was abandoned by his father, Lou, leaving his mother, Viola, to raise him in poverty. It's a brilliantly played scene, rife with warmth and gentility even as they discuss tricky stuff. Will Smith recalls iconic "how come he don't want me" scene + Being pushed by James Avery Streaming Black 3.83K subscribers Subscribe 3.3M views 4 years ago Black Press Media Group, July 2018. Wisely, his apology tends to stay out of the socioeconomic implications of drugs, and more into the personal point of view of "I am a member of this family who has hurt another member of this family." Philip: Yeah, then why did he say it? William 'Will' Smith This pages comprises the full verbal transcript of the first episode of Season 1 - The Fresh Prince Project . There is no funny outtake of the cast messing up their lines. : attentiveness vs attention will smith fresh prince dad scene script. I've been waiting for this for a long time, my whole life and ain't nobody gonna stop me. And yet. Recently, a rumor started to circulate that this scene wasn't scripted, and that Will Smith really lost it because his actual father was an absentee. It's a simple trick, perhaps best-known in the final moments ofCheers. "He kept me in line. Dont act around me, act with me, Smith recalled Avery saying. The theme, extended in this pilot, summarizes the "pauper to prince" narrative of Will's initial journey with catchy, goofy flavor, but it doesn't stop the inherent complexities of this initial narrative's center from being any less pertinent. Right from the jump, from episode 1,The Fresh Princehad more on its mind than its aesthetics might initially hint. You know, if there was something that l William 'Will' Smith: You know what, you ain't got to do nothing, Uncle Phil. "I did not make the rules, but I do know how to play the game. Smith was known for his clean lyrics, and his hits were . Will and Carlton are determined to stop their female family member from having sex, using intercoms and interrogation tactics as devices to get in the way, to claim ownership over Ashley's body, to inherently view a young woman's sexual exploration as robbing her of her "purity." The scene is iconic, ingrained in the brains of all who grew up watching "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air": a young Will Smith, eager to jet off on a trip with his biological father, only to be let down when his dad skips out on him once again.Will turns cold at the rejection, calling his dad only "Lou," then later rants to Uncle Phil about life without his dad. ", There is a popular misconception that Smith himself was also abandoned by his biological father in real life when he was young and had "broken character" while delivering the rant which went from being directed towards Lou to being directed towards Smith's own real-life father. Nov 11, 2021, 12:36 PM. as a startling wake-up call, albeit one couched in comfort, comedy, and familiar class dynamics. Will's father Lou shows up after 14 years and spends a lot of time with Will. This pages comprises the full verbal transcript of the first episode of Season 1 - The Fresh Prince Project. : Will Smith: Oh, my fault, man. William 'Will' Smith Will, it's all right to be angry. Olivia Singh. That he has no idea what life on the streets is like. That childlike sense of rage, coupled with his newfound maturity, rises into his throat; his final act of defiance is to refuse to call his father "Dad," opting for his name instead. As of 2023, his films have grossed over $9.3 billion globally, making him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars. Usually, the director would retake the scene, but really, nothing could replace this moment. We're doing alright, huh? Uncle Phil, however, thinks Lou will again disappoint his son. Yeah, whatever. It was that specific episode for me as a director [that] I saw him connect and make it work. In the episode, Will's deadbeat father Lou (played by Broadway legend Ben Vereen) returns after a 14-year absence to spend time with his son. Now, let's get to the bottom of this rumor. He might be leaving this Bel-Air home for good, but this is still the first half of his new life, his new identity. Philip Banks This is the same guy who didn't think enough of you to pick up the damn phone! Geoffrey Butler: You have the right house. It came in the series' fourth season and 24 th episode called "Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse", and it's an amazing example of Will Smith 's acting ability. : After landing a role on Fresh Prince, Will also snagged a leading role in the 1993 film adaptation of Six Degrees of Separation. : The story behind the episode is almost as good as the episode itself. I knew it was good, good television and it was really special.. But much of white America remained (remains?) HD1080p WILL'S DAD EMOTIONAL SAD SCENE ON THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIRNEW 2013 OF. William 'Will' Smith Use me. In the episode "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse", Will Smith demonstrated his true acting abilities and showed the world when he is given the right role, he can do an amazing job. Washington Post Retrospective on the episode. The most extreme (and false) version of this the rumor goes as far to claim that Smith actually ad-libbed the scene and that the episode was meant to end with Will brushing off his father's abandonment. Not quite. William 'Will' Smith: Got through my first date without him, right? Will Smith said he improvised his character's piano moment in the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" pilot. "How come he don't want me, man?" Directed by Shelley Jensen with a script from David Zuckerman and Bill Boulware, "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse" is about Will's father, played by Ben Vereen,. The show wasn't afraid to tackle issues like drugs, sex, drunk driving, sexism, racism, and violence to teach us an important lesson or two about life. The episode featured the man-hug loved (and memed) around the world as Uncle Phil (James Avery) doesnt so much embrace as completely envelop his nephew, who is coming to grips with the loss of his absentee father for a second time. You know the episode, and you definitely know THE scene. Philip Banks : Having three Black male actors in an intensely dramatic scene on a comedic series only added to the power of the moment. We all knew we were having a great time. During the episodes final scene, Smith was struggling to bring it all home. Official Sites The two collapse into an embrace. Technical Specs, [after Lou cancels his trip with Will and leaves], [after discovering Will's father unexpectedly]. Published Mar 12, 2022. I learned how to drive, I learned how to shave, I learned how to fight without him. And Will sets himstraight. Company Credits Will Smith: Oh, okay, well uh, cheerio and all that Walter now. I'm sorry. The two later return to the Banks mansion, where Vivian is less than happy to see Lou, but maintains a civil presence around him for Will's sake. | Ashleys first date with R&B princeling Tevin Campbell? Has this period, reactionary and transitory in intention, ended with an anticlimactic ellipses rather than an emphatic exclamation? Its fun to bash on Will Smiths career moves of late (After, ugh, Earth), but when he finds the right role, hes an excellent actor. And I got pretty damn good at it too, didn't I, Uncle Phil? However, Smith revealed in his 2021 memoir. Smith, whose most emotional scenes in the episode are opposite Avery, had to cry on camera for the first time. Smith, playing a version of himself, lives with his extended family, and everyone lives, learns, laughs, loves, and grows with each other. The hell with your father. How come he don't want me, man? William 'Will' Smith : He's my father. : I started feeling trapped. Philip Banks For six seasons, Will Smith and the rest of the hilarious cast made us laugh week after week with their shenanigans, but they also got our lives flipped-turned upside down whenever they addressed serious topics. : [to Will] Up until that point, they were thinking of [Smith] as a TV actor, Vereen said of the young mans burgeoning film career. That happened. What is the Spanish language plot outline for Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse (1994)? William 'Will' Smith: I ain't need him then and I don't need him now. That year we won the first Grammy given to a rap artist.". And she thinks she might be ready to enter a sexual relationship with a partner (Jaleel White, of course), despite their relationship being inherently long distance. But Viola is ready to boycott the wedding, and forbid her son from going, too. It is Fresh Princes most iconic half-hour the moment in which Will, the goof who plays it cool, became human, and Smith became an actor. Dont act around me, act with me. The advice worked. It's Carlton, Phil's son, whom we see suffer this trauma the most severely, even more so than Phil himself. Geoffrey Butler: Come with me, Master William. 1 His First Major Movie Role Was In Six Degrees Of Separation. : Even if the performance wasnt real, it was real enough to be remembered 20 years later. Will forgives him and is prepared to give him another chance. Phillip understands, and wishes Will the best. Episode director Shelley Jensen worked on the series for all six seasons and watched Smith, who started the show at 21, go from novice to supernova. Uncle Phil helps his nephew find a new California apartment on his own, and he'll continue his collegiate studies in the state, too. | An emotional Will lets his frustration out in a conversation with Uncle Phil, but things got really sad when he finally breaks down in tears. Here's the Tumblr version of events that we've come to believe as the truth: eegyvudluk pootoogook / stacey and dave forsey net worth / will smith fresh prince dad scene script. Ain't like I'ma be sitting up every night asking my mom, "When's Daddy coming home? Lou Smith Borrowing its title fromGuess Who's Coming to Dinner, the 1967 film in whichKatharine Houghtonbrings home fianc Sidney Poitierto her white parents to examine interracial relationships in a lightly comedic purview, "Guess Who's Coming to Marry?" Lou Smith Zuckerman firmly squashed the rumor in a 2020 article, stating the entire episode and that scene in particular were tightly scripted, citing Smith's acting ability as a testament to it seeming spontaneous. A powerful, teachable, simple lesson. He never even sent me a damn card! It was also so unexpected. I love when classic multi-cam sitcoms feel like excuses to put classic theater on television for the masses, and this episode has a wondrous scene that vaults into this hallowed ground. Instead, it shows slides of the end credits. Instead of reading him the riot act, Will is understandably enchanted. Vivian Banks We were all in the moment. Smith would even come out himself and hype up the audience. I'm Will's father Hilary Banks Filled with investments. But as he reveals to Will in a tense, hospital-set two-hander finale (staged this time, curiously,with a studio audience), he hopes deep down inside that he can meet the man who shot Will, and get his revenge. There had been a lot of interest in an episode about Wills dad, according to Fresh Prince writer David Zuckerman, given that the entire premise of the show was based on Will being sent to live with his rich aunt and uncle because his mother, raising him alone, wants him out of their rough neighborhood.