Whatever Happened To? The Fresh Prince Cast

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Now this is the story all about how a network got flipped, turned upside down. In the fall of 1990, NBC introduced a promising new sitcom entitled The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Intended to appeal to the network's younger demographic (and in particular those with three-inch flat tops), the show was set in one of California's plushest neighborhoods and starred a young Philadelphia MC named Will Smith.

Smith still recalls that first season. "I was trying so hard," he says. "I would memorize the entire script, then I'd be lipping everybody's lines while they were talking. When I watch those episodes, it's disgusting. My performances were horrible."

Despite his early struggles, he and his program became an instant success, and The Fresh Prince stayed on the air for six full seasons. We'd like to take a minute, just sit right there and we'll tell you what became of the stars of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Will Smith - "Will Smith" (1990-1996)

The wisecracking Smith played a street-savvy Philly teen sent by his mother to live with his "auntie and uncle" in Bel-Air. When not serving up one-liners, Smith convinced white suburban kids that neon shirts and garish tracksuits were actually hip.

What he did after the show: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air made Will Smith a star. His activities since then have made him a superstar. As an actor, Smith has received top billing in a number of top-grossing blockbusters, including Bad Boys, Men in Black, Independence Day, and Ali, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. Along the way, his drawing power has become so bankable that Smith now demands in excess of $20 million per film, which is pretty phenomenal if you've ever seen Wild Wild West.

As a rapper, Smith has released five albums since 1997, including Willenium, which sold over 2 million copies in the U.S., and Big Willie Style, which sold over 9 million and claimed the No. 8 spot on the U.S. charts. To date, his total album sales exceed 16 million. Not bad for a jug-eared kid from West Philly.

What he's doing now: Smith can be seen in the upcoming films Pursuit of Happyness, Time Share and Tonight, He Comes. And that underscores the key difference between Smith and his fellow Fresh Prince cast mates: Smith stars in movies, while they rent them.

Bet you didn't know: Will met wife Jada Pinkett Smith when she auditioned for the role of his girlfriend on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

What about Philip, Vivian, Carlton and Hilary? Find out what they're up to now...