Janet Hubert said her relationship with Will Smith is "so good," offering a fresh update on a feud that once divided stars of the 1990s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
Hubert, 69, made the remark during an interview Tuesday on V-103 Atlanta's "The Big Tigger Show," responding to a question about whether she and Smith, 56, are now cordial. The two have publicly sparred for roughly three decades after Hubert departed the show in 1993 and was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid.
The long-running dispute has included sharp public comments from both sides. Shortly after Hubert left the sitcom, Smith suggested Hubert had sought to steer the program toward her character, saying she "wanted the show to be 'The Aunt Viv of Bel-Air Show.'" Hubert later characterized Smith as an "egomaniac" and said in 2011 that she would not participate in any reunion activities with him.
The pair publicly confronted their history in 2020 during HBO Max's 30th-anniversary reunion special for "Fresh Prince," where they sat down for a filmed conversation. Smith said at the time that he could not celebrate the show's milestone without "celebrating Janet," and described seeking a way to include her in the commemoration.
During the reunion, Hubert disputed accounts that she had been fired. She said producers had offered her a deal in the third season that would have dramatically cut her salary and barred her from other work, a condition she rejected because she had a new baby and a husband who was unemployed. When producers recast the role, Hubert said she felt "trapped" and suffered lasting damage to her reputation.
Smith acknowledged he had been unaware of the full circumstances, telling Hubert, "I didn't know that. When I look back now it's obvious that you were having a hard time and I felt like you hated me." He added that he wished to be "someone who protects you, not someone that unleashes dogs on you." Hubert has said she was also coping at the time with a "very abusive marriage," which contributed to the tension on set.
In recent years the relationship has shown further signs of thawing. Hubert told V-103 that Smith created a website to help promote her independent animated feature "JG and the BC Kids." The actress also publicly defended Smith following his 2022 physical altercation with comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, posting in 2022 that she was "so PROUD OF YOU!" and arguing that there were extenuating circumstances to consider.
Fans and cultural commentators have long viewed the Hubert-Smith rift as a notable chapter in television history, given Hubert's role as the original Vivian Banks and Smith's ascent to stardom. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" aired on NBC from 1990 to 1996 and became a touchstone of 1990s sitcom culture, with Hubert part of the cast for the series' first three seasons.
Hubert's latest comments and Smith's recent public gestures reflect a series of private and public reconciliations that began with the 2020 reunion and have continued intermittently. Both actors have pointed to personal circumstances and misunderstandings that shaped their conflict and its aftermath.
As of the V-103 interview, Hubert described the current state of their relationship positively and noted tangible support from Smith in promoting her creative work. The remarks mark another step in the gradual public easing of tensions between two of the sitcom's most prominent figures.