Additional Coverage:
- ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ star Alfonso Ribeiro on the acting tip that made a lasting impression on Will Smith (businessinsider.com)
In a recent appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Alfonso Ribeiro, beloved for his role as Carlton Banks on the 90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” offered a glimpse into his enduring creative partnership with Will Smith. This follows Smith’s own reflections on their collaborative dynamic during a December episode of Vice’s “Black Comedy in America,” where he credited Ribeiro with significantly impacting his life.
Smith praised Ribeiro’s dedication to rehearsal, describing a technique they called the “comedic limb.” This involved fully committing to even questionable jokes during rehearsal to demonstrate their effectiveness (or lack thereof) to the writers. “Nobody commits as hard as Alf,” Smith remarked, explaining Ribeiro’s rationale: “‘You commit so the writers can know it doesn’t work.'”
Ribeiro expressed gratitude for Smith’s words, calling him a “brother for life” and emphasizing their decades-long bond. He confirmed the truth behind the “comedic limb” approach, stating, “I believe part of what I received on ‘Fresh Prince’ was because of the hard work I put in. Going 100% in all rehearsals allowed writers to write better lines for me.”
He further explained how a less committed rehearsal performance could lead to weaker jokes remaining in the script, ultimately falling flat during the actual show. Ribeiro emphasized this 100% commitment as a life philosophy, extending beyond his acting work.
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” which aired for six seasons, propelled Smith’s acting career. The show has since been rebooted as “Bel-Air,” featuring Jabari Banks and Olly Sholotan as Will and Carlton, respectively.