“Boyfriends and girlfriends come and go, but this is for life.” This one-liner from Friends proved that there is no gift greater than friendship. In the world of entertainment, however, good friends are hard to come by, and those that stick in the long run are even harder. Yet, one advantage plays out when a cast bonds tightly in the many seasons of a project. It worked for the Friends cast, and is now working for the Stranger Things cast, but did it work for one of Hollywood’s biggest stars? Will Smith starred alongside Alfonso Ribeiro for six seasons of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air since 1990. So, are they still friends?

A lot has happened since the actor grew out of the show, so it would be testing to know what has happened to that bonhomie.

Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro once had a very strong working relationship but does it still last?

A close-to-real-life mirror of Smith’s life, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, followed his character as he navigated his way through living a life of the lavish. Freshly sent off to live with his wealthy relatives, the show became popular for its themes of culture shock and the world of the black bourgeoisie. One of the other reasons for its rapid ingress was the chemistry of brotherhood between Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro. Interestingly, even after 27 years since the show ended back in 1996, the two actors remain good friends with very cordial relations.

Playing the role of Carlton Banks, Riberio not only became the reel but also the real-life best friend of the King Richard actor. Famed for dancing to Tom Jones’ ‘It’s Not Unusual’ with signature moves now known as ‘The Carlton’, Riberio was an integral part of the show and often accompanied his co-star on parties and hang-outs alike. The two most recently met during the 30th-anniversary reunion of the show. In 2023, Smith also posed alongside a sequin pillow of Ribeiro’s character on his birthday.

One of the biggest stars of today, the Men In Black star had a multi-talented foray into acting.

A trajectory through hip-hop to Grammy and then the Oscars

Will Smith recently sat down to recall his rap roots and that indeed was a fun nod to the simpler times. Back in 1987, as a teenager, the actor was famed for his ‘clean’ rap versions that landed him chart-topping success much before acting. Forming a group with his childhood friend, Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes, the duo produced many hits, including ‘Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble’. All of it eventually became recognized when the group won two Grammy Awards back in 1992.

Soon after, in 1990, Smith would go on to land his first movie with 1992’s ‘Where the Day Takes You’. However, he would not lead one until a year later and would not achieve a breakthrough until 1997’s Men in Black. The last movie cemented the actor on the international stage and from there on there was no going back. All the glory and hard work finally culminated with a rather unceremonious Best Actor Oscar Win in 2022 for King Richard.

What are your reactions to Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro remaining friends, even after nearly three decades? Let us know in the comments below.