NBC's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is often credited for skyrocketing Will Smith's popularity. The show ran for six seasons, and its success and
acknowledgment helped the 55-year-old actor’s career evolve, as he will later be intricately involved in the entertainment industry and become
a big-budget movie star. The endeavor was tailor-made for Smith, and it is clear, through most of his anecdotes, that he is quite appreciative
of it.
Despite having re-defined 90s sitcoms and becoming an intrinsic part of television history, there's one thing Smith finds unbearable about the
first few episodes of the first season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The Hollywood star finds it so disastrous that he claimed he cannot bear to
re-watch the series, unlike the fans who revel in nostalgia and watch it repeatedly. What specifically about the pilot and following episodes
bothers Smith?
Will Smith Cannot Bear Watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s Season 1
On an appearance on The Graham Norton Show (via ET), Smith reflected on his sitcom stint, which was, goes without saying, uber-successful.
Still establishing a legacy that only a few shows can match up to, there is something about the first few episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
that irks the Aladdin alum. Before the NBC sitcom, the actor didn't have much experience with acting. The endeavor was his initial attempt at
the trade.
Naturally, looking back on those days, the seasoned movie actor found blatant errors in his portrayal.
And one such mistake, according to Will Smith, was mouthing other people’s lines! The Suicide Squad actor was so committed to his role that
he memorized the full script along with his lines. That’s an unmatched level of dedication. Alas, the results on screen were not flattering,
according to Smith:
“It was my very first role, and I was very focused on being successful. So, I learned the whole script and everyone else's lines. If you watch the
first four or five episodes, you can see I'm mouthing other people's lines. It’s terrible, and I can’t bear to watch it.”
Keeping aside his rookie mistakes, Smith's acknowledgment in the entertainment industry was elevated with his sitcom stint. However, there
came a time when the actor felt he was at a crossroads. He knew the moment the show had jumped the shark and exhausted its core intent.
Around the same time, a movie career looked highly promising.
He knew it was time to move on.
Will Smith Wanted The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air To Go Out With Style
Every series has a threshold to how long it can sustain itself without feeling recycled, repetitive, and mundane. With popular sitcoms, the most
glaring trend is its longevity. They span many seasons and sometimes may feel endless. However, the cast and crew can quickly sense when a
show is at the last stage of its life cycle. And that was exactly the case for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
