33. The Real Reason Aunt Viv Was Replaced
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air gave us six seasons of comedy relief, but when season 4 premiered, audiences noticed Aunt Viv didn’t look like herself. That was because Daphne Maxwell Reid replaced Janet Hubert, and for years after, Will Smith and Janet Hubert fired shots at one another in the media, hurling accusations of bullying and arrogance on the set, alluding to the idea Hubert was fired for misconduct.
In 2020, they called a cease-fire on HBO MAX’s Fresh Prince reunion special, where Hubert revealed she was going through a pregnancy and severe marital issues, which distanced her from the cast, causing friction. Hubert also noted she was far from fired. The truth is that she quit when her season 4 contract reduced her ability to work, essentially cutting her pay.