Photo: Will Oliver & Kings Theatre
Janet Hubertreceived an emotional, two-minute standing ovation fromWill Smithfans on Tuesday night.
During the “Will Smith: An Evening of Stories with Friends” event hosted at Kings Theatre in New York City’s Brooklyn, Smith recalled memorable life lessons while discussing his new memoir,Will. At one point in the evening, the actor pointed out two of hisFresh Prince of Bel-Aircostars in attendance: Karyn Parson, who played Hilary, and Hubert, who was the “original Aunt Viv,” as Smith referred to her.
Hubert, 65, got a standing ovation from the excited crowd, waving and whistling to the cheering fans.
“Stand up, Janet. Get your flowers!” Smith said. “Take it in! Take that in!”
The touching moment comes one year after theFresh PrinceHBO Max reunion special, in which Hubert and Smithsat down for the first time in 27 yearsto sort out the issues that led to a contentious back-and-forth in the media following Hubert’s exit from the sitcom in 1993.
Smith addressed the reconciliation during the event Tuesday, telling attendees, “That is such a beautiful thing. Thank you all. You know, Janet and I — I’m assuming you all saw Janet and I a few months ago on the 30th anniversary ofFresh Prince, for the first time talked out the issues that we had had.”
“It was one of the most healing experiences of my life, and it was a big part of the place that working on this memoir got me into,” he continued. “I just wanna thank you, Janet, for being open. That’s a big part of the exploration that I wanted to do in this book.”
Will Oliver & Kings Theatre
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“If there are tree roots in the drain, the water doesn’t flow,” she said, adding: “The drain has been snaked.”
RELATED VIDEO:Fresh PrinceReunion —Will Smithand Janet Hubert Discuss Her Contentious Exit 27 Years Later
“I don’t know if it’s a comeback,” she told PEOPLE. “I haven’tcomefrom anywhere; I’ve been here. It’s just now … I always had to prove myself. I also had to walk in with a presupposition, and I don’t have to do that anymore, which is really lovely.”
source: people.com
