Carlton Says There Will Never Be A 'Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air' Revival Because Uncle Phil Was The Most Important Character

HP – The cast of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” often gets asked about the prospect of reviving the iconic ’90s sitcom. But Alfonso Ribeiro maintains that without his late co-star James Avery, there is no show. In an interview with PeopleTV’s “Chatter” this week, Ribeiro, who played Carlton on the show, once again shut down speculation over whether more “Fresh Prince” was on the horizon. Ribeiro insisted that bringing back the sitcom would be “impossible” ? or at least “very unlikely” ? without Avery, who played Will Smith’s strait-laced Uncle Phil on the show. Avery died in 2013. He later added: “James Avery, right, he’s actually the most important character on the show. … Without him, everything that Will and Carlton did would mean nothing.”

Touching stuff right there. To top it off, Carlton isn’t wrong. Sure, Will Smith was the star of the show. The other characters filled in with comic relief and played their roles accordingly (with exception to Vivian 1). However, Uncle Phil was the glue that held it all together. The most important person in the show, hands down. That man was all heart. As Will Smith’s character would say something to the effect of “An overworked, big heart pumping at the speed of bacon” alluding to his weight, but all heart nonetheless. Watch this scene from when Will’s father was about to walk out of his life, again, and even try to disagree:

Incredible. All heart. And in the end, the most important character on the show. Now let’s dry those tears with Uncle Phil hustling at the pool hall with somehow even more heart.

RIP Uncle Phil. Here’s hoping there’s a Jazz already up there to throw out of the front for pure amusement.

PS – Did you know James Avery also voiced the animated character Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? You do now, and you’ll never forget it.

PS – Still quite possibly jams in the history of JAAAMS.