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Will Smith is one of those rare unicorns in Hollywood who has been able to enjoy huge commercial success in music, film, and television. After appearing in 2016’s Suicide Squad and Collateral Beauty, Smith is the lead in an upcoming Netflix original film called Bright. Before he was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, he won the first-ever rap category Grammy in 1988.
You might be too young to remember Smith as a staple in hip-hop. But chances are you still know exactly what he looked like back then, because he starred in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. One of the things that made Fresh Prince the best Black sitcom ever (I’m ready to argue) is how embedded it was in pop culture. One of the perks of being led by a successful rapper was that Fresh Prince was frequently able to land celebrity guest stars of all walks, including Boyz II Men, Don Cheadle, and Jay Leno. Even Donald Trump made an appearance on the show (and it ironically foreshadowed how the world would feel about him after the 2016 election).
But Smith's character on Fresh Prince was best known for being an overzealous ladies' man. And his list of on-screen love interests includes some Black actresses who have résumés just as impressive as his. These are some of the famous Black women who had the honor of being “Fresh Princesses.”
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