Will Smith Tried Dating "Fresh Prince" Co-Star Karyn Parsons, She Rejected Him

BY Erika Marie 26.8K Views
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Will Smith, Karyn Parsons
Smith admitted that it was a "good call" that Parsons, who portrayed Hilary Banks, didn't fall for his lines.

Fans have been metabolizing all of the revelations Will Smith shared in his new memoir, and some have noted that there was almost a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air romance on set. The rapper-turned-actor's television career was in its infancy when the now-classic series premiered in 1990 and it didn't take long for audiences to fall in love with the Banks family.

It was near the end of the show's run that Smith would begin dating wife Jada Pinkett Smith, but in his memoir Will, the actor reportedly stated that there was a time when he had a bit of a crush on his Fresh Prince co-star, Karyn Parsons.

Parsons portrayed Smith's snooty, bougie cousin Hilary Banks on the series but off-screen, he wanted there to be more between them.

"She was smart enough to tell me 'hell no' when I tried to explain we were not really cousins, so it would be fine if we dated," Smith reportedly wrote. "[I said], 'I swear it won't mess up our working relationship.' She knew better than that - good call, K.P."

Smith has been on his press tour for his memoir and much like his wife, daughter, and mother-in-law's Red Table Talk, these news secrets of the Smith family are now coming from the actor, himself. 


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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.