The character of Will Smith is loosely based on the life of the actor of the same name. Smith's charming and mischievous personality earned him the nickname "Prince," which eventually became "Fresh Prince". Smith had become a successful rapper, but lost most of his money because of poor budgeting. When NBC signed Smith up for the sitcom, he was almost bankrupt, and it immediately launched his acting career.
Background
The premise of the character of Will, and of the show in general, is outlined in the opening theme. Will is a street-smart and laid-back West Philadelphia teenager. After Will gets into a fight his mother sends him to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air.
Storyline
Following Will's arrival in Bel-Air, he was a great distance from home and was considered an outsider by many people in his Bel-Air neighborhood. Early on, he had a picture of Malcolm X on his wall. He often disagrees with his cousin Carlton, whom he sees as not quite "black" enough because he doesn't talk like other young African-Americans. While Smith sometimes perceives Phil as being overprotective of Ashley, he himself also can be; when Ashley asks him about sex, Will became shocked by Ashley's inquiry, which leads him and Carlton to go to a clinic to talk to a doctor about how to discuss sex with Ashley. His father, Lou, who had abandoned him at childhood, returns in the episode "Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse." His dad promises to take him on the road with him, but later drops Will, and the resulting disappointment breaks Will’s heart. It is then that Smith tearfully realizes Philip is the closest to a father he has ever had. Though Will often teases his Uncle Phillip due to his obesity, he genuinely values Phillip as a father figure and fiercely defends him when his image or integrity are attacked by outsiders, especially in season 3's "Asses to Ashes." In the episode, "Bullets Over Bel-Air," Will is shot at a bank ATM while protecting Carlton from a robber. Carlton then feels that Will could have died saving him. During one of Will's visits back to his old neighborhood in Philly, he confronts the old park thug, Omar, to restore his damaged reputation. When Will challenges him, he is startled when a reformed Omar refuses to fight back. Omar shuns Will, and through him Will gradually realizes that his reputation is not important. Similar to his relationship with Uncle Phil is his relationship with his cousin Carlton. Though he often mocks Carlton mercilessly over his preppy nature, lack of “street cred”, and generally uncool nature, he is also fiercely protective of Carlton and will not hesitate to come to his cousin's defense. As stated previously, he even went so far as to take a bullet for Carlton. In another episode, Will quits a black fraternity when they refuse to let Carlton in for not being “black” enough. Will’s loyalty and love for Carlton is not lost on the latter, and in the final episode Carlton outright tells Will “Thank you for being the brother I always wanted.”. At the conclusion of the show's run, the Banks family decides to settle in New York, while Will remains in Los Angeles to finish his last year of college. Will eventually becomes a close member of the Banks family and a better man by the series' end. Will delivers the last line of dialogue in the series: "I am definitely going to miss you, C."
Reception
The character and Will Smith's portrayal received near unanimous praise from television critics & audiences alike. UGO editor Bryan Enk praised Will Smith's role as the character, stating "Rarely has there been a television series so perfectly tailor-made for its star than The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirFresh Prince fit Will Smith like a glove; it was obviously a showcase for him, but his co-stars were just as good, and Smith never hogged the spotlight, allowing each cast member to shine in every episode."
