Actor Alfonso Ribeiro opens up about feeling rejected by the Black community
Actor Alfonso Ribeiro made sitcom history with his role as the sweater vest-wearing character Carlton Banks on the 90s TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air starring Will Smith.
A huge element of the show was the on-screen tension between Smith, and Carlton, a nerdy, privileged teen from Bel-Air. Carlton’s Blackness is frequently called into question by other characters, such as a Black fraternity leader who says Carlton isn’t “enough of a brother” to join. This led to a speech from Carlton about how there is no correct way to be Black. The 49-year-old has been outspoken about how being typecast as a character like Carlton has made him feel ostracized from the Black community at large.
“It still happens almost every day, unfortunately,” Ribeiro told the Atlanta Black Star about having his blackness called into question. “I am in a mixed relationship. And I get things and looks and comments constantly. And I find it very interesting because you see a lot of things on social media where people say things and people have positions and perspectives. And it’s not easy to make that choice, because you’re not at home in any home. I’m never going to be white and I’m never going to be fully supported in the Black house.”
Ribeiro got married to writer Angela Unkrich, who is white in 2012, which he said has added fuel to his feeling that the Black community doesn’t accept him.
“I’m in my own little world with support from almost no one, to be in love with someone I’ve fallen in love with. How does that make sense? It doesn’t,” he said. “We all want to live in a world where everyone is accepted for being and loving and living the way they choose to live. I will support any person that wants to live in a world that they want to live in.”
“I live in a mixed world. I love in a mixed world. I live in a Black world, and I love in that world. I feel everyone should be supported,” he added.
The actor implied that the perceptions have led to the BET Awards neglecting to invite him, although being well known for The Fresh Prince as well as serving as the current host of ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos.
“I laugh at the fact that I am a mainstream television host, been in the game forever and I could purchase tickets to go to the BET Awards. So it is what it is. I’m not going to purchase the ticket…But at the end of the day, if that’s the view they take, then that’s the view they take. I can’t change their mind. All I can do is live my life and be me and be the best version of me. And continue to love everybody equally, and let it fall where it falls.”
Ribeiro said despite everything his friendship with Smith has not wavered in the years since show ended more than a decade ago.
“Well, we were friends before. So that helped a lot,” Ribeiro said. “We were able to…play on set. We were able to not take things so seriously that our egos would never get in the way of creating funny. The things that we learned very early on was, if I’m his straight man and he gets the big laugh, we both win. If he’s my straight man and I get the big laugh, we both win….I believe our success on the show was so great because we never stopped each other from winning.”
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