Many television characters have become iconic. One of these is the character “Carlton Banks” in the iconic sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, played by Alfonso Ribeiro.
Ribeiro’s major breakthrough on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air not only gained him stardom and a whole new life, but his renowned dance move continues to fascinate people to this day.
But now that Ribeiro has gone on in life, he admits that playing Carlton Banks wasn’t always so great. The 50-year-old said it nearly rui:ned his career.
Alfonso Ribeiro as ‘Carlton Banks’
In Hollywood, sometimes actors get typecast after playing a certain iconic role. Another one of those actors is Alfonso Ribeiro, who became a superstar when starring as Carlton Banks in the classic sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Alfonso Ribeiro was born on September 21, 1971, in New York. His family is from Trinidad & Tobago, and at an early age, they realized that Alfonso had an excellent talent for acting and dancing.
Alfonso Ribeiro – early life
“As a kid, my dad was my manager, and he always said to me, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do: The more eggs you have in the basket, the more opportunities you have for one of them to hatch when you need them to hatch,’” Ribeiro recalled in an interview with The Ringer.
“‘And so we’re just going to learn to do everything. We’re going to learn how to dance, we’re going to learn how to sing, we’re going to learn how to act, we’re going to learn how to entertain, we’re going to learn how to talk, we’re going to learn how to read. We’re going to be well-rounded in the business.’”
Alfonso Ribeiro grew up in the Bronx, New York, and had his first appearance in the entertainment industry in 1980, when he was nine years old. He landed a role in the television sitcom Oye Willie, but it was his dancing that really got him noticed.
In 1983, Ribeiro was cast as “the first kid to do it” in the Broadway production The Tap Dance Kid, which paved the path for far greater success. In the mid-1980s, the little Bronx youngster appeared in a commercial directed by Bob Giraldi, and soon after, a superstar arrived at the door.
In 1984, Michael Jackson starred in multiple Pepsi commercials and sought for young dancers to join him. And it turned out that Alfonso was the perfect choice.
Commercial with Michael Jackson
Alfonso Ribeiro danced alongside Michael Jackson in the now-famous Pepsi commercial, which led to many more career chances.
While dancing with Michael Jackson, Ribeiro had already begun his musical career. At the age of ten, he published many singles and even signed a record deal.
At the time, he was also cast in the long-running television series Silver Spoons, where he played Alfonso Spears for 72 episodes spread over four years.
After the play concluded, Ribeiro opted to complete High School and take a vacation from performing. Later, he relocated to the West Coast and attended Cal State Los Angeles before pursuing an acting career. Ribeiro soon received his big break: he appeared in an episode of A Different World in 1990 and was scheduled to appear as a series regular the following season.
However, Alfonso was also cast as Carlton Banks in the upcoming series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Alfonso Ribeiro – ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’
Alfonso Ribeiro’s role, Carlton Banks, became one of the most popular on the show. His many humorous lines, as well as his famed dance movements, helped him become an icon of the 1990s. The show ran for 148 episodes and is still in reruns today.
The “Carlton Dance” was Alfonso’s trademark. Ribeiro is still asked to dance today, yet he did not invent it.
In an interview with TMZ in 2012, he admitted that he copied it from Courtney Cox’s dance moves in Bruce Springsteen’s song video “Dancing In the Dark” and Eddie Murphy’s dance in the stand-up comedy Delirious.
Alfonso Ribeiro’s stay at Carlton changed his life forever, but it also influenced his future profession.
How the role of ‘Carlton’ almost destroyed Alfonso Ribeiro’s career
He was always recognized as Carlton rather than Alfonso. Finally, he felt that he didn’t obtain roles because he was typecast.
Ribeiro told the Atlanta Black Star that he felt penalized for playing the character of Carlton.
“I had what I love taken away from me because I won. When you do a role like Carlton and people love the role, and you do the job so well that they essentially tell you that you can’t do it anymore because we can’t see you as anything else, it is a very difficult thing to deal with,” Ribeiro explained. “It was like, ‘Wait a minute, but I did it well. I did my job. I did what I was asked to do, I made you believe that that’s who I am.’ That’s what an actor is supposed to do. And then I was punished for it. Because then I didn’t get to do what my craft was. I didn’t get to do it anymore.”
Alfonso Ribeiro – family, wife & children
As Ribeiro indicated, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air did not always benefit his career. But in the end, he cemented his position in television history by portraying one of the most beloved characters ever.
Alfonso Ribeiro scored numerous projects, including the comedy In The House with LL Cool J. In addition, he rose to prominence as a host on America’s Funniest Home Videos and finished seventh on Dancing With The Stars in 2014.
Aside from becoming a well-known and adored actor, Alfonso Ribeiro has discovered the love of his life.
In 2012, he married actress Angela Unkrich. He was also married to Robin Stapler from 2002 to 2007, with whom Ribeiro had his daughter Sienna.
However, their love journey has not always been smooth. In 2021, Alfonso discussed living in a mixed relationship. He claims that because he married Angela, a white woman, the Black community has refused to accept him.
The couple welcomed their first child, Alfonso Lincoln, in 2013, followed by Anders two years later. In 2019, Ribeiro and Ulkrich welcomed their daughter Ava Sue.
“I try to do everything in my power to make sure that my family’s with me on all of these journeys that I have to go on. I feel it’s incredibly important,” Alfonso says. “We prioritize family. We prioritize each other.”
Alfonso is a dedicated family man who is extremely proud of his biracial children. On Instagram, he frequently uploads photos of his family and occasionally pays respect to his wife.
Alfonso also has a daughter with his ex-wife, Robin Stapler. Sienna Ribeiro was born in 2003, and Alfonso was very proud of his daughter when she graduated from high school in June 2021.
Alfonso Ribeiro has had a successful career and established a nice family. We wish him and his family the best for the future!
