The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was as famous for its family-friendly comedy as for its celebrity cameos. Pop culture figures like Naomi Campbell and The Jeffersons’ Sherman Hemsley appeared throughout the series' run. However, there allegedly was one potential celebrity cameo that never made it past the pitch process. Will Smith reportedly rejected Drag Race’s RuPaul from appearing on the NBC sitcom.
The allegation was made by former Fresh Prince executive producer David Steven Simon in author Thea Glassman’s book Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson’s Creek: How Seven Teen Shows Transformed Television. According to What’s Trending, the alleged matter came up as Simon spoke about his time on the series. Having the legendary drag performer on the NBC sitcom was Simon’s idea as RuPaul was a rising star in the 1990s. Before this suggestion, the producer reported Smith had never rejected a guest star pitch. He recalled Smith’s alleged reaction, saying:
I remember him saying that would be a really bad idea. And I said, ‘No, listen, hear my story —.’
Simon’s claim could be taken multiple ways. Neither the Drag Race host nor the Oscar winner have responded to the former executive producer's comments over the reportedly axed cameo. He also wasn’t done giving his thoughts on the rejected celebrity cameo. The Hollywood producer gave his take on the alleged reason why the Emancipation star didn’t want to share the screen with RuPaul:
The reason he would say no is because of his image. Period. The End.
Simon’s comment doesn’t paint Will Smith in the best light. Smith was still entrenched in the hip-hop culture during The Fresh Prince’s early days. Homophobia was rampant in rap music as derogatory slurs and phrases toward the LGBTQ community were commonplace. Still, the claim about Smith not wanting RuPaul on his show has not been confirmed by either party. Even Smith didn’t mention the story in his best-selling autobiography Will.
While fans wait to see if either Will Smith or RuPaul address the allegations, both icons have multiple projects coming up. RuPaul is currently appearing in Drag Race All-Stars Season 8, airing on MTV every Friday. He will be featured in one of 2023’s upcoming movies, Trolls Band Together, arriving in theaters on November 17. You can also find RuPaul's Drag Race and various other shows in the franchise streaming on Paramount+.
As for Will Smith, he is currently filming the sequel to Bad Boys for Life, which has no release date just yet. You can revisit The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air through streaming platforms like Hulu and Max. Bel-Air is only streaming on Peacock, however, with Smith credited as an executive producer. If you're in the market for some new viewing options this summer, check out our 2023 TV premiere schedule.
