Dedication Night on Dancing with the Stars turned into a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion with real emotional weight. Tatyana Ali, who played Ashley Banks, dedicated her Viennese waltz to James Avery, her late TV father. She and pro partner Jan Ravnik danced to Nancy Wilson’s“(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am,”a song Ali recorded herself for the occasion. Then Alfonso Ribeiro, Carlton Banks himself and now a DWTS co-host, joined her on the floor. Ali said the performance wouldn’t be what it needed to be without him beside her.
The most powerful moment came at the end, when a photograph of Avery appeared on the screen and Ali and Ribeiro looked up at it together. After the dance, Ali called Avery a mentor and father figure to the entire cast, sent love to his widow Barbara, and said he was the person who introduced her to the artists she needed to know. Avery died in December 2013 at 68 from complications following open-heart surgery.
For anyone who grew up watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, this tribute landed somewhere deep. It was not just nostalgia; it was a pair of former co-stars saying thank you to the man who held their TV family together. What’s your favorite Uncle Phil moment from the show?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.