We are Karyn Parsons and Tatyana Ali (Hilary Banks and Ashley Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). Ask us Anything!

Keep the questions coming guys! We're still here. What else do you want to know?

Also, we still have some of the better Kickstarter rewards left:

• Interactive screening of your favorite episode of Fresh Prince with the cast, along with a Q&A (or live feed for $50)

• Voicemails from Chris Rock, Carlton, Geoffrey the butler, and Jada Pinkett-Smith

• Shopping spree with Tatyana and me!

aunt viv 1 or 2?

Well, here's my concern about #1.... (about halfway through)

Edit: forgot the video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srlkvo0HI7w&feature=youtu.be

Boy Meets World is getting a modern reboot in the form of Girl Meets World. Exactly how much money do I have to throw at somebody in Hollywood to make Fresh Princess of Bel Air happen? Will accept answer in USD or total tons.

Everyone always talks about the reunion. It's a nice thought but...I didn't see it happening before, and now that we lost James, it's even tougher.

I did propose a show where we could have a reunion....everyone got wiped out. It was very dark. We would all be going our different ways - Hilary was moving to New York to do her talk show, Ashley was coming with her to work with her, Carlton was going to law school, Will was going to Philly I think, everyone's doing all these different things...and all of a sudden, we're all in the family room, and suddenly all you see is the muzzle and then just machine gun fire everywhere. And Geoffrey's like "good lord, no!" And it would go on way way way too long, and we're all down, and there's just smoke everywhere, and you see some feet walk in, and you pan up, and it's...it's the first mom. Will thought I was insane. -Karyn

That's worth doing. We have to do that for real. -Tatyana

Also, what do you guys think of the Girl Meets World reboot? Are you happy it was made or do you feel it tarnishes your memories?

We cracked up thinking about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srlkvo0HI7w&feature=youtu.be

Question for Tatyana: There were several episodes where Ashley was singing and doing it really well. Was that actually your voice or was that some post-production magic?

That was me! I sang Respect at one of our wrap parties. We went bowling at the end of one season. And our script supervisor asked me to sing two songs. First she asked me to sing "She Works Hard For the Money". (She was a couple beers in and she was like "Sing my song!") And then I sang Respect. And the season after that is when they put that song in the show.

-T

For people that don't know Tatyana's been singing a long time, they HAVE to go on YouTube and look up Tatyana star search. She was a star search champion! You have to see this little girl...it's the cutest thing. For awhile, Lana (my daughter) and I were playing it a bunch of times, and I could NOT get it out of my head.

-Karyn

What was Geoffrey like offscreen?

He's actually a prankster too. But in a very dry, sleight-of-hand way. Like you don't realize he's done something until it's done.

Who was the biggest jerk on the FPBA set?

Alfonso (Carlton). He used to snap my training bra. -Tatyana

Karyn, you were my main crush growing up. I'm actually a little intimidated right now. haha

Any fun stories from making Major Payne?

Damon is one of the funniest, most insane human beings. At one point they had to put a scrim between us because he had to deliver his lines and I kept cracking up and blowing his take.

If you watch the movie, you see my bangs change quite a bit because I got bit by something and I had this huge, huge egg-shaped bruise in my forehead.

-Karyn

Were there any storylines that you wished the show got a chance to explore?

More "Very Special Episodes". -Tatyana

You already had the really good ones! The first kiss, the virginity ones. -Karyn

You didn't have any Very Special Episodes? -Tatyana

Well certainly not any virginity ones. Tramp. -Karyn

Who does the Carlton dance better, you or Tatyana?

I'm expecting a video dance-off response =)

Here's a video explain-why-we-can't-do-it-off response =)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j4BlwwJWXM&feature=youtu.be

Do you guys have a particular favorite memory of James Avery?

The birkenstocks! A particular favorite...gosh. I have so many. I actually had a dream about James the other night. A real dream. It was great.

I remember him falling asleep on the living room couch on set. And then we'd tickle his feet and he'd wake up and get pissed at us.

Also when he got his house. He climbed a huge gate to get into this house he wanted to buy before he bought it. And he wanted us all to see it. So we had to stand and watch guard for the police while he broke us in.

• Karyn

Tatyana can I have a selfie from you? You're just too cute!

http://imgur.com/AM2Cm3J

I am a huge fan of you both and loved Fresh Prince. This question is for both, how difficult was it to film in front of live studio audience and would you have preferred not having one? Thanks

Oh I loved it. Early in the day we filmed without the audience, just to have a good clean pass of the show. And then we'd film at night in front of the audience, and I feel like everything was just heightened. -Tatyana

Yeah, they could never use the daytime stuff in editing because the energy just didn't match. It was a totally different thing. But I'll tell you, when we did the very first episode, I was so nervous I was praying for an earthquake. And sure enough, I went out and I was the first person to make a mistake. -Karyn

Also Will would mouth our lines back to us during the show in the early seasons, but only in front of the live audience. You can actually see this if you watch early episodes. -Karyn

You are both still very recognizable figures, do y'all find it difficult to do normal things like grocery shop, clubbing, or otherwise just "be" without the difficulty of dealing with well meaning but annoying fans, or is it not as difficult as one would think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz08O1JiKXk&feature=youtu.be

I used to go to every single taping of Fresh Prince with my friends, seasons 2-4. We used to try and out laugh each other so we could hear it later on TV. Anyway, I saw you at a homeless benefit in Hollywood once and my mom embarrassed the shit out of me because I had wanted to ask you out. Tatyana will you go out on a date with me?

What kind of dog do you have?

What were you guys told about your characters going into the show?

I was told I had to rap. And that she wore a blazer. -Tatyana

I was told that she was a "model type". I remember thinking how ridiculous that was. Not only was I not a model type, I didn't even have any clothes that would make me look like I could fake a model type. And I wore some big dress, some big hangy thing to the audition. And once I got a callback I kept wearing the same thing. So the model thing went out the window when I got cast. - Karyn

Who was the biggest prankster on the set?
Did Uncle Phil assume the father role?
How much teasing did Carlton have to endure from Will?

Will. For sure. He mooned James Avery.

Has Will changed in the years since he has become a movie star?

He's more gray. -Tatyana

He's very busy, but when you get him, and you get to spend time with him, I don't find him to be different at all. It's the same. -Tatyana

I completely agree. I saw him in December and he seemed very comfortable in his skin, very relaxed. -Karyn

what was craft service like on the show; which shows had the best food?

Ours had a LOT but I certainly wouldn't call it the best. It was like...macaroni salad. And twix. For some reason that's all I think of. It's probably really unfair to them.

I tried to change my diet at one point and it was the WORST for doing it. There were like no vegetables. Maybe cooked corn. I'm sure things have changed now. The guy who did craft service for us was really nice, though. It satisfied some people but man...if you were looking for a vegetable.

twix is a vegetable.

Technically it's two vegetables!

What's your favourite memory from your time working on Fresh Prince of Bel Air?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CgWmht608E&feature=youtu.be

Did that work? I have no idea what I'm doing.

Video is currently unavailable, for me atleast.

How about now?

Karyn I just saw your campaign! What is Sweet Blackberry?

Thanks for checking it out! I wrote a bit about it above, but Sweet Blackberry is a nonprofit I started to spread stories about African-African American achievements to kids through all sorts of mediums. I want the next generation to understand that tremendous obstacles can actually be opportunities for greatness. I run the organization out of New York, and Tatyana is on the board.

In this case, we're hoping to tell the story of Janet Collins, the first black prima ballerina. If we hit our Kickstarter goal, Chris Rock will narrate the movie!

Karyn, I love youuuuu. What are you doing these days?

I have a couple of rugrats. And Sweet Blackberry! I'm dedicating most of my time and energy to that (aside from my kids, of course). Tatyana's on the board. Sistas helping sistas.

Imagine your characters in the modern day, what do you think they'd be doing for a living and what would their lives be like?

Can you imagine Hilary? What the hell would happen to her? -Karyn

She'd be in the Himalayas somewhere meditating. -Tatyana

Ashley started doing Broadway. Tatyana

What was your favorite episode to air? I've recently been rewatching fresh prince on Netflix and I must say it is way more enjoyable to watch being able to understand the humor

When I had to bark like a dog, when I got blackmailed for not going to college. I also learned how much the audience hated me during that episode. They didn't just clap...they started STOMPING. -Karyn

Mine was the episode where I actually got the chance to go to Bel-Air prep. I was like "oooh I get to go to high school too!" Just like in real life. "I get to be on set with the guys!"

I also like the episode where Ashley is being bullied. And where she likes a guy and gets all dressed up and stuffs her bra with tissue paper, and ends up crying using those tissues. -Tatyana

How tall is Carlton now?

You do realize he was already a grown man when he was on the show, right? :-) He didn't grow more! -Karyn

Do you have a podcast , if not have you ever considered doing one ?

For what? You guys want to watch us hang out? -Karyn

Who's your favorite to win the World Cup?

USA! This is going to be huge. I feel like this is the only time where rooting for the USA is rooting for the underdogs. We watch soccer a lot in my house. Both my parents are immigrants. -Tatyana

I don't have any time to watch soccer unfortunately. I want to watch so bad. Making this film is all I have time for! - Karyn

Update: Well so much for that. -Tatyana

Did either of you keep/steal anything from the set for mementos? And what happened to everything that wasn't kept? Were they sold/donated? I hope someone kept Will and Carlton's famous outfits from their Apache Dance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV5TZyUMVsM

No joke, they tried to sell us our own clothes back to us at the end! Even clothes that were designed for and tailored for me. I'd see a crew member or an extra wearing them and I'd be like...those are my clothes! -Tatyana

to Ms. Parsons and Ms. Ali- Do you think crowd sourcing will result in better quality roles for actresses such as yourselves?

Oh that's an interesting question! Yes, definitely. I think when the people are making decisions -- "this is something we feel is important, do this not that" -- you end up with better films. We're able to make projects that nobody else would make, that wouldn't get out there otherwise.

Tatyana, when you went on The Eric Andre Show, did you have an idea of what the interview was going to be like beforehand?

Link

^{DOC CHICKEN! DOC CHICKEN! DOC CHICKEN! DOC CHICKEN!}

Video response: http://youtu.be/RZW8RpYsZ2M

We got Tatyana's video working! :)

Who's your fantasy choice to narrate a Sweet Blackberry film?

Chris Rock is going to narrate this film if we meet the goal! Where do you go from there?! He was so good at the BET awards. He's just so smart. And he has girls; it's so clear that he cares about the subject.

What was the set like filming the last episode?

It was really sad. REALLY sad. I remember my exit being SO hard. I didn't want to get my lines right because I didn't want it to end. -Karyn

Seeing the set with no furniture, completely empty, was seriously devastating. -Tatyana

Video response :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS4cxWiR_1Y&feature=youtu.be

[deleted]

John Ridley (academy award winner this year) was great. Eddie was great. There are so many writers though. It was such a group effort. Rob Edwards. A lot of really good people. Andy and Susan Borowitz, who started the show, were like mom and pop. Andy writers for the New Yorker now.

How did you end up getting cast in your respective parts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81tlMlHQ8Lg&feature=youtu.be

We're having some trouble with Tatyana's video portion but hopefully you can hear it!

I grew up watching The fresh prince seeing as I was born in the 90's. So you could say I watched you ladies grow as well. I got a lot of knowledge from the show and some humor.

This question is for the both of you..

What is something you two have learned on set that you took as a life lesson?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFEm_BsLi08&feature=youtu.be

What are your favorite things to cook for dinner?

Beef and kale. Check out my podcast about it soon :)

can you please do a video response of your version of the Carlton dance?!

Video response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j4BlwwJWXM&feature=youtu.be

Tatyana: In Fresh Prince when you did the commercial where you were in a bathing suit, and Uncle Phil came in and handed it to that mean girl by talking about her horse hair weave, what did that feel like?

We are very confused by this question because we don't think they had weaves in the 90's :)

Do you feel network television has become more, or less diverse since fresh prince was on the air?

I think it happens in waves, unfortunately. So for a second it got less diverse. (It was more than a second, actually.) And now we're on an upswing again. -Tatyana

With the success of a few shows, people are getting excited. They're thinking "gosh maybe this DOES work." It's crazy. Cosby was a huge sensation for such a long time. You'd think they'd start to get it. People are ready for this. They want it in their homes. Everybody....it's not just black people that want to watch black people. -Karyn

Tatyana, how was your experience on the Eric Andre Show?

Video response from a related question! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZW8RpYsZ2M&feature=youtu.be

What kind of store would you and Tatyana Ali prefer to go shopping? (Considering it's one of the pledges for the kickstarter project) Loved you in Fresh Prince :) Thank you both for doing this AMA.

Depends where we go! If it's in New York, I'd love to go to NoHo. -Karyn

[deleted]

She was never a guest star! She did audition though.