Alfonso Ribeiro says ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ reunion ‘a wonderful time,’ talks virtual Halloween plans

EXCLUSIVE: The 'America's Funniest Home Videos' host is dishing on the upcoming HBO Max reboot and his socially distanced Halloween plans

Mariel Turner

Oct 2, 2020

Alfonso Ribeiro has a lot to look forward to this fall season.

The 49-year-old host is gearing up for Halloween with his family, working on the newest season of America’s Funniest Home Videos and prepping for the release of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion on HBO Max—the first time in years the cast has reunited.

Ribeiro told theGrio exclusively on Thursday that the reboot, which will air sometime before Thanksgiving, was “a wonderful time.”

“I was only able to be part of one of the days. I had to actually shoot AFV,” he said while chatting about his partnership with Mars Wrigley’s Treat Town app. “So I was there, but it’s going to be a wonderful tribute to James Avery, hearing some behind-the-scenes [moments], how we made the show, funny moments, great times that we share together. We’re a family and we love each other dearly. It was great to be able to get together and I think the audience will experience kind of what it was like for us to shoot the show, and the chemistry and the connection that we all have.”

Fresh Prince thegrio.com — (Credit: Will Smith)

The In the House alum went on to discuss filming the reunion without Avery, who passed away in 2013 and played the iconic Uncle Phil on the ’90s sitcom. According to the Ribeiro, the cast made sure to maintain a loving and appreciative mood while remembering their on-screen dad.

“I think that there’s segments, obviously, where we, you know, we miss him and we talk about him, but we laugh about him too,” the actor explained. “He was an incredible, wonderful man. I don’t think it had a negative [or sad] energy, it had a very positive energy to the entire reunion. So I think people are going to enjoy it. I think people will really enjoy seeing how we came together and how we got to filming the show and our times during the show.”

Before the reunion airs, however, Ribeiro will be celebrating Halloween social distance style with his wife, Angela Unkrich, and four children, Sienna, Alfonso Jr., Anders and Ava. In addition to using the Treat Town app, which allows users to collect their favorite candy, connect with friends and family and visit attractions virtually, Ribeiro will also be sporting a family costume with his kids.

He may dress up in costume for work, but Ribeiro says Angela is in charge of the Halloween attire.

“We will be back in Los Angeles because I’ve got a shoot AFV on October 30. So we will be back before Halloween,” he said, adding that he and his family enjoy Peanut M&Ms and Snickers at home. “My wife basically is the boss of the costumes. I think through the year she kind of, you know, decides, listening to the kids, what they want to be. Then she decides for all of us what we’re going to be. So she tells me what I’m wearing every year. We’re going to be doing this together, whatever she decides, I’m going to be in some costume that hopefully fits.”

For more information on how to create better moments this Halloween, visit treat-town.com or the App Store to download Treat Town.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!