A total of 27 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast members have passed away since the show’s conclusion in 1996.
The series showcased Will Smith as a young man adapting to life with his affluent family in the luxurious neighborhood of Bel-Air, California.
In 2022, Peacock introduced its own revamped version of the show titled Bel Air.
This new iteration featured Jabari Banks as Smith in a ‘darker, unique’ reimagining, with original characters making appearances, including Daphne Maxwell Reid as the second Aunt Viv, Vernee Watson-Johnson as Will’s mother Vy, and Tatyana Ali, who originally portrayed Ashley Banks.
The show concluded its run after four seasons, with its final episode airing on Monday night, December 8.
Let’s remember those who have passed away since the end of Fresh Prince nearly 30 years ago.
James Avery portrayed Philip Banks, fondly known as Uncle Phil, throughout all 148 episodes.
As the family patriarch, he guided Will’s transition from West Philadelphia to life in affluent Bel-Air, garnering admiration for his firm but loving approach to his children.
Avery was the first among the main cast to pass away.
He died on December 31, 2013, at age 68, due to complications following open-heart surgery.
Ross Bagley made his acting debut portraying a young version of Will in a 1992 episode.
He died on October 29, 2025, at the age of 42 from a heart attack, having battled heart issues for years.
Warner appeared as a guest star in a Fresh Prince episode, portraying Hilary’s boyfriend in 1991.
He passed away on July 20, 2025, at age 54.
Warner was caught in a strong current while learning to surf at Playa Cocles, Limón Province, Costa Rica, leading to his disappearance.
He was rescued and given CPR for 45 minutes but was pronounced dead on the scene.
The Judicial Investigation Agency confirmed his death as accidental drowning, attributed to asphyxia by submersion.
Naya Rivera, best known for her role as Santana Lopez in Glee, appeared in an episode of Fresh Prince as a child actress.
At six years old, she played Cindy, Hilary’s imaginary ‘perfect’ sister, in season three’s “Bundle of Joy” episode.
Rivera died at 33 on July 8, 2020, due to drowning during a boat trip with her four-year-old son on Lake Piru, California.
Virginia Capers played Hattie Banks, the mother of Uncle Phil, and grandmother to Hilary, Carlton, Ashley, and Nicky.
She formed a bond with Will and even took him to a Heavy D concert in an unforgettable episode.
Capers passed away on May 6, 2004, at 78 from pneumonia complications.
Jamaican rapper Dwight Arrington Myers, known as Heavy D, guest-starred as himself in two episodes.
He led Heavy D & the Boyz, a pioneering hip-hop group that included DJ/producer Eddie F and dancers Trouble T-Roy and G-Whiz.
He died on November 8, 2011, after collapsing outside his Los Angeles residence.
An autopsy revealed a pulmonary embolism as the cause of death, a condition where a blood clot travels to the lungs.
He also had heart disease.
Craig Harvey, Chief of the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner, noted the blood clot likely formed during an extended flight.
Sherman Hemsley portrayed Judge Carl Robertson, Uncle Phil’s competitor and fellow judge, on the show.
He also made a cameo as George Jefferson, his renowned character from CBS’s The Jeffersons.
Hemsley passed away at his El Paso, Texas home on July 24, 2012, at 74.
His death was due to superior vena cava syndrome, a complication of lung cancer.
Isabel Sanford reprised her iconic role as Louise “Weezy” Jefferson, appearing in two episodes where she and George Jefferson provided marital advice to Will and Hilary.
Sanford died on July 9, 2004, of natural causes after being hospitalized five days earlier.
Renowned actor and stage performer John Wesley appeared as Dr. Baylor in the 1992 “Ill Will” episode, where Will undergoes a tonsillectomy.
Wesley died on September 7, 2019, shortly after his 72nd birthday, from complications of multiple myeloma, a blood cell cancer.
Görg portrayed a woman who famously sparred with Will in the 1996 episode titled “Boxing Helena.”