Janet Hubert

Last updated

Janet Hubert
Born
Janet Louise Hubert

(1956-01-13) January 13, 1956 (age 68)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education Juilliard School
OccupationActress
Years active1980–present
Spouses
James Whitten
​
(m. 1990⁠–⁠1994)​
Larry Kraft
​
(m. 2005)​
Children1

Janet Louise Hubert (born January 13, 1956) [1] is an American film and television actress. She is best known for playing the role of the original Vivian Banks on the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from its first season in 1990 until the end of its third season in 1993. Hubert was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in 1991. [2] Her performance as Mignon on the digital series King Ester garnered her first Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 2020. [3]

Contents

Early life

Hubert was born in Chicago, Illinois and spent her early days growing up on Chicago's South Side. [1] At the age of nine she moved with her family to rural Chicago. [1] She won a scholarship to the Juilliard School in New York City, but did not complete her studies. [1]

Career

After performing in the national tour of Dancin' , [4] Hubert made her Broadway debut in 1981, in the ensemble of The First , a short-lived musical about Jackie Robinson. [5] Hubert created the role of Tantomile in the original Broadway production of Cats , and also understudied Grizabella and Demeter. [6] She left Cats in April 1983 to star in the national tour of Sophisticated Ladies , opposite Dee Dee Bridgewater and Gregg Burge. [7] Hubert played Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , the role she is most known for. After she was allegedly fired by the makers of The Fresh Prince, Hubert's character was recast and played by Daphne Maxwell Reid for the remainder of the show's run. At the time, Will Smith, the show's star, said Hubert "brought her problems to work" and wanted to be the star of the show. Hubert said Smith had gotten her fired. [8]

Hubert was featured in a 2002 episode of Friends as Chandler's boss. In 2005, she began playing the recurring role of Lisa Williamson, mother of attorney Evangeline Williamson, on One Life to Live . Her character has made occasional appearances since then. She was featured as Michel Gerard's mother in an episode of the CW show Gilmore Girls . She has made appearances on episodes of All My Children , NYPD Blue , The Bernie Mac Show , and Tyler Perry's House of Payne , among others. In November 2018, it was announced that Hubert had been cast on the daytime soap opera, General Hospital ; she made her debut as Yvonne on December 7, 2018. [9] [10]

Hubert appeared in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion on HBO Max in November 2020. In a private conversation for the special, she and Smith spoke for the first time since her departure from the show. More information and context was offered regarding the situation and her exit. Hubert discussed issues in her personal life, including her abusive marriage, and revealed she had not been fired from the show as largely believed; she was offered a "bad deal" to return for the fourth season, a deal she turned down. Smith spoke about how he was neither "sensitive" nor "perceptive" to Hubert's situation and was very young and immature at that time. Being a parent now, however, has taught him how to understand what she was dealing with. Smith assured Hubert he wishes he had acted differently and apologized for his actions. In the end, the two appeared to reconcile. Hubert then joined the rest of the guests at the reunion. [11] [12]

Hubert appeared on FX's Pose in season 3 as a family member of Billy Porter's character, Pray Tell, alongside Jackée Harry and Anna Maria Horsford. [13] In 2022, she appeared on The Ms. Pat Show as the title character's mother-in-law, Jewell. [14]

Personal life

Hubert was married to James Whitten from 1990 to 1994; they had a son, Elijah Isaac Whitten. She has been married to Larry Kraft since 2005. She suffers from osteoporosis and is the ambassador of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. [15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985Agent on IceLola
1995 White Man's Burden Dinner Guest
1999California MythLysistrata
2001 30 Years to Life Joy's Mom
2004 Proud Larry's Mother
NeuroticaThe Neighbor
2013MomJudy Curtains
2015 No Letting Go Dr. Stacey Slater
2016Not Another Black MovieAunt Gloria
2020JG and the BC KidsNarrator/Blackbird/Stanley Leroy
2022FeverGraceShort
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story Aunt Duke
2023 The Perfect Find Monica

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988 Hunter Vanessa RileyEpisode: "The Fourth Man"
21 Jump Street Councilwoman TraversEpisode: "Fun with Animals"
1989 Hooperman Loretta ToddEpisode: "Look Homeward, Dirtbag"
A Man Called Hawk SeritaEpisode: "Poison"
One Life to Live MiriamEpisode: "Episode #1.5370"
1990 Tales from the Crypt PsycheEpisode: "Till Death"
1990–93 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Vivian BanksMain cast (season 1-3)
1992 Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? HerselfEpisode: "She Took the Notes Right of My Mouth"
1992–93 Reasonable Doubts Judge Mary SimsEpisode: "Brother's Keeper" & "Legacy"
1993 An Evening at the Improv Herself/hostEpisode: "Janet Hubert, Glenn Super, Mary Anne Kelly, and more!"
1994 Dave's World EliseEpisode: "Shel in Love"
Coach Karen WilliamsEpisode: "Blue Chip Blues"
New EdenAshtarteTV movie
1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special Elaine BahamEpisode: "What About Your Friends"
1996 The Faculty Annette FreemanEpisode: "Somewhere There's Music"
The Pretender Madam DirectorEpisode: "The Paper Clock"
1997 The Jamie Foxx Show Edwina DuBoisEpisode: "Act Like You Love Me"
Goode Behavior Dr. Pamela FordhamEpisode: "Goode Lovin'"
Lawless Esther HayesEpisode: "Pilot"
1998 NYPD Blue Hiruut KebedeEpisode: "Weaver of Hate"
1999 All My Children Alice DawsonEpisode: "20 May 1999"
2001–02 The Job Adina PhillipsRecurring cast
2002 Weakest Link HerselfEpisode: "TV Moms Edition"
Gilmore Girls Gisele GerardEpisode: "Back in the Saddle Again"
Friends Ms. McKennaEpisode: "The One Where Emma Cries"
2003–04 The Bernie Mac Show LeoraEpisode: "Meet the Grandparents" & "Make Room for Caddy"
2004 Christmas at Water's Edge Mrs. TurnerTV movie
2005–10 One Life to Live Lisa WilliamsonRegular cast
2011 Tyler Perry's House of Payne EvelynEpisode: "A Mother's Payne"
2016–17 If Loving You Is Wrong DianeRecurring cast (season 2)
2018–20 General Hospital Yvonne Godfrey Regular cast
2019King EsterMignon PappionRecurring cast
Christmas BellesWhitleyTV movie
202054 Below PremieresHerselfEpisode: "Norm Lewis: Christmastime Is Here!"
2021 Pose LatriceEpisode: "Take Me to Church"
Love Life Donna WatkinsRecurring cast (season 2)
The Last O.G. Miss May MillerRecurring cast (season 4)
2022 New Amsterdam Dr. PalpaEpisode: "Two Doors"
The Ms. Pat Show Jewell CarsonEpisode: "Parents Just Don't Understand"
Single Black Female DeniseTV movie
2023 Sweet Magnolias Bev DecaturEpisode: "Someone I'm Longing to See"
2023 My Dad the Bounty Hunter Empress GuriraVoice

Music videos

YearArtistSongRole
1986 Sylvester "Someone Like You"Dancer

Stage

Year(s)TitleRole(s)Notes
1980 Dancin' Performer [16]
1981 The First Passenger/Opal/fan [17]
1982 Cats Tantomile [18]
1983 Sophisticated Ladies Performer [19] [20]
1984Sleeping BeautyCarameen [21]
2002CrownsWanda [22]

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013 Grand Theft Auto V Denise Clinton

Awards

YearNominee/workAwardCategoryResult
1991 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
2014 Grand Theft Auto V Behind the Voice Actors AwardBest Vocal Ensemble in a Video Game
2020King Ester Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Digital Drama Series

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherrié Austin</span> Australian actress and country music singer

Sherrie Veronica Krenn, known professionally as Sherrié Austin, is an Australian actress and country music singer. Active as a singer since her teenage years, Austin initially recorded as one half of the duo Colourhaus, which also featured Phil Radford. After leaving Colourhaus, she moved to the United States in pursuit of a solo career. There, she recorded five studio albums, and charted several singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. Her highest charting single was the No. 18 "Streets of Heaven" in 2003. Her most recent album was released on 15 November 2011.

<i>Company</i> (musical) 1970 musical comedy

Company is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. The original 1970 production was nominated for a record-setting 14 Tony Awards, winning six. Company was among the first book musicals to deal with contemporary dating, marriage, and divorce, and is a notable example of a concept musical lacking a linear plot. In a series of vignettes, Company follows bachelor Bobby interacting with his married friends, who throw a party for his 35th birthday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatyana Ali</span> American actress and singer

Tatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 to 1996. She starred as Tyana Jones on the TV One original series Love That Girl!, and played a recurring role as Roxanne on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless from 2007 to 2013.

<i>The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</i> American television sitcom (1990–1996)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz for NBC. It aired from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager born and raised in West Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, where his lifestyle often clashes with that of his upper-class relatives.

<i>Annie</i> (musical) Broadway musical

Annie is a musical with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and a book by Thomas Meehan. It is based on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre. It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won seven Tony Awards, including for Best Musical. The musical's songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life" are among its most popular musical numbers.

<i>Mame</i> (musical) Musical

Mame is a musical with the book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Originally titled My Best Girl, it is based on the 1955 novel Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis and the 1956 Broadway play by Lawrence and Lee. A period piece set in New York City and spanning the Great Depression and World War II, it focuses on eccentric bohemian Mame Dennis, whose famous motto is "Life is a banquet and most poor sons of bitches are starving to death." Her fabulous life with her wealthy friends is interrupted when the young son of her late brother arrives to live with her. They cope with the Depression in a series of adventures.

<i>Camelot</i> (musical) Stage musical

Camelot is a musical with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics and a book by Alan Jay Lerner. It is based on the legend of King Arthur as adapted from the 1958 novel The Once and Future King by T. H. White.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daphne Maxwell Reid</span> American actress

Daphne Etta Reid is an American actress, comedian, designer, and former model. She is best known for her role as the second Vivian Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1993 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Fields</span> American actress and television director

Kim Victoria Fields-Morgan is an American actress and director. She first gained fame as a child actress on the television series Good Times (1978–1979), and rose to greater prominence for her role as Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey in the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1979–1981), as well as its spin-off The Facts of Life (1979–1988).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Avery</span> American actor (1945–2013)

James La Rue Avery was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Philip Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Judge Michael Conover on L.A. Law, Steve Yeager in The Brady Bunch Movie, and Dr. Crippen on The Closer (2005–2007); and as the voice actor for Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Haroud Hazi Bin in Aladdin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackée Harry</span> American actress (born 1956)

Jacqueline Yvonne Harry is an American actress, comedian, and television personality. She is known for her starring roles as Sandra Clark, the nemesis of Mary Jenkins, on the NBC TV series 227 (1985–1990), and as Lisa Landry on the ABC/The WB sitcom Sister, Sister (1994–1999). She is noted for being the first African-American to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenifer Lewis</span> American actress

Jenifer Jeanette Lewis is an American actress. She began her career appearing in Broadway musicals and worked as a back-up singer for Bette Midler before appearing in films Beaches (1988) and Sister Act (1992). Lewis is known for playing roles of mothers in the films What's Love Got to Do With It (1993), Poetic Justice (1993), The Preacher's Wife (1996), The Brothers (2001), The Cookout (2004), Think Like a Man (2012) and in the sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014), Baggage Claim (2013) and The Wedding Ringer (2015), as well as in The Temptations miniseries (1998).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Migenes</span> American soprano

Julia Migenes is an American soprano working primarily in musical theatre repertoire. She was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to parents of Irish and Puerto Rican descent. She is sometimes credited as Julia Migenes-Johnson. She attended The High School of Music & Art in New York City.

Clea Lewis is an American actress, best known for her television role as Ellen's annoying friend Audrey in the sitcom Ellen. Lewis also played Margaret Redding on Royal Pains and Deirdre Kemp on The Americans. She guest-starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the pilot episode of Friends, and was a series regular on Flying Blind and Andy Barker, P.I. Additionally, she appeared in movies like The Rich Man's Wife, Diabolique, and Perfect Stranger, and is also known for her theatre roles, including on Broadway in Absurd Person Singular, and her voiceover work, such as in the movie Ice Age: The Meltdown and voicing Nicky Little in the Disney cartoon Pepper Ann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Capers</span> American actress (1925–2004)

Eliza "Virginia" Capers was an American actress. She won the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical in 1974 for her performance as Lena Younger in Raisin, a musical version of Lorraine Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun.

<i>The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</i> (season 3) Season of television series

The third season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on September 14, 1992, and concluded on May 10, 1993. This would be the last season to feature Janet Hubert-Whitten as Vivian Banks, as she left the show for professional and personal reasons. Janet Hubert-Whitten was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid in the show's fourth season and for the remainder of the show's run. Additionally, the character Nicky Banks was added to the cast toward the end of the season as Phillip and Vivian's newborn son, due to Hubert-Whitten's pregnancy.

<i>The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</i> (season 4) Season of television series

The fourth season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on September 20, 1993 and concluded on May 23, 1994. This is the first season to feature Daphne Maxwell Reid as Vivian Banks after Janet Hubert-Whitten's departure. With 26 episodes, this is the longest season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Season 4 was originally meant to be the final season of the show, but NBC renewed the show for two more seasons.

This page lists only acting roles and other projects undertaken in film, television and theater in the post-Idol career of American Idol contestants. It does not include guest musical performances or interviews on TV shows, or any pre-Idol work. It is also not intended to be a comprehensive list of all acting roles, appearances, awards nominated or won by any particular alum. Where there are multiple entries, only the more significant may be listed. Please see the appropriate links and references for individual alum for such more complete lists.

<i>Bel-Air</i> (film) 2019 short fan film

Bel-Air is a 2019 short fan film written and directed by Morgan Cooper, based on the 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The film serves as a mock trailer for a darker, more dramatic re-imagining of the sitcom. It was uploaded on YouTube on March 10, 2019.

Alison Nicole Luff is an American singer and stage actress. She is best known for her extensive work in musical theatre, notably for her roles as Elphaba in the First National Tour of Wicked and Jenna in the Broadway production of Waitress. Since 2021, she has appeared in a lead role in the Starz drama series Heels.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Janet Hubert Biography". Biography. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  2. ↑ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - Series - Awards - TV Tango". www.tvtango.com.
  3. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (21 May 2020). "Daytime Emmy Nominations: 'General Hospital', 'Sesame Street', 'The View' Top List; CBS, Amazon Prime Lead Networks". Deadline. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Dancin' – Broadway Musical – 1980-1983 Tour | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  5. ↑ The Broadway League. "The First – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  6. ↑ "Cats". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
  7. ↑ "Sophisticated Ladies – Broadway Musical – 1983-1983 Tour | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  8. ↑ "Smith, Whitten Feud Over Her 'Fresh Prince' Exit", Jet, Johnson Publishing Company, p. 59, 30 August 1993, ISSN   0021-5996
  9. ↑ Rice, Lynette (November 18, 2018). "General Hospital casts Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress Janet Hubert". Entertainment Weekly . United States: Time Inc. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  10. ↑ SOD (November 18, 2018). "GH Taps Fresh Prince Alum". Soap Opera Digest . United States: American Media, Inc. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  11. ↑ Harris, Aisha (19 November 2020). "Let's Talk About That Reconciliation During The 'Fresh Prince' Reunion Special". National Public Radio. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  12. ↑ Neal, Savannah (19 November 2020). "Will Smith 'so happy' to settle decades-long feud with Janet Hubert in 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' reunion". WBBM Newsradio 780. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  13. ↑ Jones, Monique. "'Pose' Enlists Icons Jackée Harry, Janet Hubert And Anna Maria Horsford As Pray Tell's Family". Shadow and Act. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  14. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15868820/?ref_=ttep_ep5 [ user-generated source ]
  15. ↑ McCann, Bob (2010). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland & Company. p. 170. ISBN   9780786437900.
  16. ↑ "Dancin' – Broadway Musical – 1980-1983 Tour | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  17. ↑ "The First Broadway @ Martin Beck Theatre - Tickets and Discounts". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  18. ↑ "Janet Hubert". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  19. ↑ "Sophisticated Ladies – Broadway Musical – 1983-1983 Tour | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  20. ↑ Sophisticated Ladies in Japan - sophisticated lady (1983), archived from the original on 2021-12-22, retrieved 2021-02-11
  21. ↑ "1984_0815 Yawns in the New Sleeping Beauty". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1984-08-15. p. 24. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  22. ↑ Weber, Bruce (2002-12-04). "THEATER REVIEW; Using Hats Seriously But in Fun (Published 2002)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-02-11.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.