The first time we saw Will Smith and Tyra Banks together was on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1993. By this time, the show had been running for some time since the show's first episode aired on September 10, 1990. There is no mention of a previous encounter between the two so the show was arguably the first opportunity that they got to work together. Even Tyra’s brief stay on the show and sudden exit without so much as an explanation as to where she might have gone did not deter these two from hanging out off-screen.
Their relationship continued to blossom for some time as many sources have confirmed. The former colleagues, however, were rarely seen together probably because they both had very demanding careers. Will kept himself busy with music and acting while Tyra continued to pursue modeling.
Today, Tyra is a retired model with several other ventures and Will has also slowed down on his acting. However, the two never miss an opportunity to catch up whenever they bump into each other, whether online or at an event. Here are a few other unknown facts about their relationship.
15 Will And Tyra Go Way Back
Will and Tyra became friends in the 1990s. They worked closely together when Tyra accepted a cameo role in a TV show that Will Smith was starring in. Although she appeared in a few episodes, complex confirms that the two had a relationship outside of work. In the show, they are also old friends from the same hometown.
14 The Duo Starred In The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air starring Will Smith first aired in 1985. Tyra only joined the series in 1993 when the show was on its fourth season but she did not stay for long. Complex reports that she went by the name Jackie Ames, a fellow student of Will at the University Of Los Angeles.
13 And They Both Debuted Their Acting Careers On The Same Show
Will Smith’s first major acting gig was on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Tyra also debuted her acting on the same show. She was already a model at the time with a peaking career. Will, on the other hand, was a rapper who owed the IRS more than $2 million. Most of his first salary went to clear his debts, as Mental Floss discloses.
12 The Duo Started Their Careers Very Early
Before Will starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, he had already gained fame as a rapper by the name The Fresh Prince. By the age of twenty, TheTalko confirms that he was already a millionaire. Tyra began her modeling career at the age of 15, way before she even thought of acting. Before her early twenties, she had walked on big runways in Paris and appeared on numerous magazine covers including Vogue.
11 They Both Had An Interest In Music
Although Will was a well-known rapper before his Fresh Prince days, he picked up his music career at around 1997, the same time he starred in the movie Men in Black. Wikipedia confirms that he is the one who wrote and performed the theme song for the film that goes by the same name. Tyra has also appeared in several music videos and released two of her own singles.
10 The Pair Dated At Some Point
According to WhosDatedWho, Will and Tyra were romantically involved between 1993 and 1994. Will was at the time 24 years old and her fellow castmate was just 19 years old. 1993 was around the same time Tyra took the cameo role in TheFresh Prince of Bel-Air, where Will was the star.
9 The Two Share A Private Joke
In a recent post on her Instagram page, Tyra meant to wish Will a happy birthday but instead of writing these words, Tyra wrote Happy Birdhat. Of course, she corrected herself in the same post but obviously, there is a joke in there that fans are not purview to, TheTalko reveals. It is believed that Tyra was referencing a hat she wore on their sitcom that had birds’ feathers.
8 Tyra’s Character Was More Interested In Carlton Than Will
Tyra did not play the role of will's love interest in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She was more of an old pal of Will. However, her character as complex reveals had an interest in Calton, Will’s costar whom he lives with at the Bel-Air mansion. Their love story never developed because Tyra abruptly left the show.
7 The Two Never Said Their Goodbyes On The Show
According to the same source mentioned above, Tyra’s exit from the show was rather bizarre. She spent one evening with Calton and after he drives her home, viewers never see her again. The show does not mention whether she returned to Philadelphia or she continued going to the University of Los Angeles.
6 Tyra’s Other Famous Model Friend Also Starred In Will’s Show
There are many celebrities who have starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air among them Queen Latifah. There was also another famous model who appeared on the show, miss Naomi Campbell. As disclosed by Metro News, she appeared as a close friend of the family by the name Helen.
5 They Have Mutual Famous Friends
Being a celebrity, Will Smith also has some famous friends. TheThings gives a list of 20 celebrities who Will is close with and among them is Oprah Winfrey. We are also certain that the talk show host is good friends with Tyra otherwise, the two would not have co-hosted a show together in 2009.
4 The Two Are Fashion Icons
Tyra works in the fashion industry and has worked for most of the top designers in the world so she knows a thing or two about fashion. Although TheTalko says that Will has been ridiculed by his children about some of his wardrobe choices, which include crop tops, he has also endorsed Nike’s popular sneakers, Air Jordans.
3 Will And Tyra Have A Mutual Fan Base
Although they would have made an odd couple had they stayed together, Will and Tyra appear like they would have had a huge fan base from some comments made on Inquisitr. The comments were made after Tyra posted a pic of her and Will from their 1993 appearance in Fresh Prince. Within hours, the photo had gotten over 60,000 likes.
2 The Duo Are An Inspiration To Many
Tyra and Will are an inspiration to many people. Surprisingly the pair together also has a huge following. The duo started their careers at a very young age and are both successful in their individual fields. One fan on Inquisitr calls them legends and says that both are a source of inspiration.
1 The Two Still Keep In Touch
Not many people keep in touch with their exes once they have broken up. Will and Tyra must have had an amicable split for them to still occasionally send messages to one another on social media. Ranker also confirms that Tyra is still one of Will’s friends and has been since the 1990s.
Sources: comlex, mentalfloss, thetalko, metro.co.uk, ranker, inquisitor
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