Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alums Will Smith and Tatyana Ali took part in the Anxiety dance trend with Grammy-winning songstress Doechii. Smith shared a video of the co-stars dancing to the song on TikTok on March 14, 2024.
The Fresh Prince dance trend features a recreation of a scene that saw Ali and Smith's characters from the popular 1990s show. The scene sees Ali dancing with headphones on when Smith walks into the room and stars mimicking her moves. The viral dance challenge on TikTok has been set to Doechii's 2019 chart-topper, Anxiety.
In the video that Will Smith posted, he enters a room where Tatyana Ali is dancing while wearing headphones. As Smith starts dancing, he is joined by Doechii. In the caption for the video, Smith wrote:
“Waited 35 years for this dance to trend.”
The video was shared by several prominent pop culture pages on X, leading to netizens commenting their feelings about it. An X user, @epiclad, described the video as the right concoction of nostalgia and new vibes.
"Pure nostalgia meets new vibes—this is everything we didn’t know we needed!" they wrote.
"Interestingly, Will Smith today is about a decade older than “Uncle Phil” was when that show started. About 5 years older than him when the show ended," noted another.
"Somehow I like all three, yet nothing feels more contrived than this video," commented an X user.
"This is so inspiring! I'm excited to see what this video is all about. It sounds like it's going to be a great experience!" another fan opined.
User @jrbroadbent praised The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Will Smith, a sentiment that was echoed by several other fans.
"One of my favorite shows. Launched one of my top 5 actors (after a stint as a rapper) Will Smith. He's never not brilliant in everything he does," the user wrote.
"Looks like the reunion we didn’t know we needed! Can I join the dance party too?" quipped another.
Some other opinions on X included people stating that they hoped Smith was doing well, as they added that seeing the actor smiling and having fun was "so rare."
"Taty grew her hair back out like baby Ashley too aww. She had me with the hair flips 😂 full circle it’s the first Ashley Banks scene I think of," a fan opined.
"Will Smith smiling and having fun has been so rare. I hope he is doing well," commented another.
"Officially won the trend!" inferred another netizen on X.
The trend initially started when Will Smith posted the original clip from the pilot of Fresh Prince on March 5, 2025, with the caption:
“I’ve been watching y’all and every video has been better than the last!! Love that track @Doechii. @Tatyana Ali remember this?”
The show ran for six seasons until 1996 and cemented Smith as one of the superstars in the industry.
Will Smith makes first major award show appearance since his Oscar incident with Chris Rock
Will Smith made his first appearance at a major award show at the Grammy Awards on Friday, February 2, 2025, after he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. The Pursuit of Happyness star attended the Grammys to present a tribute to the late producer, Quincy Jones.
Smith faced massive backlash after he walked onstage at the 2022 Oscars to slap comedian and host Chris Rock for cracking a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. It resulted in the 56-year-old getting banned from all Academy-organized events for a decade. However, he took home the Best Actor award for his role in King Richard later that night.
In his first appearance at the Grammys since the ban, Will Smith paid his respects to Quincy Jones, who died on November 3, 2024, at the age of 91.
Taking the stage alongside pianist Herbie Hancock, Smith called Jones "one of the most groundbreaking and influential figures of our times." In his tribute, the actor said that Jones "touched countless lives."
“Known to friends around the world, simply as ‘Q.' A brilliant 28-time Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger, film and television composer, conductor, trumpet player, recording artist and humanitarian," the actor added
Recounting Quincy Jones' contribution in his life, Will Smith claimed that people wouldn't have recognized him if it wasn't for Jones. He also described him as a "mentor, friend, and father figure.”
The actor explained that Jones pushed him to stardom after helping him achieve his early break in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Jones was an executive producer in the show.
Read More: Explained: What did Chris Rock say about Will Smith's Oscars slap in new Netflix comedy special?
