Alfonso Ribeiro got national television exposure for his stint on the 1980 sitcom Silver Spoons. However, his portrayal of Carlton Banks in the classic Will Smith-led The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air made him a household name.
During an interview with Closer Weekly, Ribeiro reflected on his time on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The 52-year-old actor explained how Carlton Banks became a gift and curse for him.
“Playing Carlton on Fresh Prince became a sacrifice,” he said. “I used to always say doing Carlton was the greatest and worst thing that ever happened to me. It was one of the greatest roles that I ever was fortunate enough to play.”
He continued, “But it was also the role that stopped me from acting again because people couldn’t see me as anything else. The sacrifice was not having an acting career anymore.”
After The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended in 1996, Ribeiro starred on In the House for three seasons. He also won season 19 of Dancing with the Stars before taking on the hosting gig for the competition series.
“My happiest moments, career-wise, are winning Dancing with the Stars and now becoming host of Dancing with the Stars,” Ribeiro concluded.