We could’ve gotten an iconic ’90s collab back in the day — but Will Smith was reportedly very against it!
If you didn’t know, the rapper-turned-actor was coming up in the entertainment industry at the same time as drag legend RuPaul. Because of this, they once had the opportunity to work together, but the King Richard star got in the way.
In Thea Glassman‘s new book Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson’s Creek: How Seven Teen Shows Transformed Television, which hit shelves on Tuesday, the executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, David Steven Simon, revealed he once pitched the idea of having RuPaul make a cameo on the sitcom — but Will hated it! David recalled:
“I remember him saying that would be a really bad idea. And I said, ‘No, listen, hear my story –.'”
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The EP was especially thrown off because, while the comedian got to approve every storyline of the show, he rarely ever rejected any ideas! And yet here was an idea he was unwilling to listen to in full! Ultimately, the actor “refused” and “kept repeating that it was a bad idea.” When pressed why he thought Will was so against the appearance, David simply said:
“The reason he would say no is because of his image. Period. The End.”
Damn. That’s unfortunate! Ru would have been a fun addition to the show!
While RuPaul wasn’t the face of RuPaul’s Drag Race yet (it wouldn’t begin until 2009), he was making a name for himself with the release of his debut album, Supermodel of the World, in 1993. Specifically, the hit, Supermodel (You Better Work), was a radio success and hit No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Thankfully, the Fresh Prince’s ego didn’t stop RuPaul from getting on TV. Before Drag Race, he guest starred on shows like Sister, Sister, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, and Walker, Texas Ranger. He also had his own show on VH1 for two seasons in 1996. So it all worked out in the end… but what do U think about Will’s refusal!? Sound OFF (below)!
[Image via Warner Bros. TV/Architectural Digest/YouTube]
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