Will Smith salutes late “Fresh Prince” producer Quincy Jones as 'a Mentor, a Father, and a Friend'
The actor paid tribute to the music legend after his death at 91.
The late music legend Quincy Jones achieved a long list of accomplishments in his lifetime. In addition to producing many of Michael Jackson's biggest pop hits and composing scores for Oscar-nominated movies like Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple, he was a major creative force behind the scenes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In a heartfelt Instagram tribute following Jones' death this weekend at 91, Will Smith acknowledged how much inspiration he took from Jones.
"Quincy Jones is the true definition of a Mentor, a Father and a Friend," Smith wrote Monday. "He pointed me toward the greatest parts of myself. He defended me. He nurtured me. He encouraged me. He inspired me. He checked me when he needed to. He let me use his wings until mine were strong enough to fly."
Ron Tom/NBCU Photo Bank
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Andy and Susan Borowitz are the credited creators of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but the iconic sitcom wouldn't exist in the way we know it without Jones. It was he who encouraged Smith — then known for his work in the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince — to begin his foray into acting. In fact, Jones even used his own birthday party to arrange an impromptu audition for Smith in front of then-NBC-head Brandon Tartikoff.
"I said, 'Quincy, I don't know how to act, I'm not an actor. Just give me two weeks, let me find an acting coach and let me work on it, and then let's just set up a proper audition,'" Smith recalled during Max's 2020 Fresh Prince reunion special. "He says, 'Here's the deal: Right now, everybody who needs to say yes for this show is sitting out in that living room waiting for you.' And I was like, 'Give me 10 minutes.'"
That gamble obviously paid off, and it set Smith on a course to superstardom. In addition to securing Smith the role, Jones composed the music for The French Prince of Bel-Air and even appeared as himself in season 1.
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