After explaining himself as a Philadelphia native, the acclaimed actor remembered a loud Jones who “had clearly been tastin’ a little bit,” call over Brandon Tartikoff, then head of NBC, to “come [and] meet the Fresh Prince,” and announcing “We gon’ have a audition. Clear the furniture out the living room!”

Explore the true story behind The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and how it reflects Will Smith's experiences growing up.

Will Smith is remembering his longtime mentor and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air producer Quincy Jones. “Quincy Jones is the true definition of a mentor, a father and a friend,” Smith wrote alongside a photo of him and Jones on the Fresh Prince set shared via Instagram on Monday 4.