Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Ribeiro is an American actor, singer, and dancer of Russian, Cuban, and Trinidadian descent. His parents emigrated to New York from the Dominican Republic. He is best known for his roles as Carlton Banks on the TV sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Alfonso Spears on the TV series Silver Spoons.
Ribeiro began his acting career in the drama Oye Willie at the age of eight. By the time he was ten, he had released such songs as: "Dance Baby", "Not Too Young", & "Sneak Away with Me." His first brush with true stardom came in 1983, when he originated the title role of the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid, receiving rave reviews for his performance. He also appeared in one of Michael Jackson's Pepsi television commercials as a dancer in 1984, after which he was the subject of rumors that he broke his neck during the making of one of the commercials. The same year, Ribeiro was cast as Rick Schroder's best friend on the TV series Silver Spoons. He also sang in a commercial for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and promoted his own "Breakin' and Poppin'" dance instruction package on television.
Ribeiro is best known for his role as spoiled rich-kid Carlton Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 to 1996, in which he was mercilessly teased by Will Smith's lead character, often targeting his height. He also was the director of some episodes of Fresh Prince. The Carlton character was often called upon to do a comic, usually improvised dance routine to Tom Jones's "It's Not Unusual." Ribeiro is in fact a very good dancer; he showed some skills with Will Smith in several episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, including a tap dance routine in the show's Soul Train episode that featured a moonwalk.
He is also known for his role on LL Cool J's show In the House and as the host of Your Big Break. Ribeiro has acted and been part of the crew on many movies and TV shows. In 1997, he performed the voice of Roland Jackson in Extreme Ghostbusters. He has also appeared in Smith's "Wild Wild West" video in 1999, a 2001 episode of Family Guy "A Fish Out Of Water" (he did not actually do his voice) and in a McDonald's commercial in 2003.
Beginning in August 2006, Ribeiro was a contestant on Fox's new reality show Celebrity Duets which teamed up entertainers not known for singing with famous singers. Ribeiro promised to do "the Carlton Dance" if he made it to the show's finale. He kept his promise when he became one of the three finalists. On September 29, 2006, Ribeiro was announced as the winner of the show. Lucy Lawless and Hal Sparks finished second and third, respectively. For his victory, Ribeiro's charity of choice, Fresh Start, which provides plastic surgery for children with birth defects, received $100,000. Ribeiro also participated in the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational to benefit cancer research. Ribeiro made it quite clear to the dismay of fans that he does not perform his famed "Carlton Dance" outside of the show. He also appeared in Fergie's video Glamorous.
Ribeiro currently lives in Los Angeles. He is a two-time winner of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race (in 1994 and 1995). Ribeiro directed episodes of former castmate Will Smith's brain child All of Us until its cancellation in early 2007.
Ribeiro married Robin Stapler in 2002 but divorced her in 2006. They had one daughter, Sienna.