The tension between Carlton and Will was the tension at the heart of the show. There’s a reason Carlton Banks stands out after 30 years, aside from being responsible for a dance so iconic that it was recently at the center of a lawsuit against Fortnite. All of the above made for an intriguing character. And the older he got, the more he was forced to reckon with his identity in relation to his privilege. ![]() The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air explored the connection between race and class in America that factored heavily into Carlton’s identity. Part of the reason Carlton was so singularly focused on success was because he felt immense pressure to live up to the standard his high-achieving parents set. Flaws considered, Carlton had layers that prevented him from being a one-dimensional snob. ![]() He was frequently the subject of Will’s ridicule, but he was equally antagonistic: Perceived mental superiority and a condescending tone were his weapons of choice. Carlton was an elitist Black Republican who believed capitalism and following a very narrow path of respectability would lead him to everything he wanted in life. It’s easy to paint Will as objectively 'cooler' than Carlton, but their dynamic isn’t that simple to describe. "His life was altered by Will’s presence just as much as being thrust into the upper class changed Will’s. The NBC comedy, celebrated its 30th anniversary on Thursday, "was Carlton’s story as much as it was Will’s," says Julian Kimble of Alfonso Ribeiro's character.
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