Best display of acting, Will Smith 

Women cry to titanic. Men cry to terminator. Everyone crys to this

"You, too, Lou." Coldest words a father can hear, but he deserved it. Amazing acting

"You too... Lou." Probably the most powerful one liner that I've seen portrayed.

If you grew up without your dad in your life it's damn near impossible to watch this without shedding a tear.

First things first, rest in peace Uncle Phil

Don't get why everyone is saying that wills father left him and this isn't acting this is what he's really been through. He has said in multiple interviews that him and his father have a great relationship and that he was there for him growing up. Maybe you guys just need to realize he's an incredible actor.

You can hear the audience tears too..

"First thing first Rest in Peace Uncle Phil, you the only father that I ever knew"

THE HELL WITH HIM!!! Everrrrytime bro.. Gets me everytime, God damn dead beat dads, smh.

"You too...Lou..." The ultimate diss-back...damn, Will's heart was breaking...

Still can't watch this without my eyes watering up

"Why should I be mad? At least he said goodbye this time." He didn't though...

I always loved that Uncle Phil was his real father. Not paternally, but mentally. He loved Will more than Lou ever did. He was a good man, you can tell he was like this in real life. RIP James Avery

will smith really proved he could act with this scene this no doupt it ranks somewhere in the 100 most powerful moments in television.

Will Smith is an awesome actor this scene gets me all the time.

I had no father in my life. He abandoned my mother when she was pregnant and I don't know if that frustration just passed through to me when I was still in her womb. But this scene kills me, every single time. Every word he says, the anger. Its like, you don't know how it is to have a father, so you don't really "miss" him. But the feeling of neglect, and the sensation of not ever being loved fully is still there, and it surfaces through things like these. Amazing.

So. Many. Feels.

Knowing my dad was a better dad to his step children then he ever was to me had me asking this question everyday of my childhood

At 2:45 did anyone else hear someone in the audience cry too? This scene was brilliantly acted and is yet another reason why Fresh Prince is up there as one of the many great sitcoms.

The truth is that Will's father and mother were present in his life, both were supportive of his acting career. The rumor of his father actually leaving him at young age is false. As an actor, you submerge yourself in the role, the character, in order to make the audience believe you are that person. I loved Will's role in fresh Prince and growing ip, I really thought he was him!

At 2:44 you can hear a girl crying backstage.

I know that feel, when you are acting, yet you get so in character, that the feels simply start to run through you... This is a great actor, and i hope i can be in my prime 1/10 of what he is now, this guy is simply too good.

You know what's annoying? When people who go all, "This wasn't acting, Will's dad left and this is him having a real breakdown" and get a bunch of likes, while those who point out that it's a myth (usually with a link to prove it) get ignored.

Will Smith was actually supposed to blow it off, but the "why don't he want me man?" Was improv. Amazing.

This shows you what a man is made of. Despite Will being so hurt and angry he had to tell someone! The man listening was his dad, the man who took him in and gave him a father figure was his dad. Your dad is the one that raises you. This episode is why I could never leave my daughter at the age of 14 I told myself I'm not going to be a coward and walk away from a life that needs me and everything with me. I love my baby girl and I'll love this show to the end. Thank you Fresh prince for bringing everything to the table it means a lot to me and whole lot of people around the world.

I really believe That Will Smith believed this with all of his heart and put this into that scene. Great acting by both Will Smith and the Late James Avery aka Uncle Phil.

Every child deserves a mother and a father. Being a single parent is hard, but being a child with one parent is even harder. I can't imagine the pain one must feel to grow up feeling disjointed from everyone else with loving parents, to feel unwanted by a missing parent, to feel like a part of you is missing. I can't begin to understand that feeling...

Uncle Phil was the greatest father ever. He's what I wished my father had been. R.I.P James Avery, you were loved and hearing of your passing was very hard since you were more a father figure than I had ever had. I hope you are at peace and that you knew how incredibly loved you were by family, friends and fans.

i still cry till this day so powerful! r..i.p mr. james Avery we love you!

That is some damn good acting.

I come back here every Father's Day and I ask myself the same question.

James Avery face looks so genuine after Wills "there is not a damn thing he can teach me to love my kids!" that, that has to either be genuine emotion or some of the best facial acting I"ve ever seen.

One of the best moments I have every seen in a show. James, Uncle Phil, will always be thought as being one of the greatest dads on tv. Bless his family.

The acting was great and yes, it was improvised. Not because he actually had issues with his father, but because he simply an amazing actor. The idea that his father left him is a rumor that can easily be dispelled by the fact that he has mentioned his biological father in plenty of interviews, as well as magazines. Brilliant performance though. Well done.

The part where Phil just knocks off the hat cause it's in the way is so powerful to me

Ive watched this several times but it still gets me every time 😭

Rip James Avery. Uncle phil.

This speech was actually ad-libed by Will Smith and James Averey, RIP, who hugged him after his speech cause he was so moved by it. Great acting on both parties. The feels in this scene are off the charts!

This wasn't acting it was a hug from one person to another not character to character, it wasn't scripted that way

I cry everytime i see this i swear.

The best part about this is the last bit didn't involve much acting. Will's dad DID leave, and the hug at the end wasn't scripted :')

"When Will was five, he was abandoned by his father, and was raised in poverty by his mother Viola in West Philadelphia." That's from Wikipedia, and why people say it's based on Will Smith's actual life... except that is the entry for the Will Smith CHARACTER as he appears on the show. THIS is the mention of his father on the Wikipedia entry for Will Smith ACTOR: "His parents separated when he was thirteen,[12] but did not actually divorce until around 2000.[13]" This is a quote he gave to People magazine when talking about his father: " “I look at my father and how he was able to keep four kids fed and clothed and still managed to find time to spend with us," says Smith." And Will Smith has appeared in quite a few pictures with his dad in public. Basically, people mix up the biography of Will Smith the character as he appears in Fresh Prince of Bell Air and the real life Will Smith.

damn these onions are strong

That moment when Shredder is a better dad then your actual dad.

This really hit me hard, my father abandoned me at birth and thats exactly what I feel, I used to get bullied and I had nobody there to stand up for me. I had to learn to fight on my own, learn to stand up for myself on my own. Sure I still have my mother but its different, mothers teach you to move on and to look on the bright side. sometimes thats not answer, sometimes all thats left is to fight through that shit. Anyway to any of you guys out there, be kind to others on the internet. You NEVER know what they're going through.

That is a performance you could never script. This is acting at its sheer finest.

Anybody else come here to watch the video just to cry and get some quick tears going.

Makes me cry every time. My kids will NEVER feel like Will does in this scene.

R.I.P. James Avery..Damn good actor.

People actually believing everything they read on Tumblr. He's said in an interview that his father was around and worked hard to provide for his family when he was a kid. So no, he did not abandon him. Their parents got separated and divorced later on but i doubt he was resentful towards him during this scene. He was really putting on an amazing performance.

Every Fathers day

R.I.P Uncle Phill, Thank you for all the laughs and teachings :) One of the best show ever!

who's cutting onions?

I'm gonna be honest, my father didn't abandon me. But I know how it feels to only have 1 parent fight for her life just to have a roof over her kid's head, and food on the table. This scene, always brings tears to my eyes.

"R.I.P to uncle phil, for real, you the only father that i ever knew"

You can hear Hilary cry at the end. Right after uncle Phil knocks Will's hat off his head.

Uncle Phil was one of the best TV dads ever- I will miss you James Avery :(

Can we please stop perpetuating the lie about Will's actual father abandoning him? This scene is powerful enough without a phony sob story.

I share his pain. My father was never there for me either.

Will Smith can Act his ass off...... He can play any role

I don't believe Will's actual father wasn't like this, so this was some powerful acting.

I wouldn;t even consider this as his best acting because he wasn't acting. His dad really didn't want him and it came out here. Acting is making people believe something that isn't. This is real.

I still cry after this. This was probably the saddest moment in modern TV history.

He tried to play it off but deep down he was so hurt. This scene makes me so emotional.

damn. i teared up.. i have a feeling, moments like this happen more often than you think on TV.. acting is a way for them to vent their feelings. just like music is to a musician. or painting to an artist.. he certainly did grow up to be a better father than his ever was. that isnt a lie. i love this guy.

Who put these damn onions here, geez..

So powerful

Anyone else notice the crowd was silent?

He acted this with real passion. I think he experienced a bad childhood and he let out his frustration because that was powerful. Greatest actor ever in my opinion.

Will spoke the inner feelings of most men who grew up without a father. Smh. Great acting but a harsh reality. RIP James Avery

this has nothing to do with wills real dad. its just great acting

Im 16 and ive never met my dad, and i can handle authority well and i know its because of him leaving before i was even born. If i ever have kids i will be the best dad in the world best believe that. I love my mom more than anything but i wish he would have stayed.

And will did become a great father - R.I.P uncle Phil :( god rest his soul

As much as I hate Will Smith movies/acting; this was probably one of the best scenes he has or will ever do. The emotions were real for him and the emotions displayed by the cast and anyone who has watched this were real. I definitely miss this show. It had the perfect blend of comedy and the teaching of family values (something that shows these days generally lack).

When it' hits so close to home but you actually realize the absence of your father made you a strong respectful young man who can do anything he puts his mind too and be a better man than he ever was..... Thanks pop

Notice uncle Phils face in min 2.27. Now thats a real father figure, he literally felt his pain at that moment. Real man.

What a powerful scene. It's a shame that he can go from this epicness to After Earth.

The fact this scene had no music just made this even sadder

Just to clear things up, Will Smith's dad did NOT leave him. However, his entire performance here was improvised. He was supposed to shrug it off.

Will Smith and James Avery (Uncle Phil) had one of the best chemistries that I've seen on television.R.I.P. James Avery

And that's why this is one of the best shows ever

I'm glad I was adopted by 2 loving people.

I hate seeing happy , funny people cry :(.

That look on Uncle Phil's face at 2:27 just gets me every time. The way he looks at Will you can see the raw emotion, he's really feeling the pain too. Amazing acting!

When will said"why don't he want me man" he was talking about his real dad cuz his real dad left that's why uncle phill hugged him so quickly

Scripted or not. The way they hugged looked genuine.

*cries in Spanish*

That awkward moment when his kids turned out totally insane.

Scripted or not it's still the best display of acting ever!!!! This episode hit me very deep whenever I first saw it bc I could relate. Not gonna go into detail bc I'm sure you guys wouldn't care lol. But this is one of my favorite scenes.

Everyone who said he wasn't acting makes me laugh. Will has a great relationship with his father and family. He came from a good family before making it big. His father never left. I find it funny how so many people are quick to believe something simply because a photo on Facebook told them it's true...

Things like this make me so greatful that I have a father.

Screw father's who DON'T man up and DON'T show up for their kids. They're not worth the tears. Trust me, I learned that the hard way.

A powerful performance. His role in Six Degrees Of Separation will, at least to me, be his best piece of acting to date though.

This situation actually happens in real life. Too many young men asking "why doesn't he want me?" I hope the next time I come across this situation I can react the same as Uncle Phil!

Grew up watching this show but who else is watching this scene right now because of Open Court's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook?

The fact that he started off calling him dad, but then called him Lou in the end, destroyed me😭

Uncle Feels.

This shit was so real. R.I.P. Uncle Phil

R.I.P. James Avery. This was easily one of the greatest moments on T.V. , much less this show. I think I even remember hearing this scene in a chilled out EDM mix once, it fit pretty well. This scene positively crosses all sorts of boundaries.

That's why will smith is one of my favorite actors!