Will Smith was left red-faced on Instagram on Thursday as he addressed a barrage of social media criticism over a hilarious habit viewers spotted in the opening episodes of hit US sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air.

In the last few days, fans of the classic comedy have been bombarding the actor, 56, with negative comments after they noticed his tendency to lip synch his co-stars’ words while they were talking while waiting for his next line. 

Now the Men In Black lead has taken to social media to address the saga, branding the archive clips ‘terrible’ as he engaged in a light-hearted throwback with his Fresh Prince co-star Tatyana Ali, who played Ashley Banks.

Will said he had never had an acting job before this one and no one told him about his bad habit until episode six. Showing one clip from season one to the actress Will said: ‘This is the worst one right here.’ 

The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air is a 90s American sitcom which tells the story of an inner-city teenager from Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle at their Bel-Air mansion. 

In the short video, Will’s character very clearly mouths his colleague’s part of the script before performing his own lines.

Tatyana then screamed with laughter and Will, who made his screen debut in the Fresh Prince, added: ‘Ahhhh. That’s awful.’

Will Smith has been ridiculed on social media over one amateurish habit in the hit US sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and responded to it on Instagram with co-star Tatyana Ali

Fans have only just noticed that in the series’ early days Will used to mouth his co-stars’ words while they were talking while waiting for his next line

She said: ‘You used to know the entire script.’

Will replied: ‘Yes that was the thing I was learning the entire script. In the middle of the scene, Karyn [Parsons] just said, “stop it!”

‘I didn’t know I was doing that.’

‘You used to do it with me a lot,’ Tatyana said.

‘Terrible, terrible, terrible,’ Will sighed.

His co-star said: ‘It was only the first season though. It was only the first season.’

‘There’s no reason we were successful,’ Will laughed. ‘There’s no reason we should have been successful.’

Mocking a scene between the two, Tatyana pretended to say a few lines: ‘”And yeah, um, cause mum said and dad said.”‘

The actor (pictured, second from top right on the show, with Tatyana, bottom left) got his screen breakthrough in 1990 playing a version of himself in the popular NBC show 

He showed one particularly incriminating clip to Fresh Prince co-star Tatyana, who played Ashley Banks in the comedy

Will then pretended to mouth her lines before adding: ‘It was six episodes before somebody told me. I think Don Cheadle was the sixth episode. 

‘I think that was the one that was bad and they were like, “okay we have to stop”.

‘And they literally had to go and show me what I was doing. So the next couple of episodes I was just like… [Holding his mouth shut]… I’ll do my lines and be like…

‘Yeah it was bad, tragedy.’

‘You never acted before Fresh Prince?’ Tatyana asked. ‘Was Fresh Prince the first?’

Will said: ‘Yeah, first, first. 

‘And here we are, not bad, you know what I’m saying. Good to see you Tats, love you.’

On Thursday night, Will thrilled fans, including his mother Caroline Bright, in Las Vegas with an action-packed performance which also included emotional moments where he paid tribute to Fresh Prince co-star James Avery and Will’s first son Trey.

The actor had risen to recognition as one half of hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (pictured, in 1989) who released Grammy-winning single Parents Just Don’t Understand

On Thursday night, Will thrilled fans, including his mother Caroline Bright, in Las Vegas with an action-packed performance which also included emotional moments

The rapper wore a white t-shirt and black cargo pants, adding a black cowboy hat during the show as his mother filmed the occasion on her phone

The rapper wore a white t-shirt and black cargo pants, adding a black cowboy hat during the show as his mother filmed the occasion on her phone.  

The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air icon made a career out of his laid-back demeanour, an image that was compromised at the 2022 Academy Awards when Will infamously slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage in response to a joke he made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, which was due to her alopecia.

The Aladdin actor continued shouting profanities at Chris as he returned to his seat and repeatedly said: ‘Keep my wife’s name out [of] your f***ing mouth.’

Will later accepted his Best Actor Oscar for his performance in King Richard and apologised to the Academy for his behaviour.

The recently rediscovered clip comes after Will went viral as he recreated his iconic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air dance with former co-star Tatyana and a surprise appearance from singer Doechii.

The duo brought back their silly ditty for a whole new generation in video posted to social media on Friday, which was set to the trending song Anxiety by Doechii, 26.

While the song delighted many fans, several took issue with Doechii’s appearance in the video and accused her of being an ‘industry plant.’ 

According to Urban Dictionary, an industry plant is defined as ‘an artist who has Major/Indie Label backing their movement but presents themselves as a “home grown start up” label to create a pseudo organic following. 

At the 2022 Academy Awards, Will infamously slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage in response to a joke he made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head

It comes after Will went viral as he recreated his iconic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air dance with former co-star Tatyana and a surprise appearance from singer Doechii 

While the song delighted many fans, several took issue with Doechii’s appearance in the video and accused her of being an ‘industry plant’ 

Addressing the allegations, Doechii recently told The Cut: ‘When people aren’t familiar with the history of an artist these days, they get suspicious.

‘I’m pretty detached emotionally from it because I understand where it’s coming from. 

‘And to be honest, once you get any conspiracies around your career, that’s just confirmation that I’m going somewhere and I’m doing something right.’

On Wednesday, Will left fans in hysterics after revealing the unusual locations for his first ever tour in the UK and Europe. 

The American rapper and actor is travelling across the pond to play songs from his forthcoming album, Based On A True Story, his first full-length album in 20 years after 2005’s Lost And Found. 

Yet while many international artists traditionally stick to performing in the UK’s largest venues – such as London’s Wembley Stadium and Manchester’s Co-op Live arena – the star is taking his tour to more unique locations. 

The tour, which will also see him perform hits such as Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It and Miami, lands in England with a date at the seaside resort Scarborough, with Will performing on August 24 at Open Air Theatre.

This will be followed with a gig at Cardiff’s Bute Park on August 25 and a concert at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse on August 27. 

Will left fans in hysterics after revealing the unusual locations for his first ever tour in the UK and Europe – announcing dates in Scarborough and Wolverhampton 

The American rapper and actor is travelling across the pond to play songs from his forthcoming album, Based On A True Story, his first full-length album in 20 years 

Read More Jeremy Clarkson ROASTS Will Smith in Top Gear clip as he mocks the Hollywood star’s lyrics

The King Richard actor will perform at London’s Brixton Academy the day after and a final gig at University of Wolverhampton at the Halls on August 30.

Will is also taking his tour to several European festivals, such as the Moroccan festival Mawazine in Rabat. 

The Oscar-winning actor announced the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday, writing: ‘I’M GOING ON TOUR THIS SUMMER!!

‘We’re hitting up UK & Europe to bring U all the hits, some new joints, and a few surprises. All these years, I’ve NEVER done a headline tour and I can’t wait to see you guys!!’