Tatyana Ali recently honored her late "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" co-star James Avery with a heartfelt performance on "Dancing with the Stars."
For the show's "Dedication Night" on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the 47-year-old actress delivered a Viennese Waltz with her partner, Jan Ravik, to Nancy Young's "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" to honor Avery, who died in 2013.
Ali began the dance number sitting alone on a couch reminiscent of the one featured in the hit '90s sitcom, where she played Ashley Banks, the daughter of Avery's character, Philip "Uncle Phil" Banks. She glanced at the spotlighted empty seat beside her.
Then, Ravik joined her as they executed the emotional routine. Toward the end of the performance, "DWTS" host Alfonso Ribeiro, who famously
played Ali's on-screen brother, Carlton, swapped with Ravik and finished the dance with his former co-star. At the end, a photo of Avery appeared onscreen.
'I think he would have loved it,' Ali says
"Fresh Prince" fans mourned Avery in 2013, after he died following complications from open-heart surgery. On the show, which aired from 1990 to 1996, he played a no-nonsense attorney who later became a judge and took in his charismatic nephew, Will (Will Smith), from west Philadelphia.
In an interview with Extra, Ali said Avery was among her top choices for the night's theme: "Once I did learn about Dedication Week, James was one of the first people I thought of, but only if Alfonso could dance with me."
"I think he would have loved it," she continued. "I think if he was still here, he would be here every Tuesday night cheering us on. And I hope we made him proud; I think we did."
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tatyana Ali honors 'Fresh Prince' TV dad James Avery on 'DWTS'
