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Actor

1948-07-13 · New York City, New York, USA · Female

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Daphne Etta Reid (née Maxwell; July 13, 1948) is an American actress, comedian, designer, and former model. She is known for her role as the second Vivian Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1993 to 1996.

Early life

Reid was born in New York City, United States, the daughter of Rosalee and Green Maxwell. She is a graduate of The Bronx High School of Science. She received a degree in interior design and architecture from Northwestern University, which she attended on a scholarship and where she became the first African-American woman to be named homecoming queen. While at Northwestern she began a modeling career, eventually signing with Ford Models. She was the first African-American woman to be on the cover of Glamour magazine.

Career

In her early career, Reid appeared in numerous television programs including WKRP in Cincinnati (with husband Tim Reid), The A-Team, Hill Street Blues, T.J. Hooker, Hardcastle and McCormick, Cagney & Lacey, Murder, She Wrote and The Cosby Show.

From 1983-1987, Reid appeared as a recurring character, often with her husband, on the CBS detective series Simon & Simon. The two then starred together on two short-lived CBS shows: Frank's Place (1987-1988) and Snoops (1989-1990).

Her best-known role was as the replacement actress for Vivian Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1993 to 1996, following the departure of Janet Hubert-Whitten. She joined the show right after the fictional character Nicky Banks was born toward the end of Season 3, when Hubert-Whitten did not renew her contract.

She had a recurring role as JT's mother, Frances Hunter, on the UPN sitcom Eve, and then played Juanita Lawrence on the BET sitcom Let's Stay Together.

Reid is also an accomplished photographer as well as a designer and clothing creator.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Reid served on the advisory board of the National Student Film Institute.

She is a recipient of the Women of Vision Award from Women in Film & Video, among a myriad of other awards.

In 2022, she guest stars in the ninth episode of Bel-Air, the dramatic reimagining of Fresh Prince, as Janice, an Art Council executive director.

Personal life

In 1968, during her junior year at Northwestern, Maxwell married Robert Tubbs. They had one son, Chris, before divorcing in 1979.

She married actor Tim Reid in 1982, and became stepmother to his two children. With Reid, she owned and operated New Millennium Studios in Petersburg, Virginia, until 2014.

She also served on the board of visitors at Virginia State University, for eight years. She was appointed in July 2008.

On July 31, 2010, she became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, during their 50th national convention in New Orleans.