Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Janet Hubert criticises Lori Loughlin for ‘white privilege’ after prison release

‘When white actresses commit crimes they get new shows,’ tweeted Hubert

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Janet Hubert has criticised Lori Loughlin, who was released from prison this week after serving nearly two months for her participation in the college admissions scandal.

Loughlin was released on Monday (28 December) from a federal correctional facility in Dublin, California, after originally surrendering to authorities in late October.

The Fuller House actor, who was among numerous high-profile individuals identified as engaging in illegal methods to ensure their children were accepted into prestigious colleges, completed her prison sentence after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in May.

Loughlin’s role in the nationwide scandal, which included more than 50 parents, saw her pay half a million dollars in bribes to get her and husband Mossimo Giannulli’s two daughters into college.

Hubert, who played Vivian Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, tweeted her dismay at the news, writing: “So when white actresses commit crimes they get new shows, pilots, etc. Lori Loughlin... I assume, will get an Emmy for her time in prison. Hmmmm... oh to be white, blonde, and privileged! No thanks I would rather be bold, black, and dignified!”

In a recent interview, Loughlin’s daughter and YouTube star Olivia Jade, 21, said what her family had done was “wrong”, adding: “I took my privilege and all my blessings for granted, and I never thought anything of it.”

Hubert also recently made headlines after a reunion with her Fresh Prince co-stars brought to light her feud with lead star Will Smith, and how she struggled to find work in Hollywood as a dark-skinned Black woman after the controversy.

Smith admitted he had made life “very difficult” for his co-star, who left the show in 1993.