Many will forever know her as Hilary Banks, the stylish, spoiled darling of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” But these days, Karyn Parsons is stepping into a role that feels closer to Aunt Viv than the socialite of Bel-Air.
Alongside her husband, filmmaker Alexandre Rockwell, Parsons has opened up her Providence, R.I., home to support a young, struggling filmmaker in need, bringing a whole new meaning to the idea of mentorship. Since last year, the couple has welcomed Matthew Osubor, 27, into their stately home after the couple, who had already been mentoring the aspiring director, learned just how unstable his living situation had become.
“It was difficult for him to focus on working on his film because … there were all kinds of issues in the house, like flooding,” Parsons told People magazine.
“We had a water boiler burst in the basement at 8:30 on a Sunday morning. Then we were told we couldn’t use the water,” Osubor recalled.“Things were always breaking, the electricity would trip out, people were coming and going,” he said.
At first, Parsons and Rockwell simply offered Osubor a place to take breaks while dealing with ongoing plumbing problems. But once they realized the full scope of what he was navigating, they decided to do more. The couple first met Osubor in 2024, while shopping at Whole Foods, when one act of kindness sparked what has now become a familial-like bond.
“As soon as he told me who he was, I was like, ‘Woah!’ ” Osubor said, recalling how he picked up an orange that fell out of the couple’s shopping bag when walking to his car. Inspired to strike up a conversation after giving them the produce, Osubor was shocked to learn that Rockwell was the head of the directing program at New York University’s graduate film school who had received top honors at major film festivals like Sundance.
He eventually went on to work on Rockwell’s latest film, “The Projectionist.”
“When I first saw his short films, they jumped out at me and I [thought], ‘This guy’s got something I haven’t seen exactly before,’ ” Rockwell said. “And as someone who has dealt with a lot of young filmmakers … seeing someone who has a unique voice or a way of seeing something I haven’t seen before is rare, so he really stood out that way.”
Similarly, Rockwell later agreed to serve as executive producer on Osubor’s most recent film, “Big Daddy’s Flowers,” which also starred Parsons. Osubor offered his multimedia skills in exchange for her appearance, helping the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star with her nonprofit, Sweet Blackberry, which shares little-known stories of African Americans whose achievements have shaped American history.
“He’s been a huge help with the website and helping to launch our YouTube channel,” Parsons shared of Osubor’s “energy, enthusiasm and ambition.”
Living in the family’s finished attic, Osubor says he’s “beyond grateful” for the couple’s generosity and remains in “awe” of how they balance work and fun.
“They are both so inspiring, and seeing how fearless they are gives me comfort and a kind of peace and tranquility with how I go about things,” he added. “They’re both passionate about what they do – and I see in them, on a daily basis, that anything is possible.”
