Host, Dancing with the Stars and America's Funniest Home Videos
Alfonso Ribeiro: Biography at a Glance
- Alfonso is an actor, comedian, and host best known for his roles as "Carlton Banks" on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and "Alfonso Spears" on the long-running series Silver Spoons.
- He won the coveted Mirrorball Trophy on Season 19 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars and now serves as host of the show.
- Alfonso is also the host of ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos and Game Show Network’s reboot of Catch 21.
- His big break came when Michael Jackson cast him in one of his Pepsi commercials after seeing Alfonso starring in the Broadway Musical The Tap Dance Kid.
- He directed multiple episodes of Shake It Up, Are We There Yet?, The Wannabes, Meet The Browns, Cuts, Eve, One on One, and ten episodes of All of Us.
Biography
Alfonso Ribeiro’s iconic television personality danced its way into our hearts with his talents as an actor, TV director, award-winning dancer, and Broadway star. Ribeiro has spent over 30 years leaving his unique mark on television, theater, and pop culture worldwide.
Ribeiro currently hosts “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and the beloved show is currently in its 33rd Season with season 34 beginning production this August. Showing its timeless appeal, it’s the longest-running series on ABC and will return in the Fall of 2024.
Ribeiro will return to the “Dancing with the Stars” ballroom again but has been upped to the emcee of the franchise in its 32nd season. Julianne Hough has joined as his co-host and will assume Ribeiro’s previous role on DWTS, which is to interview the dancers after their performances in the Celebraquarium, or Sky Box.
Ribeiro also hosts the hit cable spinoff of the longtime ABC hit, “America’s Funniest Home Videos: Animal Edition” which airs on Nat Geo WILD and brought lots of laughs into homes across America with hilarious clips of cats, dogs, and other animals. In addition, he hosted Game Show Network’s six seasons of the hit “Catch 21”, for which his work garnered two Emmy Nominations.
Ribeiro began his career as a child actor encouraged by his mother and father throughout. Most notably, he landed on Broadway playing the lead role in the Tony®-winning musical “The Tap Dance Kid.” As news of Ribeiro’s tap dancing and singing skills spread, he was offered a recording contract with Island Records, for whom he released several dance/pop singles, as well as his role in Michael Jackson’s 1984 “Billie Jean” Pepsi commercial.
Ribeiro moved next to series television in the long-running NBC sitcom “Silver Spoons,” making him an instant teen idol. After earning a theater arts education from Cal State University, Los Angeles, he was given the opportunity to choose a role on the established sitcom “A Different World” or a new pilot called “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Showing an adventurous streak, he chose the latter and created the lovable iconic character of “Carlton Banks” for which he is known for throughout the world.
Having grown up in front of the camera, he knew that opportunities existed behind the camera as well and became a sitcom director. His diverse resume includes popular series like “In the House,” “Shake It Up,” “Are We There Yet?,” “The Wannabes,” “Meet the Browns,” “Cuts,” “Eve,” “One on One” and “All of Us.”
Ribeiro continued to make good use of his dancing skills and his competitive nature in 2014 when he won the 19th season of “Dancing with the Stars.” After finishing in first place, he hosted the nationwide “Dancing with the Stars” live tour.
Golf is also one of Ribeiro’s many passions, and he is currently a PGA TOUR Champions Ambassador.
He resides in California with his wife and four children.
