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 recently returned to Dancing with the Stars, which he won as a contestant, but now serves as co-host with Tyra Banks. Ribeiro is also currently the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos, the longest-running series on ABC.
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 brings 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. 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, with whom he released several dance/pop singles and 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 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, who has a passion for golf, is currently a PGA TOUR Champions Ambassador. He resides in California with his wife and four children.
