Actor James Avery has sadly passed away at the age of 68. Famous for his role as Uncle Phil in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air' opposite Will Smith, Avery's character was a central part of the successful TV show.

Before his death, Avery had been featured in numerous unscripted videos that were released over the years online.

Avery was not only an accomplished actor, but also wrote TV scripts and Poetry for PBS and was a voice over artist. Prior to his acting career he was in the Navy for 4 years.

James Avery passed away on Tuesday according to CNN. 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' ran between 1990 and 1996, and was first aired on NBC. The show became a cult classic with six memorable seasons spanning 148 episodes. It cemented Will Smith's career as an actor, and propelled him to stardom. Discover more about James Avery below, along with some of his best acting highlights with Will Smith.

To find out more about Avery's career including award nominations check out his official IMDB page.