‘Fresh Prince’ Star Tatyana Ali Is Engaged, Pregnant And You Won’t Believe Where She Met Her Fiance
Tatyana Ali, formerly of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air fame, announced her engagement and pregnancy according to Yahoo. Tatyana, who played Will Smith’s cousin Ashley on Fresh Prince, made the announcement on Thursday. Ali will be marrying Dr. Vaughn Rasberry, according to her exclusive interview with ET.
Ali and Rasberry are said to be saying their “I dos” this summer, and Tatyana has enlisted wedding planner to the stars Michael Russo to help prepare for the event. Ali stated that she and Dr. Rasberry have been dating for about a year and a half. While some might think 37-year-old Tatyana would have a long line of suitors due to her exposure on The Fresh Prince and her musical career, how Vaughn and Tatyana actually met might be a little surprising to some.
“Vaughn and I met on eHarmony!” Ali revealed during her Entertainment Tonight interview, admitting that she decided to give online dating a try. “It was my first time dating online. We wrote letters for months before we decided to Skype. And then, of course, met.”
According to Daily Mail, Ali’s fiance is an assistant English professor at Stanford University. While Ali and Rasberry have been skimpy with information of Tatyana’s due date or the official wedding date, Ali was sure to give details of Vaughn’s proposal.
“He took me on a 45-minute hike in the Redwoods, which he knows I absolutely love,” Tatyana gushed. “And proposed in the most picturesque clearing. Just the two of us. It was so thoughtful and perfect. We’re best friends.
Tatyana Ali’s acting career began with the beloved children’s show Sesame Street. While Tatyana picked up multiple bit parts, in 1990, Ali started her rise to television icon status with her role on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Since the end of Fresh Prince, Tatyana has stayed occupied with roles in various television shows and movies, including a recurring part on The Young and the Restless. Ali has also dabbled in the music business with two R&B albums.
Tatyana admitted during an interview last with VladTv that she didn’t realize when she started her acting career at four years old that it would be so significant. One of Tatyana’s first acting gigs was in Eddie Murphy’s Raw during an opening sequence alongside Samuel L. Jackson, and Ali said she didn’t understand the jokes at the time, let alone what a huge deal it was.
In an editorial piece published by Ali last September, Tatyana wrote about the pivotal role on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air that would change her life forever.
“I don’t think anyone could have anticipated the kind of worldwide love the show still garners. It has become even more popular in syndication than it was while we were filming. I’m very proud of the work we did, and it still holds up after all these years.”
While Tatyana’s essay also addressed the jitters of having her first kiss filmed in front of a studio audience, Ali’s Facebook announcing her engagement and pregnancy seems to indicate she got over the traumatic experience. In her Facebook announcement, Ali sounded like any other bride and mother-to-be stating:
“I’m so excited for this new chapter. Wife and mommy all at the same time. Luckily, I’ll be sharing the adventure with my best friend. We feel so blessed.”
While the Fresh Prince world still mourns the loss of Uncle Phil, there’s no doubt that Tatyana’s Bel Air co-stars will be happy for Ali and her many blessings.
[Tatyana Ali cover image via Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images.]
