Will Smith Says Every Young Man Needs An Uncle Phil

Will Smith's launch to fame came in 1990 when he starred on the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Now, the mega star mourns the loss of his former co-star James Avery.

"Some of my greatest lessons in acting, living and being a respectable human being came through James Avery," Smith wrote in a Facebook post Sunday.

Avery, who died from complications following open heart surgery at the age of 68 on New Year's Eve, played the affectionate father figure Uncle Phil on the show.

"Every young man needs an Uncle Phil," the 45-year-old actor wrote. "Rest in Peace."

Smith included a photo of himself with "Fresh Prince" co-stars, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, and Avery.

"This photo was the last time we were together," he wrote about the 2011 snapshot.

Avery passed away in a hospital in Glendale, Calif. Dec. 31. He underwent open heart surgery shortly before Thanksgiving, according to his publicist Cynthia Snyder, and the family remained hopeful he'd make a full recovery.

"It seemed like he was doing better," Avery's mother Florence, 89, told the Daily News around the time of his death.

She indicated that his wife, Barbara, was "practically living" at his hospital bedside since the surgery.

"Barbara planned to spend the night at the hospital but said she had to run some errands first," Florence described. "When she came back, she called me to say he was gone."

"The world has lost a truly special man," Ribeiro wrote on Facebook shortly after Avery's passing. "Even though he played my father on TV, he was a wonderful father figure to me in life. He will be deeply missed."

Ali also paid tribute to Avery through her Twitter account.

"James was my teacher, my protector & the most magnificent actor," she wrote. "We're feeling his loss very deeply. He'll always be a part of me."

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