Daphne Reid (née Maxwell) is a multifaceted American personality, born in 1948 in New York City. She is a talented actress, comedian, interior designer, and former model. Reid is best known for her portrayal of Vivian Banks in the popular sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", a character she played from 1993 to 1996.
Reid's early life was marked by her education at the Bronx High School of Science, a specialized high school focused on mathematics, science, humanities, and social sciences. She then pursued higher education at Northwestern University, where she earned a degree in interior design and architecture while working as a model under contract with the Eileen Ford modeling agency.
Reid began her acting career in the late 1970s with guest appearances in television shows. In 1982, she married fellow actor Tim Reid, with whom she had two stepchildren. She gained recognition for her recurring role as Temple Hill in the crime drama series "Simon & Simon" from 1983 to 1987.
Reid's notable roles include Hanna Griffin in the comedy-drama series "Frank's Place" from 1987 to 1988 and a regular role in the sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" from 1993 to 1996. She also co-starred with her husband in the crime series "Snoops" from 1989 to 1990.
In 1997, Reid and her husband co-founded the New Millennium Studios in Petersburg, Virginia, which was the only black-owned film studio in the United States at the time. The studio was sold to Four Square Property Management LLC in 2015 for $1.5 million.
In recent years, Reid has made guest appearances in various television series, including "Bel-Air" in 2022. Despite not having had any major roles in several years, Reid has never fully retired from the entertainment industry.
