years_active birth_place nationality name birth_date known_for spouse article_title birth_name occupation
1970 -- present trenton , new jersey , u.s. american vernee watson-johnson 14 january 1954 '' , kotter '' ` viola `` vy '' smith '' ` ' on the fresh prince of bel-air vernajean williams '' ' on welcome back joe duckett 1976 1977 vernee watson-johnson
 vernee christell watson actress , author , voice actress , acting coach
vernee watson-johnson

vernee christell watson-johnson -lrb- born january 14 , 1954 -rrb- is an american actress , author , voice actress , and acting coach .
she is best known for her recurring roles as vernajean williams on `` welcome back , kotter '' and as viola `` vy '' smith on `` the fresh prince of bel-air '' , playing the mother of will smith 's character .
in march 2014 , she appeared in teen wolf .
