Biography

Karyn Parsons is probably best known for playing the character “Hilary Banks” on the iconic television show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Raised by a librarian mother, Karyn spent hours in the library getting lost in books and the characters that drove their stories. Judy Blume was her favorite, but she also discovered plays. At home, she’d act out the parts for her very patient mother, and it wasn’t long before she decided that she wanted to be an actress. She participated in classes and workshops over the years and things would take off quickly after an agent spotted her and started sending her out on auditions. Before long, she’d landed her role on the TV show that would change her life.

When Fresh Prince ended, a friend urged Karyn to study creative writing with author Jim Krusoe, and everything changed. Long hours on the set now became long hours spent at home writing. Karyn was back to studying stories and creating characters, like she had as an actress, but now through a new medium. She fell in love with writing, but due to fear of not being taken seriously, she didn’t tell many people about her new passion.

Karyn met her husband, filmmaker Alex Rockwell, started a family, and launched her non-profit, Sweet Blackberry. The mission of the organization was to bring little-known stories of Black achievement to children, at first through short, animated films, and later through picture books as well. The films — narrated by actors Alfre Woodard, Queen Latifah, Chris Rock and Laurence Fishburne — were written by Karyn, but she still didn’t think of herself as a writer. It wasn’t until years later, when reacquainted with a friend who encouraged her to try writing a novel, that she would accept this new path in her life. How High the Moon, Karyn’s critically acclaimed first novel, was inspired by her mother’s childhood in the Jim Crow south.

Today, Karyn is the author of two middle grade novels, two Sweet Blackberry picture books, and is currently at work on her YA debut scheduled for publication in 2025. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband, their teenage son, Nico, and their dogs, Rocky and Ruby.