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(HHUCIT) — Actor James Avery, who played the beloved Uncle Phil on the hit 1990s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” died Tuesday, his publicist confirmed. He was 65.

His “Fresh Prince” co-star Alfonso Ribeiro tweeted news of Avery’s passing.

“I’m deeply saddened to say that James Avery has passed away,” Riberio tweeted. “He was a second father to me. I will miss him greatly.

Per his manager, Avery died Tuesday night at a Los Angeles hospital due to complications from open-heart surgery. He never stopped working, most recently shooting Zach Braff’s indie film Wish I Was Here up until September.

Avery amassed dozens of TV and film roles over the years, including appearances on The Closer, That ’70s Show and Grey’s Anatomy, the imposing actor’s most memorably role will always be that of lawyer (and ultimately Judge) Philip Banks, married father of three who does his sister-in-law a favor by letting her son Will come and stay with them in Bel-Air to escape trouble in urban Philadelphia.

He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Barbara Avery; step-son Kevin Waters; and his mother, Florence Avery;