Will Smith may have fallen in love with Stockard Channing on the set of 1993’s Six Degrees of Separation, but Channing only felt “motherly” to the rising star, who was 23 and a newly married, first-time father at the time.

Channing — who earned an Oscar nomination playing a New York socialite who connects with a young con artist played by Smith in the film — opened up about working with the rising star in a new episode of The Hollywood Reporter‘s It Happened in Hollywood podcast.

“He made a lot [of money] from his music, or even Fresh Prince [of Bel-Air],” Channing said. “Because I remember we talked about it.” Despite his massive success in music and TV at a young age, “there was no big shot stuff at all” about Smith, she said.

“He had a real survival instinct in him,” Channing added, “which was completely perfect for the part. [There was a] genuine charm and a lovely sweetness about him.