Sound the trumpets, for a new Prince of Bel-Air has officially been crowned.
Actor Jabari Banks — yes, his last name really is Banks and he’s from West Philadelphia — will lead Bel-Air, Peacock’s dramatic reboot of the beloved ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Peacock dropped the announcement on Tuesday, along with an emotional video of Will Smith telling Banks that his life is about to get flipped, turned upside down.
“Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air,” reads the show’s official logline. “With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the original show.”
The series, which has already received a two-season order, is inspired by writer-director Morgan Cooper’s 2019 spec trailer, which went viral enough to catch Smith’s attention. T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson will serve as co-showrunners, executive-producing alongside Smith, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Malcolm Spellman, Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, Andy and Susan Borowitz, and director/co-writer Cooper.
–
Filmed in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, Bel-Air is produced by Universal Television and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios.
Hit PLAY on the video above to watch Banks learn about his big break in real time, then drop a comment with your thoughts below.
