WILL SMITH
Actor Jabari Banks — yes, his last name really is Banks and he’s from West Philadelphia — will lead Bel-Air. His casting was confirmed on Aug. 31, when Smith surprised the newcomer with the big news (watch here).
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Dramatic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reboot Unveils Full Cast — See Who’s Playing Uncle Phil, Aunt Viv, Cousin Carlton
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Prepare to meet Aunt Viv No. 3!
Peacock on Tuesday unveiled the full cast for Bel-Air, the highly anticipated, dramatic reboot of the beloved ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The ensemble includes Adrian Holmes (Arrow, 19-2) as Phillip Banks, Cassandra Freeman (The Enemy Within) as Vivian Banks, Olly Sholotan as Carlton Banks, Coco Jones (Good Luck Charlie) as Hilary Banks and Akira Akbar (Captain Marvel) as Ashley Banks.
Additionally, Jimmy Akingbola (Holby City) will assume the role of Geoffrey, while Jordan L. Jones (Rel) will play Will’s frequently tossed BFF Jazz.
While there’s no Little Nicky in sight, the reboot has gone ahead and cast Simone Joy Jones (The Chair) as Lisa — who, in the original series, was introduced in Season 5 as Will’s girlfriend and eventual bride (though they eventually called off the wedding).
“Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the ’90s 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 Will 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.
Scroll down to see the new cast alongside their sitcom counterparts, then hit the comments with your reactions to the ensemble.
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Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock -
PHILLIP BANKS (AKA UNCLE PHIL)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock Adrian Holmes (Arrow, 19-2) has big shoes to fill, succeeding the late James Avery as family patriarch Phillip Banks.
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VIVIAN BANKS (AKA AUNT VIV)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection (2); Peacock Cassandra Freeman (The Enemy Within) is the third actress to assume the part of Aunt Viv, following Janet Hubert and Daphne Maxwell Reid’s distinctive turns in the original NBC comedy.
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CARLTON BANKS
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock We hope relative newcomer Olly Sholotan likes Tom Jones. He’ll be succeeding Alfonso Ribeiro as Will’s dorky cousin Carlton.
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HILARY BANKS
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock Coco Jones (Good Luck Charlie) will embody Will’s oldest (and most self-absorbed) cousin Hilary, taking over for Karyn Parsons.
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ASHLEY BANKS
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock Hey there, Lord, her name is Ashley Banks! Akira Akbar (best known as Captain Marvel‘s Young Monica Rambeau) is set to play the part of Will’s youngest/most impressionable cousin, who was originally portrayed by Tatyana Ali.
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GEOFFREY
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock Jimmy Akingbola (Holby City) will be cleaning up after the Banks, succeeding Joseph Marcell as the family’s delightfully sarcastic butler.
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JAZZ
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock Jordan L. Jones (Rel) will see what it’s like to be thrown out of the Banks’ home. He succeeds DJ Jazzy Jeff as Hilary’s not-so-secret admirer.
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LISA
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection; Peacock Unlike the original series, the new Bel-Air won’t wait to introduce Will’s most significant love interest. Simone Joy Jones (The Chair) has been cast in the series-regular role of Lisa, who was originally played by Nia Long.
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72 Comments
I just finished watching the original series on HBO Max a few weeks ago. This is going to be so weird to see these iconic characters be played by different people. I mean it was such a staple of the 90s, especially growing up in the era (like myself). I’ll definitely give it a chance.
This series will be straight garbage and and embarrassment to the original. You can’t mimic instant old school classics. They already completely ruined the saved by the bell remake. Now you want to do the same with another iconic show? Don’t make me laugh. This casting looks treacherous and this series will bomb. I’m already calling it
Are you a virgin?
LoL! Must be.
I agree
but I like the save the bell remake…
Glad to say you got it wrong!! The show is awesome, heartfelt and real! It’s a different take, with more insight on why he left and the difficulties of adapting to a new environment. Love Geoffrey’s role as “house manager” vs. butler! Can’t wait for Season 2!!
They all look great, except for the lead!
How come? Have you seen Will’s instagram post where he break the news of the casting? Dude’s very charismatic.
If Will Smith is happy, I’m happy. He wouldnt sign off on someone he didnt like playing him.
Such a beautiful cast
I’m looking forward to this series
I am interested in seeing an episode. Based on pics alone, I feel like Carlton, Geoffroy and Uncle Phil seem like miscasts. Olly doesn’t come off as dorky and Geoffroy /Uncle Phil doesn’t seem wise/charismatic enough.
Well Carlton may be more antagonistic since he’s a republican in an otherwise democratic family.
Because this version is a drama, not a comedy, I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t a lot of direct similarities between the two versions of the characters.
I agree
Don’t see it working. It worked in large part because of Will Smith and his comedic timing. I don’t believe it would have been successful without Will Smith.
Forget about the original. This is a totally new dramatic telling of the same basic story, the story of an African-American teenager from central Philly sent to live with their upper-class relatives in Bel Air. I think there’s a lot interesting about that story, including some stories that couldn’t be told as effectively as a half-hour three-camera sitcom.
I agree
Nope! Whats up with tv now a days? No original thoughts anymore, just regurgitated ideas from the 80s and 90s
I only ever watched reruns of the show but enjoyed the episodes I have seen. Since I’m already way behind with other shows to watch I probably will not watch the reboot either. Good luck to all involved and hopefully this will be as popular as the original show!
I don’t like it already, I have always never liked imitations
I don’t get it. Is this real? I’m not watching any reboots of anything I watched 20 years ago. That goes for this, the Wonder Years or that Doogie Kameamea. I’ll stick with the originals. Or a least my memories of them.
A reboot but totally different.as it’s a drama not a comedy.
Still not watching.
No one really cares if you watch it or not. You’re being extra when there’s no need to be extra about it. It’s just a show. Calling it a reboot like any of the other so called reboots are just marketing schemes. They are still entirely NEW TV shows. Your mind is taking it all a bit too seriously is all. Question the thoughts that appear in the mind and the mind will shut up and naturally become calm and serene.
I am unsure,, the original will always be classic
Uncle Phil casting is so good. This actor has the gravitas to play the character.
I don’t know if anyone realized this but most of the cast members surnames are Jones
Ya I compare to the show in the 90.I loved the show and I don’t like temakes.But just have to see how it it
I kinda have feeling that some people like me may compare it to the 90 show.Ya that show will always be the best and remakes are the best but just have wait and see
I had a problem at first some of the cast didn’t seem right for there parts but as I read the article I now it’s not going to be the comedy but dramatic show so I well watch for that fact to see how that will turn out so cool good luck Will.
Dumpster fire 🤣
You guys are flattering yourselves….. buncha devil’s advocates out here.
(Clears throat in key of C): THIS REBOOT IS GOING TO SUCK!!!!!
Who sits around and says “hey, I mean sure this was One of the greatest shows of all time, with one of the best assemblings of a cast in the history of television programming… buhhhhttt let’s redo it”????? No words
“Will Smith signed off on it so I’m sure it’ll be good ”??? Ummmm , it’s called business. Little Willie done growed up, and I’m willing to bet my one remaining properly functioning Achilles tendon that he stands to get paid, even if the show flops.
It’s like trying to tell a new rapper to LITERALLY aspire to be the LITERAL next Biggie, or PAC.
Please leave the classics alone. Make this family a spinoff, I’m good with that. My senses are literally programmed to not even remotely give the show a chance, and I actually literally have an attitude right now.
You guys are flattering yourselves…..
LOL!! Isn’t that what you are doing, my friend, flattering yourself with your own opinions? I ain’t mad at you though.
Let’s be real, if you don’t mind that for just a moment. Is not the ideas that it was one of the greatests shows of all time with the one of the best assembles of a cast in the history of television programming just an opinion and not a universal fact? I do understand the love for the original series by the same name, I loved it too, but this isn’t a redo. None of the so called reboots from Wonder Years or what have you are really those shows. They are entirely new productions and this is just another marketing scheme that seems to work as many TV networks are seeking out new shows that have some sort of nostalgia for some older hit programs from back in the day. And people be all sentimental and ish and humans always seem to be taking things way too seriously. It’s nothing serious though. It’s entertainment, that’s all.
This is gonna flop so hard.
I wish they continued with the old cast and still make the show a comedy. Anyway, Let us not be quick to judge this drama series may be it’s gonna be interesting. Also let us not compare it to the classic show.
Stop just stop for the love of great shows and movies please just stop changing everything, stop copywriting other people’s shows. If you can’t write or direct you’re own movies and shows that are original and not copied from already great shows and movies then you need not to be a writer or director.
EVERYTHING is constantly changing and never not changing. The only thing that does not change is change itself, change is always what seems to be happening.
The producers, writers, and actors ARE doing their own original work here. You are getting too caught up in your imagination. Also, this has nothing to do with copyrights, you may want to look that up and do a little research because you’re making any sense in that regard. It seems you have misunderstanding what copyrights are and if the rest of us do not understand your misunderstanding then we cannot hope to understand what it is you are really trying to say. I am just sayin…bruh. LOL
Whatever happened to the youngest child Nicky?
when can I watch it
https://tvline.com/2021/08/03/fresh-prince-reboot-changes-bel-air-new-showrunner-peacock/
No interest in this one. you can’t match Will or Carlton…sorry. And this show was never meant to be a drama.
I am excited to see the portrayal of all the newly casted, cast of The Fresh Prince of BelAir. In this day and time I really hope that it is closer to reality than the original. Although it was great in the earlier years, truth is more relevant today than it’s ever been.
The main difference is Will Smith was actually The Fresh Prince……….. It is possible to have a show about a fish out of water from Philly living in Bel Air, WITHOUT needing this title, and the same title. It’s not even a comedy, so why try to fit it into something from many years before. Can’t it simply be unique?
How is not unique?? It doesn’t get any more unique than this. What is really in a title, but words? No gets upset using English words repetitively to express themselves. The human mind will make a problem out anything and everything, where no problem actually exists except in the mind.
This reboot series will be a drama and the trailer looks really good.
Except it isn’t a reboot at all. That is just television programming for you. Always changing the meaning of words to create hype where there is none in hopes to create some. Hype = creating potential viewership = potential viewership = potential advertising dollars. When you reboot your computer or phone does a different operating system appear on the screen? Nope. They are only twisting words by giving them a new meaning.
as long as it is updated, it might work.
DO NOT HAVE Carlton listening to Tom Jones though..lol