[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Season 3 of Bel-Air.]
In Season 3 of thePeacockoriginal seriesBel-Air, Will (Jabari Banks) and Carlton (Olly Sholotan) partner up as they learn how to build a business, but achieving success can be stressful when you’re already dealing with family drama. Fresh out of rehab, Carlton is working to rebuild trust while leaving his addiction behind. At the same time, Will is trying to fill in the pieces of a life that’s always been missing the father he wishes he got to know. And while nothing is perfect, and they’re both bound to make mistakes, new perspectives can also help them continue to grow, as is the case with the entire Banks family.
Collider recently got the opportunity to chat with Banks aboutBel-AirSeason 3, what he most enjoyed about what he got to explore this season, what it’s been like to haveFresh Princecast members guest on the show, who he’d like to see make a cameo next, his favorite moment of the third season, what surprises him about where Will is at now, the evolving dynamic between Will and Carlton, and what he’d like to explore in a possible Season 4.
A young man’s life takes a dramatic turn when a simple altercation sends him from the streets of West Philadelphia to the opulent mansions of Bel-Air. In this contemporary take, he faces the challenges of fitting into a world that contrasts starkly with his upbringing, all while dealing with the expectations of his new family and the culture shock of his surroundings.
Jabari Banks Enjoyed Exploring a New Side of His ‘Bel-Air’ Character for Season 3
Collider: It’s a show that always has a lot of drama, or it wouldn’t be good TV. What did you most enjoy about the journey of Season 3? As an actor, what did you most enjoy getting to play and explore? But also, as the character, how is he feeling about where his life is at, at the moment?
JABARI BANKS: That’s a great question. For me, Jabari,what was fun to play was a new side of Will outside of basketball. He’s getting into his entrepreneurship bag. That’s a different side of Will that we haven’t seen yet, but he has that hustle and that drive that he can succeed anywhere, so that was fun. Will is always in this fish-out-of-water situation, and now he’s working at the country club, where there’s a lot of people that don’t look like him there. And yet, he’s still making friends and he’s still thriving in these situations where people wouldn’t think he would. That’s a testament to his resilience and his tenacity and the overall je ne sais quoi of his being that people enjoy seeing. That was definitely a fun dynamic to play. This season is definitely hot, for sure. We got to travel to different places. We were shooting in different locations and it was very beautiful.
You’ve had Tatyana Ali on the series. Now, you’ve had Joseph Marcell this season. What was he like to have on set? Was there anything that you just had to ask him, or anything that he shared that was just really meaningful?
BANKS: First of all, he’s British, which is always a joy. Hearing that accent is just beautiful to me. The energy that he brings to what he does is so beautiful. It felt like I was young Will in the nineties, talking to Geoffrey when I was speaking to him. I’m sad that I never got to do an actual scene with him, but it was such a joy watching him work. He definitely brings a nostalgic feel and I think people are gonna be very, very excited and surprised to see how he plays a part in this season.
When To Watch ‘Bel-Air’ Season 3: Premiere Date, Episode Schedule, and More
It’s not always sunny in West Philadelphia.
Who would you like to see make an appearance next?
BANKS: We’re going down the list.I think we’ve gotta hit Alfonso [Ribeiro] next.Come on, Season 4, let’s do it.
As the seasons have gone on, what would you say most surprises you about where Will is now?
BANKS: I’ve always known that Will is the type of person who’s gonna thrive wherever he’s at. He’s gonna have his ups and downs, but he’s the type of person that’s just resilient in that way. And so, maybe what surprises me is his relationship with his cousin, Carlton. The ups and downs, and the ebbs and flows of that, are still continuing to surprise me. We’re friends one day, and then we’re enemies the next. That still surprises me, every time I read a new script. I’ll be like, “I thought we just liked each other. What happened?”
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I actually really loved the moment this season where they’re told that they shouldn’t hide their scars. Is that something you feel is easier said than done? Are you able to embrace your own scars without letting them define who you are?
BANKS: Yeah, I think so. I’m a pretty confident person. Everything that I’ve been through in my life definitely shaped me into the person that I am today, so I’m not scared to talk about my wrongs, or the things that have hurt me, or the things that I’ve done to hurt other people. I think that’s important to be able to recognize and to vocalize.
When we talked about Will and Carlton’s relationship in Season 2, you specifically pointed out the camaraderie they’d found, but you also said that Will has to love Carlton because they’re family. In actuality, Will doesn’t have to love Carlton because not all family gets along. What do you think Will sees in Carlton, that he didn’t see when he first came to Bel-Air?
BANKS: His humanity. Will didn’t understand him at first becauseWill comes from a totally different background and a totally different lifestyle. Black people that look like him all fit into this community and its energy. Carlton’s energy was definitely off to Will at first. He was like, “Who is this guy, and why is he letting all these white people say the N word?” He was just like, “I don’t get you.” He understands him more now.
In Season 3 of ‘Bel-Air,’ Will Is Making the Effort To Form a Relationship With His Father
Right now, Will seems to want to just attempt to fight against everything in him that he feels is like his father because he doesn’t want to be anything like him. Is that something Will needs to get a better handle on?
BANKS: Yeah. He’s young and things like that take time. I’m still personally going through things like that, as well, when you see the similarities between some things that you don’t like about your parents. I’m the same way. For Will, not knowing his father and finding out that they are more similar than he realizes, that’s a painful thing for him. The normal thing to do is run, so he rejects that side of himself. This season, you’ll see him grow and accept that side of himself more. He’ll find the humanity in his family and in his father, and start seeing his parents as people and not parents.
There have been some standout emotional moments in the first two seasons of the show. What was the biggest standout moment for you in Season 3?
BANKS: It’s in episode six. There’s a rekindling between Will and his family that I think was a beautiful emotional moment for all three of us.
Will and Lisa seem tight, but Jackie is back in the picture. What can you say about that drama this season?
BANKS: It’s a lot. There’s a lot going on. I won’t give too much away from that. It’s gonna be beautiful though. It’s gonna be nice.
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How much do you know about each season, going into it? Are you given glimpses into things further down the line, or do you only find out as you get each script?
BANKS: We get an episode at a time, but we still do know little glimpses of where we are gonna go. That also ultimately ends up changing a lot. That’s the nature of TV, but also the nature of this show and how we work. The writers are always amazing. Shout-out to (showrunner) Carla Banks-Waddles and the rest of the writing team. They’re able to take the things that we give them, when we have conversations with them and give them little gems, and they’ll be like, “Okay, yeah, we like that. We’ll throw that in this episode.” Maybe we’ll see it an episode down the line or five episodes down the line, but they try to fit it in, which is nice.
What Would Jabari Banks Like To See in a Possible ‘Bel-Air’ Season 4?
When we spoke for Season 2 and I asked you what you wanted to explore with Will in Season 3, you told me you wanted to see who he is outside of basketball and we’re getting that now. So, what would you like to see with him in Season 4?
BANKS:I wanna see Bad Boy Will with a leather jacket. That would be next level for Season 4.
Bel-Airis available to stream on Peacock. Check out the Season 3 trailer:
