Peacock has just announced the main cast forBel-Air, its upcoming dramatic reimagining of NBC’s hit ’90s sitcomThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The new cast joinsalready announcedleadJabari Banks, who will play the role of Will, originated byWill Smith.
Inspired bya trailerfrom writer/directorMorgan Cooperwhich went viral upon its release last year, the series examines the central premise of the ’90s sitcom through a dramatic lens, plumbing the personal and socioeconomic conflicts inherent in the story. The newly announced cast includesAdrian Holmes,Cassandra Freeman,Olly Sholotan,Coco Jones,Akira Akbar,Jimmy Akingbola,Jordan L. Jones, andSimone Joy Jones.
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Holmes and Freeman will play Will’s well-to-do aunt and uncle, Philip and Vivian Banks, respectively. Their roles were originated byJames AveryandJanet Hubertin the sitcom (though Hubert wasnotably replacedbyDaphne Reidhalfway through the run). Sholotan, Jones, and Akbar, will play their children, Carlton, Hilary, and Ashley, roles originated byAlfonso Ribiero,Karyn Parsons, andTatyana Ali. Rounding out the Banks household, Akingbola will play the family butler, Geoffrey, originated byJoseph Marcell. Jones will play Will’s friend and confidant, Jazz, originally played by Smith’s longtime collaboratorDJ Jazzy Jeff. Joy Jones will play Will’s love interest, Lisa, memorably played byNia Longon the original series.
As production begins in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, the series also confirmed much of its behind-the-camera personnel, as well. Cooper is executive producing, alongside showrunnersT.J. BradyandRasheed Newson. Smith is also executive producing, along with original series creatorsAndyandSusan Borowitz, as well as original series producersQuincy JonesandBenny Medina. Additional executive producers includeTerence Carter,James Lassiter,Miguel Melendez, andMalcolm Spellman.
Bel-Airwill stream exclusively on Peacock and is expected to arrive in 2022. Check out the official synopsis below.
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. 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.
