LOS ANGELES, CA – Peacock’s new upcoming “Fresh Prince” reboot series “BEL-AIR” appears to have officially found its star.
On Tuesday, the NBCUniversal streaming service announced that newcomer Jabari Banks, a West Philadelphia native, landed the coveted role of the iconic character that was made famous by Will Smith in the 1990s.
Smith, who starred in the original “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” during its initial run from 1990 to 1996, personally delivered the exciting news to Banks via Zoom.
“From the deepest parts of my heart, I want to say congratulations to you,” Smith told Banks in the video clip. “You have the role of Will on ‘BEL-AIR’.”
In the clip, Banks said that he was encouraged by his father to audition for the role after having read about the show in an article.
Banks, who recently graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 2020, is also a singer, songwriter, rapper, and basketball player.
“Bel-Air”, which is based on filmmaker Morgan Cooper’s viral 2019 fan film trailer, already received a two-season order on Peacock in September 2020.
Cooper will also serve as the show’s director, co-writer, and co-executive producer.
The hourlong series, which is set in modern-day America, aims to take a deeper and more dramatic look at Will’s journey from the tough streets of West Philadelphia to the well-to-do mansion in Bel Air.
In addition, the show’s official description said that the series plans to “dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format,” all while emulating the flare and swagger of the original beloved series.
T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson, who are serving as co-showrunners, will also executive produce the series along with Smith, Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Malcolm Spellman, and Andy and Susan Borowitz.
