It looks like Will Smith has picked his successor for the Fresh Prince of Bel Air reboot coming on Peacock.
Smith, who gained notoriety from playing the character of Will in the original classic sitcom announced his successor in a video call for the streaming service. The rapper turned actor introduced newcomer and West Philadelphia native Jabari Banks as the new Will.
Smith surprised Banks with the news during a video call. “You’ve got a fantastic road ahead of you, and I’m looking forward to being an asset for you in this process as you build out your life and build out your career” Smith told Banks.
Watch the video below
“I’m ready, I’m so ready,” replied the actor. According to him, his father had suggested he auditioned for the role after reading about it. “This is a dream come true,” he also added.
Furthermore, Banks said the show had a huge impact on his life. According to him, back in high school he once got his friends to dress up as characters from the TV show.
The Fresh Prince reboot simply called ‘Bel-Air’ was announced last year. The reboot was inspired by a fan film by writer and director Morgan Cooper of the same name. The trailer caught the attention of Will Smith and the superstar actor decided to partner with Cooper. Cooper serves as director, co-writer and executive producer on the peacock series, which also has a two-season order.
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Bel-Air is described as a dramatic take on the beloved ’90s comedy. It’s all about a street-smart kid, Will, who moves from West Philly to a highbrow Los Angeles neighborhood.
Set in modern-day, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour “dramatic analogue” of Fresh Prince. It follows “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.”
Bel-Air Season 1 is expected to arrive sometime next year.