Jabari Banks stars as Will within the new Peacock collection "Bel-Air," premiering Sunday, Feb. 13 on Peacock.
Peacock
The identify “Will Smith” holds a double that means for Jabari Banks, who makes his TV debut starring in “Bel-Air,” Peacock’s adaptation of NBC’s iconic sitcom “The Recent Prince of Bel-Air.”
That collection (1990-96) launched then-rap star Will Smith into superstardom, and his onscreen character, additionally named Will Smith, into TV lore when he’s despatched to Bel Air, Calif. to stay along with his wealthy kin after stepping into bother in his West Philadelphia neighborhood. (As recounted within the present’s ear- sweet theme tune, written by Smith and his hip-hop companion DJ Jazzy Jeff and sung by Smith.)
“Bro, I grew up watching that present,” Banks, 23, instructed The Put up. “My household has the six-season [‘Fresh Prince’] field set, so that may repeat in our home on a regular basis. I've Will Smith sweaters and I dressed up as ‘The Recent Prince’ in highschool with a few my classmates.
“That has been the defining present for me in my life — and even earlier than I obtained the decision [for ‘Bel-Air’] I re-watched the six seasons during throughout quarantine. There are such a lot of parallels between my life and Will Smith’s life. That is my first time in LA and it was Will’s first time in LA when he did the present. I grew up enjoying basketball and he performed basketball and we each do the music factor.”
So name it serendipity, together with the truth that Banks — who grew up in West Philly and is a 2021 graduate of the town’s College of the Arts — shares a final identify along with his TV alter-ego’s uber-wealthy household in “Bel-Air”: Uncle Phillip Banks (Adrian Holmes), Aunt Vivian (Cassandra Freeman) and their kids Hilary (Coco Jones), Carlton (Olly Sholotan) and Ashley (Akira Akbar). Geoffrey (Jimmy Akingbola) manages the household’s property (in additional methods than one).
The names of the “Bel-Air” characters will likely be acquainted to followers of “The Recent Prince,” however there aren’t many laughs right here. Will, a highschool basketball star and glorious scholar i– who’s being recruited by a number of faculties — is distributed packing by his mom, Vi (April Parker Jones), when he’s arrested after firing another person’s gun into the air to defend his finest good friend, Tray (Stevonte Hart), from a vicious beatdown. Vi worries that Will is now a goal for revenge; her brother-in-law, distinguished legal professional Phillip Banks, pulls some strings, and Will lands at LAX to start out his new life with kin he barely is aware of.
“This can be a coming-of-age story a few younger man discovering himself, and so we see the place he comes from. He positively needs to maintain part of West Philly, all the time,” Banks mentioned. “That’s the place he comes from, however he has to determine the steadiness between residing in Bel Air and his previous life. You’re going to see the push and pull of that dynamic throughout the season.”
It received’t be simple for Will, particularly in his extraordinarily tense relationship with Carlton, a giant shot lacrosse star at their faculty (Bel-Air Academy) who’s suspicious of his cousin’s intentions — and who may be very jealous of Will’s budding friendship along with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa (Simone Pleasure Jones), who’s on the faculty on a swimming scholarship.
“All through the season you will note them develop collectively and find out about one another slightly extra, and also you’ll see all their variations,” Banks mentioned of Will and Carlton. Will’s conduct, in the meantime, additionally worries his Uncle Phil, who’s operating for LA District Lawyer. Jordan L. Jones co-stars as Jazz, who picks Will him up from the airport when he first arrives and morphs into a very good good friend and confidant. Will Smith is an government producer.
“Bel-Air” acquired a two-season order from Peacock, so there will likely be plenty of time to delve into Will’s again story and his future going ahead in his new surroundings — whereas he retains tabs on Tray and his mom again in Philadelphia.
“I knew this character was me,” Banks mentioned. “All through my complete life, folks mentioned, ‘You sort of have mannerisms like Will [Smith] and you progress like him slightly bit.’ That is my first [TV] function and ‘The Recent Prince’ was Will Smith’s first TV function. I bear in mind sitting down with [director/co-writer/executive producer] Morgan Cooper sooner or later and he was like, ‘As quickly as I met you, I knew it was you.’
“So from then on I simply went with my very own instincts.”
“Bel-Air” premieres Sunday, Feb. 13 with three episodes adopted by new episodes each Thursday thereafter.
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