Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot casts Jabari Banks in Will Smith’s iconic role

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot has found a new Will in newcomer Jabari Banks.

Smith himself surprised Banks by telling the young actor that he got the part via Zoom. I don’t know about you, but I love these types of feel-good videos. Banks’ reaction to the news is so pure. You can feel the gratitude vibes emanating from his smile as his new reality dawns. It’s awesome to see.

You can check out Banks’ reaction to the career-changing news below:

Set in the modern-day, Bel-Air is a dramatic reimagining of the Fresh Prince concept. The serialized, one-hour presentation 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.”

The Bel-Air project takes its cue from writer-director Morgan Cooper’s viral fan film of the same name. Released in March 2019, the four-minute trailer depicts a gritty, grounded, and emotional take on themes introduced in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. After going viral online, the trailer caught the attention of Will Smith. It was off to the races after that, with several networks and streamers showing interest in the project’s potential. Banks, a West Philidelphia native himself, has been dreaming about his new role for years.

The original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran on NBC from 1990-1996 and starred Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana M. Ali, Joseph Marcell, and Janet Hubert-Whitten/Daphne Maxwell Reid. The cast last got together for a reunion special on HBO Max, where all six seasons of the popular sitcom are available to stream.