Bel-Air: Former Ashley Banks, Tatyana Ali, will play recurring role in second season

As Peacock’s most streamed show, the dramatic reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, simply titled Bel-Air, makes its way into the second season, the series will be bringing in a familiar face. Tatyana Ali, who formally played Ashley Banks in the Will Smith sitcom, is set to play a recurring role in this season of Bel-Air. Ali will be playing an English teacher at the middle school attended by Ashley Banks, played in this incarnation by Akira Akbar, according to Deadline.

Ali’s appearance will take place throughout the season as Peacock is streaming a 10-episode arc that will be starting this February 23. Ali plays Mrs. Hughes, a teacher who sees something special in Ashley, and it’s not secret how poetic the casting is, given how Ali defined the iconic role.

The official synopsis for the second season reads, “Season two of Bel-Air picks up with Will at a crossroads as a new figure comes into his life who challenges what he’s learned in Bel-Air and competes for control of his influence. He juggles this while navigating his home life with the Banks family and trying to rebuild the trust that was broken at the end of last season. We’ll see Will and Carlton’s brotherhood start to evolve as they grow closer, but still challenge each other about their differences. We’ll also see Hilary evolve as she becomes more of a boss in her influencer world and how that spills over into her relationship with Jazz, and also highlight the relatable struggles around Viv and Phil balancing marriage and family while trying to forge their own career paths and reconnect to the things that are important to them.”

Carla Banks Waddles would take over as showrunner for TJ Brady and Rasheed Newson back in October. Waddles states, “In season two, the show will continue to find ways to push the envelope and feel refreshing and unique while also honoring the heart of the legacy series. Last season was very much about the introduction to the Banks family world, and this season we get to go deeper with some of the themes we touched on … What it truly means to be a family even when it’s challenging. We’ll also explore Will’s character beyond feeling like a fish-out-of-water. He’s now struggling to find a balance of maintaining his independence and his West Philly identity while also being open to new opportunities for himself in Bel-Air.”