On Peacock's upcoming new series 'Bel-Air', newcomer Jabari Banks is set to play Will, who was famously played by the 'Men in Black 3' actor in the original 90's sitcom.
- Sep 1, 2021
AceShowbiz - Peacock's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reboot has found its lead role in newcomer Jabari Banks. The actor has been casted in the role of Will Smith, according to Variety.
On "Bel-Air", Banks is set to play Will, who was famously played by the "Men in Black 3" actor in the original 90's sitcom. The "Suicide Squad" actor surprised Banks as he took the matter into himself and personally informed Banks about the casting through a video.
Banks currently resides in West Philadelphia, which happens to be the birthplace of his character. In addition of being an actor, Banks, who graduated from University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 2020, is a songwriter, singer, rapper and basketball player. He is repped by Frontline Management and The Kohner Agency.
The new Peacock drama series is based on the viral video by Morgan Cooper, which revisited the beloved Will Smith-led sitcom as a drama series. The series is set in modern-day America and is described s a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the sitcom version that leans into the original premise: Will's complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. The project received a two-season order back in September 2020.
Cooper is set to serve as co-writer, director and executive producer. T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Smith, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Malcolm Spellman, Quincy Jones, Benny Medina and Andy & Susan Borowitz. Meanwhile, Westbrook Studios, a division of Westbrook Inc., and Universal TV, which owns copyright to the original series, serve as the studios.
