From West Philadelphia, where he was born in raised, to his luxury palace in Bel-Air, Will Smith and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air‘s cast share the trailer to the reunion show. 24-years after Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended, the Banks family is back together again. Scheduled to air on HBO Max November 19th, the classic 90’s Black sitcom cast join one another to relive the show’s memorable moments.
Commemorating the show’s 30th anniversary since it first aired on NBC in 1990. Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro, and Tatyana Ali. Along with Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Janet Hubert share laughs and tears as they stroll down memory lane.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion show features clips from past episodes, group chats, and individual interviews. Seemingly, the reunion show will give viewers a look at the relationships that develop during the show’s 148-episodes. Emotionally missing from the “Banks Family Reunion” is the family’s patriarch. James Avery, aka Uncle Philip Banks.
“James is the heart of the show,” says Tatyana Ali. James Avery passed away in 2013 at the age of 68 after complications from open-heart surgery. “James Avery was this six foot four, Shakespearian beast,” stated Smith. I just wanted him to think I was good.”
The reunion gives shock value when the cast members are surprised by the appearance of Janet Hubert. The original Aunt Vivian.
Previously Janet Hubert accused Will Smith of having her removed from the show. Later reports revealed that Janet Hubert’s 1992 pregnancy violated her contract. Eventually, the show wrote Janet’s pregnancy into the script, but Daphne Maxwell Reid replaced her after season three.
It’s not said if Janet kept in contact with the rest of her former castmates after her departure. This reunion marks their first appearance together in 27-years. “These are the people who made me the man I am today,” Smith stated on his social media account.
Earlier in the year, Smith announced that he’d be executive producing Morgan Cooper’s dramatic version of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, simply titled, Bel-Air. After the fan-made short-film was released in 2019, it gained over 7.5-million views, which caught Smith’s attention.
During an online conversation with Morgan Cooper, Smith broke the news, saying, “We have just officially closed the deal with Peacock,” said Smith. “They ordered 2-full seasons of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air based on the quality of the pitch and the work that you guys have done. So, I want to say congratulations. I am hyped.”
There is no official release date on the reboot, but the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air series can be viewed on BET and HBO Max streaming services.
Ali Bouldin is a journalist in the Chicagoland area with articles in multiple black entertainment publications. Follow his Instagram at @Ali.Bouldin
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