Peacock Announces Main Cast and Start of Production for Highly-Anticipated Drama Series “Bel-Air”

Peacock’s highly anticipated drama series Bel-Air, a contemporary reimagining of the beloved and culture defining 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has announced the full main cast.

· The series regulars include:

· Newcomer Jabari Banks as “Will”

· Adrian Holmes as “Phillip Banks” (At That Age, V Wars)

· Cassandra Freeman as “Vivian Banks” (The Enemy Within, Atlanta)

· Olly Sholotan as “Carlton Banks” (Run Hide Fight, Evolution of Nate Gibson)

· Coco Jones as “Hilary Banks” (Let it Shine, Vampires vs. The Bronx)

· Akira Akbar as “Ashley Banks” (We Can Be Heroes, Captain Marvel)

· Jimmy Akingbola as “Geoffrey” (Most Dangerous Game, In The Long Run)

· Jordan L. Jones as “Jazz” (Rel, Snowfall)

· Simone Joy Jones as “Lisa” (The Chair, What If)

· Will Smith previously surprised newcomer and West Philly local Jabari Banks with the iconic, leading role of “Will,” originated by Smith.

· Peacock previously ordered two seasons of the series adaptation of Morgan Cooper’s viral fan film Bel-Air.

· Cooper wrote and directed the four-minute spec trailer, debuting the video on social media in March 2019. The trailer, which currently has nearly 7 million views on YouTube, caught the attention of Smith, and in a reaction video Smith called the film and idea brilliant.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

· Co-Showrunners / Executive Producers: T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson

· Director / Co-Writer / Executive Producer: Morgan Cooper

· Executive Producers: Will Smith, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Malcolm Spellman, Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, and Andy & Susan Borowitz

· Produced By: Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and Westbrook Studios, a division of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s media company Westbrook Inc.

· Format: Drama series

· Filming Location: Los Angeles, CA and Philadelphia, PA

SERIES DESCRIPTION:

· Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” that leans into the original premise: 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.