Will Smith was front and center in the Super Bowl spot for Bel-Air, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot. In the spot, he led people around the globe in reenacting the original show’s theme song, and this spot coincided with Peacock’s premiere of the new show’s first three episodes. Given this heavy participation factor in promotional form, it’s only natural to wonder whether he’s actually appearing in the show, so what gives?
Well, anyone who hoped that Will would appear in Bel-Air will be slightly disappointed. No plans for such a move have been announced, and given that the reboot is darker and grittier than the neon-feel of the original show, it sure would be strange to pop the real Will Smith in as some sort of flashback vision later in the season. Adult Will Smith would also feel very out place here (next to Young Will, now played by Jabari Banks) unless the show’s heading towards time travel. But who knows? Anything is possible when it comes to TV writers’ imaginations.
Ultimately, Will Smith is acting as an executive producer on the rebooted show. So, he’s got plenty of input on the new tone and where the story will go after what happened on those West Philly streets. And according to Peacock’s synopsis, the show “dive[s] deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format,” so expect plenty of drama to come. And it’s doubtful that we’ll see him in front of the camera, unless he does a cameo as a totally different character.
Bel-Air is currently streaming on Peacock.