While we may be getting a dramatic reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sometime in the future, in the here and now fans of the show can be excited as well. Will Smith dropped a trailer for HBO Max’s upcoming The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion special, marking the 30th anniversary of the series, and it actually looks kind of… special. The entire main cast of the series, minus the deceased James Avery, return to the set that made them household names and sit down for a conversation that looks like it gets pretty personal.
Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, and DJ Jazzy Jeff will join Will Smith for the show along with the big surprise of Janet Hubert. Hubert originally played Aunt Vivian on the show but was fired amidst a feud with Will Smith. However, the pair appear to have made up, and Smith and she recorded a separate session together, which seems to take the rest of the cast by surprise, though that’s probably just clever editing.
For fans of the series or anyone hankering for a trip down ’90s sitcom nostalgia lane, the special does look pretty strong. These kinds of reunion shows are pretty old hat, but it genuinely looks like the cast still enjoys being with each other and that they’re doing a bit more than the standard sitting around and talking for an hour — with one-on-one interviews, behind-the-scenes clips, and a bunch of other content. Sadly, Alfonso Ribeiro does not appear to do the Carlton at any point, despite what appears to be a bit of a musical number.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion will premiere on HBO Max on Nov. 19.
Published: Nov 13, 2020 04:55 pm