Jabari Banks has been cast as the main character, Will, in the upcoming Fresh Prince of Bel-Air revival.
Will Smith personally surprised Banks with the news that the West Philadelphia native will be stepping into the shoes of the iconic 90s character first played by Smith.
Banks' Will character will essentially be the same as the Will Smith played from 1990 to 1996, but this revival will be a "contemporary reimagining" of the original series.
Looked at his kingdom, he was finally there. To sit on Will Smith's throne as the Prince of Bel-Air. 👑 The legacy continues with Jabari Banks! pic.twitter.com/sDMJqYEOLC
— Peacock (@peacockTV) August 31, 2021
"it is an absolute pleasure to meet you, to be on [this video call] with you, and from the deepest parts of my heart, I want to say congratulations to you," Smith told Jabari, a newcomer to the acting scene, in a special surprise video. "You have the role of Will on Bel-Air."
As you can see in the video post above, Banks says he's "so ready" to take on the role. He recalls his father showing him an article about the Bel-Air reboot, telling him to audition for the role. "That's not how auditions work," Banks told his Dad, but two months later, he was actually auditioning for the show. Now, the starring role is his.
"This is a dream come true," Banks told Smith. "The way the show has impacted me and my life, it's incredible to hear you say that."
Smith told Banks he has a fantastic road ahead of him and that he looks forward to "being an asset for you in this process as you build out your life and your career."
News of Banks' casting comes just a few weeks after it was revealed that the Bel-Air reboot has taken on new showrunners and that the show is taking a different creative direction. It will now be a "broad-skewing network-style show" in contrast to the original "edgy, premium series" the first showrunners wanted to deliver.
Peacock says the reboot will take place in modern-day America and "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."
Read more about the show's new direction while waiting for it to premiere on Peacock and then check out how the recent Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion explained why Janet Hubert left the show.
Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.