Casting The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Reboot

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there. I’ll tell you how there’s a drama reboot involving The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Corny puns aside, a drama reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is in the works. However, the show will take a dramatic twist as the series will have a more serious tone. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the reimagined series will “dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions, and biases of what it means to be a Black man in America today.”

The series will draw inspiration from Bel-Air, a four-minute viral clip from director Morgan Cooper that showcases what the show might look like in 2020. Will Smith will team with Cooper to adapt the series.

Remakes and reboots can be superb like the Ocean‘s series or problematic like the newest Robocop. However, Bel-Air could be interesting since the show is switching from a comedy to a drama. This got me thinking. Who will be cast in these iconic roles?

Here are a few rules I implemented.

  • No A-list stars: As much as I would love to cast John David Washington and Zendaya in every project under the sun, their schedules would make it impossible.
  • Can’t be tied up as a lead on another show: The Caleb McLaughlin Rule. I think Caleb McLaughlin will be in the running for the role of Will, but that all depends on his schedule for Stranger Things. For now, I’m keeping actors with commitments to big shows off the list. Smaller commitments on shows will be allowed.
  • Age range similar to character: We’re not making Will a 32-year-old who looks like a 21-year-old. Each actor has to be in the ballpark of when the original actor played the role, especially for the children. The adult roles will get more leeway.

Remember, this will be a dramatic reboot, not a comedic reboot. So I’ll be zeroing in on actors who would fare better in a drama.

Jharrel Jerome as Will Smith

John Lamparski/Getty Images

I’m calling my shot now. If Caleb McLaughlin is unavailable, Jharrel Jerome will play Will. Jerome first made waves for his role as Kevin in the Oscar-winning Moonlight, but his biggest role came as Korey Wise in Netflix’s When They See Us. Jerome has the dramatic chops to carry a show as evidenced by his Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. Will Smith was a rising star with a ton of potential when the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air debuted. Jerome could be on a Will Smith-like trajectory if things break right for him.

Mekhi Phifer as Uncle Philip Banks

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Philip Banks is the tough, fair, and loving Uncle that shapes Will into the man he becomes. Uncle Phil is Will’s voice of reason and advisor. In this reboot, I’m expecting Uncle Phil to implement even more tough love. My pick is Mehki Phifer. Two words: Greg Pratt. Mehki should channel Dr. Pratt from ER as his inspiration for the role. Pratt was a natural leader but went against the grain at times, which ruffled some feathers with the higher-ups. He eventually became a mentor to many residents and practiced tough love throughout his tenure. The same rules can apply to Uncle Phil’s relationship with Will. Phifer is about the same age as Avery when he played the role so it makes for a believable Uncle.

Ruth Negga as Aunt Viv

The Irish Times

My cast can A-C-T Act. Ruth Negga is one of those actors that improves after every performance. Negga had small roles in World War Z and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but she showcased her true potential in Loving, which garnered her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Lo and behold, Negga’s schedule just opened up after the end of Preacher. Negga will have no problem being the matriarch of the Banks family.

Asante Blackk as Carlton Banks

Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

The chemistry between Will and Carlton is one of the reasons why The Fresh Prince worked. It’s the second biggest relationship in the show behind Will and Uncle Phil. If Jerome plays Will, it would be beneficial to have an actor with an established rapport to play Carlton. Enter Asante Blackk, who played Kevin Richardson in When They See Us. Blackk currently has a pivotal role in This Is Us, but he’s not in the main ensemble just yet, which is good for this reboot. Just like Smith was Alfonso Ribeiro’s senior by three years, Jerome is Black’s senior by four years so there is already an older brother/younger brother dynamic.

Jordin Sparks as Hilary Banks

Yahoo!

In order to play Hilary, one must be beautiful, charming, and unintentionally funny. In the trailer, even though it’s a drama, Hilary still slips in a joke about shopping on Rodeo Drive. I have no idea if this actress loves to shop, but for some reason, Jordin Sparks reminds me of Hilary and I mean that in the nicest way. Sparks is probably too famous for this role, but if she wants to get back into television, she could be the perfect Hilary. Hilary may be unintelligent at times, but she’s so innocent and likable that it’s hard to find anything wrong with her. Who doesn’t like Jordin Sparks? That’s my point.

Quvenzhané Wallis as Ashley Banks

Black-ish

Is Quvenzhané Wallis too established for this role? It’s possible due to the fact she’s the youngest actress to ever be nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars. Wallis was nine-years-old when she received an acting nomination for Beasts of the Southern Wild. Besides this performance, Wallis has been in less than 10 productions since 2012. Wallis would be perfect for the fiery and musically gifted Banks’ sister. Wallis was recently cast in Swagger, which chronicles basketball on the AAU circuit, but has no other roles in pre-production so her schedule theoretically checks out.

Clarke Peters as Geoffrey

HBO

Witty and reliable, Geoffrey was the loyal butler to the Banks family. He was also brutally honest and sprinkled in some wisdom to the Banks’ children. Who’s better at giving advice than Clarke Peters aka Lester Freamon from The Wire? After watching Da 5 Bloods, I realized I need more Clarke Peters in my life. Although Peters is about 20 years older than when Joseph Marcell portrayed the character, I’ll make an exception for the smooth, likable Peters, who will mold Will into a man just like he did with Pres on The Wire.

Who would you cast for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

What Is The Greatest Television Theme Song Of All Time?

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air television theme song

What is the greatest television theme song of all time? Christopher Gates posted this question on Twitter.

I was born in the early 1990s so I apologize in advance to the older crowd for missing theme songs from the 1950s-1990s. I respect Happy Days, The Jeffersons, The Brady Bunch, M*A*S*H, and Cheers (which could be #1 on a lot of lists), but I rarely watched those shows so therefore, I never made a connection to their theme songs.

With so many theme songs, I’m going to forget many of the great themes so please take hit me up on Twitter, @danny_giro, and let me know what song should be added to the list.

Honorable Mention

Full House

Whatever happened to predictability?

Law & Order

DUN DUN.

One Tree Hill

Gavin DeGraw has a sneaky-good discography and this anthem will live on in the lives of many teenagers.

Gilmore Girls

Whenever I think of the Gilmore Girls theme song, the word, “delightful,” comes to mind.

The Wire

This might ruffle some feathers. The Wire is one of the greatest television shows of all time. However, I view the theme as an experience, not as a song. Most of the songs on this list were made to be catchy. The Wire‘s theme was made to tell a story about what to expect in the upcoming season. It served a purpose and didn’t care about making the Billboard Hot 100. Every season has a different recording of “Way Down in the Hole.” My rankings for each recording by Season: 1, 4, 2, 5, 3.

Friends

Even if the opening theme for Friends is allowed on the list, it misses my top 5 by a hair. It’s still a jam at any ’90s bar.

The Golden Girls

An instant smile on my face whenever I hear “Thank You for Being a Friend.”

My Top 5

5a/5b. Game Of Thrones/The Office

I wanted to include at least one instrumental theme song on the list, but I cheated and named two. The Game of Thrones theme opening song is a long, intricate masterpiece. The graphics are superb, highlighting the regions that would be covered in the episode. When that cello hit on a Sunday night at 9 PM, you knew it was time to visit Westeros. On the flip side, The Office theme is a short, uplifting tune that’s a head-bopper. When a theme is good enough to be remixed by Lil Wayne, then it’s a flat out winner.

4. The O.C.

I fully expect to be in the minority on this one. First of all, The O.C. Season 1 is as close to perfection as you can get. The pilot is top 10 in my book. Without The O.C., there are no MTV reality shows like Laguna Beach. There’s no Real Housewives of any city, and “The Californians” on SNL ceases to exits. When the drums start to build and you’re about to belt out “California” as loud as you can, that’s when you know it’s special.

3. The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

Finish the lyric: “Now this is a story all about how…” I’m a betting man by nature so I’d venture to say that if you walked up to 10 strangers under the age of 50, seven of them would be able to finish the lyric with “my life got flipped-turned upside down.” You’re a true Fresh Prince fan if you can rap the longer version with “First class, yo this is bad, drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass.”

2. Family Matters

https://youtu.be/kYvNiKwWvhk

This is my favorite piano opening to a television theme. It makes me want to pull out my keyboard and tickle some keys. (I’m not good at playing the piano.) Fun fact: Steve Urkel was not featured in the original opening credits. Urkel appeared midway through the first season as a one-time appearance. However, Urkel was so beloved that he eventually became a main cast member and the show’s most memorable character.

1. Growing Pains

The reigning, defending, undisputed television theme song champion of the world is Growing Pains. Once “show me that smile again” hits my ears, without hesitation, I reply with “show me that smile.” Everything about this theme song is perfect. The show’s premise revolves around growing up so adding pictures of the cast at various stages of their lives was a genius move. “As Long As We Got Each Other” is a beautiful duet that will always hold a special place in my heart.

What is the greatest television theme song? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us your answers, @unafraidshow.