With most reboots/remakes, it’s usually only a matter of time before stars of the original series appear. Now that Bel-Air has had a few episodes to establish itself, the first round of Fresh Prince guest stars are set to show up. Per a press release sent to The Root, Daphne Maxwell Reid and Vernee Watson-Johnson will be seen in Episode 9 as Helen and Janice, members of the Art Council Board of Trustees. The episode premieres on Peacock Thursday, March 24.
Reid previously played Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, taking over the role in Season 4, while Watson-Johnson recurred throughout the series as Will’s mom Vy.
It’s hard to know where the truth lies, as ratings for streaming sites can be somewhat fluid, but Bel-Air has been a hit for Peacock, with fans and critics praising the change in tone, as well as newcomer Jabari Banks and its updated setting.
The first season of Bel-Air finds Will dealing with a tough transition from West Philly to Bel Air, while also battling a tense rivalry with Carlton, his trouble with a gangster from back home and deciding where he really fits in. The series has also seen Ashley explore her sexuality, Hilary find her voice as a Black content creator and Viv’s return to the art world.
The show is unapologetically Black, celebrating the family’s excellence, while also highlighting how they struggle to maintain their identities in a predominantly white world.
Bel-Air counts original star Will Smith among its executive producers, so the real question is when will we see him on the show? It might be a while since Smith recently announced he was returning to another of his famous roles in a sequel to I Am Legend. The actor will executive produce and star in the film alongside Michael B. Jordan. Yes, we know he died at the end of the movie, which means we’re just as curious as you are about how this will work.
In the meantime, we’ll just have to settle for a The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air re-watch on HBO Max and Bel-Air, currently streaming on Peacock, with new episodes every Thursday and the season finale set for March 31.