Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank
It’s here! Will Smith released the long-awaited The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion trailer in anticipation of the special coming to living room TV screens next week.
After 30 years, fans can catch up with the cast at the Banks family reunion. The sitcom special will premiere on Thursday, November 19, on HBO Max. Will Smith announced the news on his social media page.
“These are the people who made me the man I am today,” Smith captioned in an Instagram post on Friday. “And I couldn’t let this day go by without marking the occasion.”
The reunion cast will include Will Smith (of course), Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Alfonso Ribeiro, Joseph Marcell, and Daphne Maxwell Reid (the second Aunt Viv).
And, for those wondering, yes, even the OG Aunt Viv actress Janet Hubert will join the special. The actress who expressed her frustration with Smith and the show’s direction has since made amends with the Fresh Prince.
In the reunion trailer, Smith added, ” I couldn’t celebrate 30 years of Fresh Prince without Janet.”
Photo: Chris Cuffaio/NBCU Photo Bank
It’s hard to believe that the show premiered over three decades ago on September 10, 1990. Smith posted a tease of the reunion special on the 30th anniversary stating, “Today is exactly 30 years since The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air debuted! So we’re doin’ something for y’all…a for real Banks Family Reunion is comin’ soon to HBO Max! RIP James. #FreshPrince30th”
In a season when folks are staying inside, nostalgic Black shows from the 80s and 90s are making major comebacks. From Girlfriends to The Parkers and Eve, longtime fans can reminisce and fall in love again with their favorite childhood show, and the younger generation can learn to love an old school classic.
The show’s theme song alone is nostalgic and apropos for all of 2020: “Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside-down.” Yep! That’s us and all of 2020! Thankfully, nostalgic shows like these can take our mind away from the upside-down 2020 at least for 30 minutes.
Photo: Ron Tom/NBCU Photo Bank
In addition to the show reunion, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will also receive more airtime in a new spinoff. NBCUniversal’s online streaming platform Peacock plans to pick up a two-season drama series of the show titled “Bel-Air.”
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