The drama series reboot of the '90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Bel-Air, has aired its final episode after a four-season run. But did the original star, Will Smith, make an appearance?
Throughout the Peacock show's run, they brought back most of the surviving cast members from the original series to play a different character as homage to the franchise's past. While Smith is credited as one of the executive producers, fans were hoping that he would make an appearance in a scene with Jabari Banks, especially as the show approached its finale.
SPOILER WARNING: This article includes spoilers for the final episode of Bel-Air, so proceed with caution.
Did Will Smith Appear in the Final Episode of Bel-Air?
Fortunately for fans, Will Smith made a cameo appearance in the final moments of the final episode of Bel-Air. While he is an executive producer of the series, his appearance was kept under wraps until the episode's release.
The A-list star showed up during the final scene when Will (the character) looked at the Bel-Air skyline one last time before moving back home to study college in Philadelphia. A seemingly older version of Will (played by Smith) appeared next to him and assured him that "we're going to be all right," despite the challenges he would face in life.
"It's a beautiful, emotional scene. I'm so proud of Jabari, because to stand and act with Will Smith, you know, he's the most iconic actor of our time. Jabari approached that scene with so much heart and so much fearlessness. Those are big shoes to fill, and every step of the way, he has risen to the occasion," creator Morgan Cooper described filming the scene to TVLine.
"I couldn't be more proud of him. Will also brought so much heart into that moment. It was incredible to direct those two together, and it was the perfect way to cap off this seven-year journey of bringing Bel-Air to life."
When asked whether Smith's character is truly an older version of Will in his vision, showrunner Carla Banks-Waddles said that "it's open to interpretation."
"Thematically, it was sort of just this reassurance as he's going back to Philly that all of the things Bel-Air poured into him, he is going to be able to now carry that guy forward," she explained.
"[In Season 1], his initial fear was wanting to hold on to the Philly side of himself, so we've seen him come full circle. Now he's like, gosh, I like who I became out here. Can I be that kid? Can I take that back with me? And then he sees his future self, who says, 'Yeah, you're going to be OK.'"
How Did the Will Smith Cameo in Bel-Air Finale Come Together?
Smith's cameo appearance in the final episode of Bel-Air almost did not happen due to his busy schedule.
"We weren't sure if [Will's] schedule was going to work out. Everybody was hopeful, and even he was hopeful, but we weren't sure," Banks-Waddles explained.
Fortunately, the A-list star confirmed his commitment "about two weeks" before filming wrapped, giving them a limited time to write the final scene between Jabari Banks and Smith.
Banks-Waddles said, "That scene took me maybe half a day to write. I just sort of channeled all the things that I know about [Will] and his life, and about our Will and his life, and how those things dovetail. It was just one of those scenes that I felt deeply. It just came out, and it hit all the buttons between the two of them."
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