Peacock Announces Original THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR Stars Daphne Maxwell Reid And Vernee Watson-Johnson To Reunite As GUEST Stars In Critically-Acclaimed Drama Series BEL-AIR
The Original Cast Members to Appear in Episode 9 of Bel-Air, Streaming March 24 on Peacock
- Daphne Maxwell Reid will play “Helen” and Vernee Watson-Johnson will play “Janice,” members of the Art Council Board of Trustee. The two will guest star in episode 109 of BEL-AIR, streaming March 24 on Peacock.
- Daphne Maxwell Reid played Aunt Viv and Vernee Watson-Johnson played Viola “Vy” Smith in the original The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air series.
- Bel-Air is currently streaming on Peacock. New episodes are released every Thursday. The season one finale will stream on Thursday, March 31 on Peacock.
Vernée Watson began her career over 50 years ago in a theater group based in Harlem, NY. After doing over 200 commercials she moved to LA to continue her career and her documentary was recently released- “You Look, Familiar-Vernée Watson”. She is currently on the CBS hit comedy, “Bob (Hearts) Abishola”. For two consecutive years, she won the Daytime Emmy for her role as Stella on General Hospital, and an Encore award for her direction of the play Independence. Vernée has taught acting to young people through coaching, creating plays, and directing for almost 40 years and is also a published author of two books on commercial acting. She continues her passion for teaching by passing on her knowledge to the youth as co-founder and acting instructor of The H.E.ART. Watson-Johnson is represented by BRS/Gage Talent Agency.
Born in Manhattan, Daphne Maxwell Reid attended Chicago’s Northwestern University where she was named their first African-American homecoming queen. Outside of being the beloved Aunt Viv from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Daphne has published five books of photographs and calendars; and a cookbook, “Grace, Soul & Motherwit.” She is a fashion designer (Daphne Style). Reid is also known for her roles in “Frank’s Place” and ”Snoops.” Maxwell Reid is represented by Clear Talent Group.
Set in modern-day America, Peacock’s new one-hour drama series Bel-Air imagines the beloved sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air through a new, dramatic take on Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. As these two worlds collide, Will reckons with the power of second chances while navigating the conflicts, emotions, and biases of a world far different from the only one he’s ever known.
Executive produced by Will Smith, and inspired by Morgan Cooper’s viral trailer that reimagined the iconic, culture-defining ‘90s sitcom, Bel-Air takes a fresh and raw approach to this world of swagger, style, and aspiration, while exploring Will’s complex journey through a current lens. The new series features an ensemble cast that introduces Jabari Banks as Will and a creative team that includes Cooper, who serves as director, co-writer, and executive producer, and co-showrunners and executive producers T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson.
Cooper wrote and directed the four-minute spec trailer, debuting the video on social media in March 2019. The trailer, which currently has nearly 7 million views on YouTube, caught the attention of Smith, and in a reaction video Smith called the film and idea brilliant.
SERIES REGULARS:
- Newcomer Jabari Banks as “Will”
- Adrian Holmes as “Phillip Banks” (At That Age, V Wars)
- Cassandra Freeman as “Vivian Banks” (The Enemy Within, Atlanta)
- Olly Sholotan as “Carlton Banks” (Run Hide Fight, Evolution of Nate Gibson)
- Coco Jones as “Hilary Banks” (Let it Shine, Vampires vs. The Bronx)
- Akira Akbar as “Ashley Banks” (We Can Be Heroes, Captain Marvel)
- Jimmy Akingbola as “Geoffrey” (Most Dangerous Game, In The Long Run)
- Jordan L. Jones as “Jazz” (Rel, Snowfall)
- Simone Joy Jones as “Lisa” (The Chair, What If)
RECURRING CAST:
- Karrueche Tran as “Ivy” (Claws, The Bay)
- Duane Martin as “Steven Lewis” (All of Us, Real Husbands of Hollywood)
- April Parker Jones as “Viola ‘Vy’ Smith” (If Loving You is Wrong, Supergirl)
- SteVonté Hart as “Tray Melbert” (Little Fires Everywhere, Queen Sugar)
- Joe Holt “Fred Wilkes” (The Walking Dead: World Beyond, The Punisher)
- Scottie Thompson as “Angela” (NCIS, Macguyver, 12 Monkeys)
- Jon Beavers as “Kylo” (Licorice Pizza, Animal Kingdom)
- Tyler Barnhardt as “Connor Satterfield” (13 Reasons Why, Tales From The Loop)
- Charlie Hall as “Tyler Laramy” (Single Drunk Female, Moxie)
