Spoiler alert: This text reveals a serious cameo within the closing episode of “Bel-Air.” Have not watched? You have been warned.
The sequence finale of “Bel-Air,” now streaming on Peacock, finds the Banks household saying goodbye to their iconic zip code — and who higher to provide them a correct send-off than the unique “Contemporary Prince” himself?
Will Smith, who additionally executive-produces “Bel-Air,” makes a particular cameo within the closing moments of Episode 8, becoming a member of Will (Jabari Banks) as he takes one final take a look at town he is forsaking. By no means introducing himself, Smith’s character approaches Will seemingly from nowhere earlier than trying to ease his considerations concerning the future.
“Don’t be concerned about having the entire solutions, no person does, not even the individuals who faux like they do,” Smith’s character, who Will refers to as “OG,” says. “Belief me, you are going to mess issues up, do some dumb sh*t, however you are human. You may study. You may develop. Simply stay and snigger and cry. Eat a cheesesteak — simply not daily, as a result of ldl cholesterol is actual. … Life goes by quick, man. Attempt to benefit from the experience. I am going to allow you to in on a bit of secret: We will be all proper.”
Talking with TVLine concerning the “layered” closing scene, director and sequence creator Morgan Stevenson Cooper expresses nice satisfaction in lastly bringing the 2 Wills collectively on display.
“It is a lovely, emotional scene,” Cooper says. “I am so happy with Jabari, as a result of to face and act with Will Smith, you understand, he is essentially the most iconic actor of our time. Jabari approached that scene with a lot coronary heart and a lot fearlessness. These are large sneakers to fill, and each step of the best way he has risen to the event. I could not be extra happy with him. … Can even introduced a lot coronary heart into that second. It was unbelievable to direct these two collectively, and it was the right technique to cap off this seven-year journey of bringing ‘Bel-Air’ to life.”
Will Smith’s Bel-Air cameo got here collectively on the final minute
It is exhausting to think about the “Bel-Air” sequence finale with out Will Smith’s cameo in that impactful closing scene, however in response to showrunner Carla Banks-Waddles, there was a really actual chance of it not taking place.
“We weren’t positive if [Will’s] schedule was going to work out,” Banks-Waddles, who additionally wrote the episode, tells TVLine. “All people was hopeful, and even he was hopeful, however we weren’t positive.”
Affirmation of Smith’s involvement got here “about two weeks” earlier than manufacturing wrapped, not permitting for a lot time to write down him into the ultimate episode.
“That scene took me perhaps half a day to write down,” Banks-Waddles says. “I simply kind of channeled all of the issues that I learn about [Will] and his life, and about our Will and his life, and the way these issues dovetail. It was simply a type of scenes that I felt deeply. It simply got here out, and it hit all of the buttons between the 2 of them.”
What precisely does Will Smith’s Bel-Air cameo imply?
However what precisely is taking place in that closing scene? Smith’s character is not given a reputation, and Will seems to be the one one who see him, as Carlton asks who his cousin is speaking to on the street. So is that this simply Will imagining an older model of himself in an try and calm his existential disaster? Or is Smith taking part in some kind of guardian angel on this state of affairs? Truthfully, the probabilities are limitless — and they are going to keep that approach.
“I imply, it is open to interpretation,” Banks-Waddles tells TVLine. “Thematically, it was kind of simply this reassurance as he is going again to Philly that the entire issues Bel-Air poured into him, he’s going to have the ability to now carry that man ahead. [In Season 1], his preliminary worry was wanting to carry on to the Philly facet of himself, so we have seen him come full-circle. Now he is like, gosh, I like who I grew to become out right here. Can I be that child? Can I take that again with me? After which he sees his future self, who says, ‘Yeah, you are going to be OK.'”
The Bel-Air sequence finale had an alternate ending with out Will Smith
As a result of Smith’s involvement wasn’t a positive factor, Banks-Waddles reveals that “two completely different endings” needed to be written, one with and one with out the unique Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air.
So, what would the finale have seemed like with out him? Fairly comparable, because it seems. Carlton nonetheless would have accompanied Will to Philly for the summer season, and Will nonetheless would have had them pull over on the identical scenic spot.
“It might have simply been them on that vista looking like we noticed, with out our Will seeing and speaking to himself,” she says.
And thank goodness Smith’s cameo labored out, as a result of it resulted in an absolute fever dream of a TV second, one we can’t quickly neglect.
“It was simply so lovely how each Will and Jabari dropped in and located these by means of strains in one another’s lives to make the phrases actual,” Cooper provides. “These are the one tales I am desirous about telling, those which might be rooted from a spot of real-life experiences. You may really feel it within the sincerity of their performances. It was an unforgettable expertise.”
Will Smith was initially purported to play a distinct Bel-Air character
For Smith, it was at all times a matter of when he was going to seem on “Bel-Air,” not if. In truth, he was initially supposed to hitch the Peacock drama within the function of Will’s father on the finish of Season 1, however the plans finally fell by means of.
“He was purported to be Lou, however we weren’t capable of [make it happen] as a result of he was actually busy with films,” Cooper tells TVLine. “We weren’t capable of sync schedules, so it fell by means of final minute, and Marlon Wayans did such an unbelievable job.”
Although preliminary plans for Smith’s return fell by means of, almost each certainly one of his “Contemporary Prince” co-stars managed to point out up in “Bel-Air,” together with Janet Hubert (Aunt Viv No. 1), Tatyana Ali (Ashley), Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey), Tyra Banks (Jackie), Vernee Watson-Johnson (Vy), and Daphne Maxwell Reid (Aunt Viv No. 2). Lastly, the celebrities aligned for Smith within the finale.
“We knew that Will was going to make an look sooner or later, and we had been capable of make it occur within the finale,” Cooper says.
Did you jaw drop when Smith confirmed up on display? Grade the sequence finale of “Bel-Air” under, then drop a remark along with your ideas on the OG Contemporary Prince’s large cameo.
