“Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped-turned upside down,” – Jabari Banks (probably). A new fresh prince has been crowned, as the iconic 90s sitcom ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, now just ‘Bel-Air’ gears up for a reboot with new lead actor Jabari Banks. 

NBC’s Peacock will be the studio running the series, and will be retooling it with more of a focus on the “plight of Black Men in America today.” The 23 year old received the news that he had been chosen for the role by none other than Will Smith, effectively passing the torch to a younger generation.

Also a native of West Philly, the actor is a relative newcomer to the biz, but so was Smith when he was first cast. Will Smith took up the role at 22 years old, after gaining modest recognition from his musical career with friend DJ Jazzy Jeff, and some small roles in TV. 

But the personality of the Fresh Prince is what made it so iconic, it’s what turned a 22 year old kid into one of the 90s biggest superstars. Could the same impact be felt by the new fresh prince, Jabari Banks? Well he’s already received Will Smith’s personal backing, and is even followed on Instagram by the megastar. 

He’s a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theatre. Though information regarding some of his work isn’t readily available at the moment, his certifications can already speak to his talent. All that’s left to be seen is how the new fresh prince will fill those shoes. 

“This is truly a dream come true! Thank you to @Willsmith and @Cooperfilms for trusting me with this iconic role,” said Banks in an Instagram post. “I can’t wait to make you all laugh, cry, and feel every emotion in between.”

Sources: HUFFPOST.COM, BET.COM, VARIETY.COM, AVCLUB.CO