BET Awards 2022: Get to Know Hollywood’s Newest Fresh Prince Jabari Banks
Before landing the role of life as Will Smith in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Peacock reboot Bel-Air, Jabari Banks was just your typical recent college graduate aspiring to become Hollywood’s next big star. Fast forward, and we think It’s safe to say that with a massive opportunity like that, not to mention earning his first ever BET Awards nomination for “Best Actor” for his performance, the rising actor is not off to a bad start. Ahead of the BET Awards 2022 hosted by actress Taraji P.Henson live from Los Angeles' Microsoft Theater on Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. EST. get to know up-and-coming actor, singer, and rapper Jabari Banks.
Bel-Air is his breakout role
The name Jabari Banks may sound foreign to the Hollywood scene, but that’s because before starring in the Peacock reimagining Bel-Air, the burgeoning star had never held a professional acting gig. He earned a bachelor’s degree in musical theater at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
He’s a juggernaut
While talking to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the program director at the Jabri’s alma mater, Justin Lujan, revealed that the star not only can act, but he “sings, he dances, he acts, he raps, and he plays basketball, which is what got him this role,” on Bel-Air.
He wants to star in an action films
While talking to PEOPLE, the young actor shared his dreams of someday starring on the big screen, telling reporters, "I'm really interested in doing action movies and getting into my action bag. So that's going to be fun to do."
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He and his onscreen character share a lot in common
Much like the young master Will, Jabari is also from West Philadelphia. Although he was reportedly born in the Atlanta area of Georgia, the actor has spent most of his life in the city of brotherly love. "I feel like Will is so close to me and my personal experiences. There are so many parallels between my life and his life. It feels as if it's not such a stretch as an actor," the young actor told The Hollywood Reporter. "This is such a blessing to be able to play on this level and to be proof that dreams really do come true."
He wasn’t born when Fresh Prince was still on the air
Despite scoring the role of the lifetime, it’s interesting to learn that Jabari wasn’t even born when the sitcom premiered in 1990 or wrapped in 1996 after six seasons. However, his family made sure he didn’t miss out. "My family had the 6-season box set. So it was on repeat all the time," he told PEOPLE. "I remember The Fresh Prince was the first show I watched where I realized what entertainment was."
Tune into the BET Awards 2022 Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET.
