The legacy of both Fresh Prince and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sits comfortably in the supreme league curtsy of the contribution of Will Smith. As the wheel of time rolled on, and Smith had already tasted the zenith of success in both acting and rapping, the Oscar winner tried his hands at producing, and what better way to set things in motion than a revamp of his own iconic sit-com, Bel-Air. Despite the entourage of achievements that accompany Smith's name at any given point, it was the way he mentored Jabari Banks for his once iconic role that brought him the crown.

The young actor from Bel-Air has opened up about how Will Smith, despite his affiliation to the role and character, set the stage for him to be a star.

While the recent years may have earned him some bad press, Will Smith was the go-to golden boy of Hollywood except for the one instance where he pushed off a reporter for trying to kiss him. The record speaks for itself and the way in which he trained his kids, especially Jaden Smith, who was only eight when his father had him put forth a compelling performance in The Pursuit of Happyness. Therefore, it was not much of a shocker when Jabari Banks, in his interview with Ebro on HOT 97 stated, "he gave me the blessing to do this role," while also calling him a great mentor.

The actor who is an executive producer on the series while also being engaged in other multi-million dollar movie projects, made the time to give Banks every bit of help he could while also not violating his creative space, for which Jabari Banks revealed he was incredibly grateful. The well-balanced dynamic is also evident on the show, as it has just enough nostalgia woven in while also presenting a fresh story.

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While Smith's mentoring may have opened up a new avenue for Jabari Banks, the Oscar-winning actor himself has been revisiting old ones.

Following the abrupt echo of a slap at the Oscar ceremony in 2022, the case of Will Smith arguably became the diciest one Hollywood had ever seen. With a star of his stature at the helm of affairs, the entire Hollywood found themselves divided, including Smith himself. As he witnessed his best nightfall from grace along with Emancipation, the actor knew it was time to pull up the nostalgia gun.

With Bad Boys: Ride or Die becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of 2024, it is safe to say that this blast from the past has worked spectacularly for Will Smith. Moreover, with I am Legend already in the pipeline and Bel-Air Season 3 stirring up unprecedented excitement, it seems the blast from the past has effectively made room for new ground in not just Smith's career but also Jabari Banks'.

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What do you think about Jabari Banks' statement on Will Smith? Let us know in the comments below.