Will Smith's successor as The Prince of Bel-Air is ready to take his throne.
The Hollywood star stunned newcomer Jabari Banks on Tuesday by revealing via a video call that he was to take on the role of Will in the upcoming reboot of the hit US TV sitcom.
The character catapulted Smith, now 52, to stardom in the early 1990s.
"It is an absolute pleasure to meet you, to be on with you, and from the deepest parts of my heart I want to say congratulations to you," he told Banks.
"You have the role of Will on Bel-Air."
"I'm ready, I'm so ready," replied the actor, who revealed his father had suggested he try out for the part after reading an article about it.
"This is a dream come true," he added.
Banks said the show had a huge impact on his life, adding that he once got his friends to join him in dressing up as characters from the TV show while he was at high school.
The reboot, which will appear on NBC streaming service Peacock, was inspired by a 2019 viral fan video by Morgan Cooper. who re-imagined the comedy as a modern-day drama.
Morgan was snapped up to work on the new project, produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith Westbrook Studios and Universal Television, where he will now be joined by Banks.
The original Will told the new one: "You've got a fantastic road ahead of you, and I'm looking forward to being an asset for you in this process as you build out your life and build out your career.
