Why Alfonso Ribeiro Wants Nothing To Do With Will Smith’s ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Reboot

Alfonso Ribeiro, best known for his role in the legendary sitcom ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ as Carlton, has revealed that he has no real connection with the reboot of the series that has been in works at the Westbrook Studios.

The production studio, owned by Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, started production on the reboot after a 4-minute long short film by Morgan Cooper which showcased the concept of ‘Bel-Air’ quickly went viral in 2019.

The series’ description reads that it will “explore the challenges of a Black man living in today’s society and examine what it’s like for someone leaving West Philadelphia for Bel-Air, one of Los Angeles’ richest neighborhoods.”

While appearing on the “Just A Sip” podcast alongside E! News‘ Justin Sylvester, Ribeiro, who played the counterpart to Will Smith in the 90s hit show talked about how the older shows are completely distinct from today’s edgy dramas.

I like to call it a reimagining. We sometimes throw a lot of things into one word, one concept. A reboot would be taking the actual show and characters and bringing it back. This is a totally different show. It’s not even based on the show. It’s based on the theme song,” he stated. “It’s a completely different thing. It’s drama. It’s not comedy. I have nothing to do with it, so I don’t really know anything more. … But I actually appreciate it even more than a reboot. Let’s take a concept and turn it into a different show.

The series will have Cooper retaining his position as the co-writer and director, and the original producers Quincy Jones and Benny Medina along with creators Andy and Susan Borowitz have been signed on the roster as executive producers.