Jabari Banks knew he was close to getting the starring role of Will in “ Bel-Air,” the dramatic take of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” but his confidence started to wane when he was asked to do one more Zoom audition with show director Morgan Cooper.
“I’m like, ‘I don’t know what he wants to see, but I’m gonna give him everything I got,’ recalled the 23-year-old in a recent interview. “I was like, ‘I’m gonna put everything into this audition.’”
Banks found a quiet place — a friend’s closet — and logged in, only to see a very familiar face staring back at him, Will Smith.
“I didn’t think it was real,” Banks said. “He’s like, ’I want to congratulate you. You got the part of Will in ‘Bel-Air.’”
And then in true Smith exuberance, the superstar directed Banks to invite those with him to join the Zoom. “He was like, ‘Where is everybody? Go get them,’ said Banks. So a lot of my friends met Will.”
