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Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

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Will Smith
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air / Bel-Air character
Will Smith (left) and Jabari Banks (right) as Will Smith.
First appearance"The Fresh Prince Project" (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; 1990)
"Dreams and Nightmares" (Bel-Air; 2022)
Created byAndy Borowitz
Susan Borowitz
Portrayed byWill Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
Jerry Madison (Bel-Air film)
Jabari Banks (Bel-Air TV series)
In-universe information
NicknamesMaster William, Prince, Fresh Prince, Will
Family
  • Lou Smith (father)
  • Vy Smith-Wilkes (mother)
  • Fred Wilkes (stepfather)
  • Lisa Wilkes (former fiance/stepsister)
Relatives
  • Eli Smith (grandfather)
  • Helen Lewis (aunt)
  • Janice Schaeffer (aunt)
  • Philip Banks (uncle)
  • Vivian Banks (aunt)
  • Hilary Banks (cousin)
  • Carlton Banks (cousin)
  • Ashley Banks (cousin)
  • Nicky Banks (cousin)
  • Bobby Lewis (cousin)
  • Frank Schaeffer Jr. (cousin)
  • Reuben (great-uncle)
  • Eleanor (great-aunt)

William "Will" Smith, a fictionalized version of actor and rapper Will Smith, is the main character of the 1990–1996 NBC television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the 2022 Peacock television drama Bel-Air. The character was played by Smith himself in the original series and by Jabari Banks in the remake.

Concept and characteristics

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The character of Will Smith is loosely based on Smith's life and of Warner Bros. executive Benny Medina.[citation needed] In the show, "Will" is short for William, not Willard.[1]

The show's premise, outlined in the opening theme, is that Will is a street-smart and laid-back West Philadelphia teenager who gets in a fight with gang members and is sent by his mother to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air, an affluent neighborhood of Los Angeles.[2][3]

An outsider and far from home, Will hangs a picture of Malcolm X on his wall. He often disagrees with his cousin Carlton, whom he sees as not quite "black" enough because he doesn't talk like other young African Americans. Yet he is also fiercely protective of Carlton and will not hesitate to come to his cousin's defense.

Will often teases his Uncle Phillip due to his obesity and lack of hair, but values him as a father figure and fiercely defends him to outsiders.

Reception

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The character and Will Smith's portrayal received widespread praise from television critics and audiences. "Rarely has there been a television series so perfectly tailor-made for its star than The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," wrote UGO editor Bryan Enk. "Fresh Prince fit Will Smith like a glove; it was obviously a showcase for him, but his co-stars were just as good, and Smith never hogged the spotlight (or the camera), allowing each cast member to shine in every episode."[4]

References

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  1. ^ Bryan Enk (November 17, 2008). "Biography - UGO.com". Retrieved 2012-01-21.[dead link]
  2. ^ Season 1, episode 1 The Fresh Prince Project
  3. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Theme Song (Full)". YouTube. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  4. ^ Bryan Enk (November 17, 2008). "10. Becoming the Prince of Bel-Air - UGO.com". Retrieved 2012-01-21.
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