August 24th 2024.
After nearly 30 years since his iconic role as Geoffrey Butler in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Joseph Marcell has made a surprising comeback. The 76-year-old actor, best known for his role in the beloved 90s sitcom, last played the charismatic butler in 1996 when the show ended. However, with the recent revival of the series titled Bel-Air, Joseph has been given another chance to return to the grand mansion.
The Peacock show, a reimagined version of the original Will Smith-fronted series, follows the journey of Jabari Banks as he takes on the titular character of Will. Similar to the first series, Bel-Air explores themes of race, culture, and the elitist world, as Will navigates his new life in Bel Air after growing up in West Philadelphia. It has quickly become the most-streamed original series on Peacock, with over eight million accounts tuning in for the first three seasons. It has also received a 6.7/10 rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a popular film and TV review site.
Despite the reboot featuring an entirely new cast, the creators have paid homage to the original by including guest appearances from members of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Joseph himself reprised his role as Geoffrey in the original series, while Daphne Maxwell Reid, who played the second Vivian Banks from 1993-1996, appeared in season one as Helen, an Art Council board member. Vernee Watson-Johnson, also known as Viola ‘Vy’ Smith in the original series, returned as Janice, another member of the Art Council board. And now, Joseph has had his turn at surprising fans by returning as Roman in episode six of the latest season.
In an interview with TV Insider, Joseph expressed his excitement at being asked to appear in the reboot. He shared, "I was up in Liverpool, England, when this opportunity came up. It was pure excitement. It was completely different from what I was doing at the time and what I did afterward. Working with Jimmy [Akingbola] and [EP] Morgan [Cooer] and all those people was just marvelous. For them to remember and think of me was beyond words."
Bel-Air follows the same beloved characters from the original Will Smith series, but with a fresh new take. Jimmy, who plays the role of Geoffrey, revealed to the news outlet that working with Joseph was a dream come true. He said, "Being Geoffrey and having Joseph on the show has been mind-blowing. I'm still in disbelief. There was a moment when Joseph said, 'I can't believe this is happening.' And I felt the same way. When it's meant to be, it's meant to be." However, Joseph's appearance almost didn't happen due to scheduling conflicts. Showrunner Carla Banks Waddles shared with The Hollywood Reporter how they managed to make it work despite his tight schedule. "We just needed him here for one day, but he was doing a play in London five days a week with no understudy," she said. "Thankfully, they found a one-day window in his schedule, and we were able to fly him to Los Angeles for a quick day of filming before he had to turn around and go back to London. It was a small window of opportunity, and I'm very proud of how we managed to execute it."
Carla also discussed the thought process behind bringing back original cast members. She revealed, "We always love when our OG cast is with us. They've all been great and responsive whenever we've asked, but we're also very mindful of not forcing someone into the story if it doesn't feel natural. When you see Joseph's character this season, you'll see how perfectly he fit into the storyline we had in mind."
Since The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended in 1996, Joseph has been busy starring in various high-profile films and TV shows, including EastEnders, The Sandman, and The Exorcism of God. Despite his successful career, he was thrilled to return to Bel-Air and be a part of the beloved series once again.
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