Technology

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot signs off with a bizarre meta cameo from OG star Will Smith: "That was always something that we wanted to do"

December 09, 2025 5 min read views
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot signs off with a bizarre meta cameo from OG star Will Smith: "That was always something that we wanted to do"
  1. Entertainment
  2. TV
  3. Drama Shows
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot signs off with a bizarre meta cameo from OG star Will Smith: "That was always something that we wanted to do" News By Bradley Russell published 9 December 2025

Will Smith, meet Will Smith

Comments (0) ()

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: NBC)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot has drawn to a close after four seasons, but not before a surprising meta cameo signed off the Peacock streaming series in style.

In the eighth episode of Bel-Air's final season, Will Smith (Jamari Banks) is heading back to Philadelphia to enrol in college. But before he can leave Los Angeles for the City of Brotherly Love, he takes one last look back at the skyline. Then, the Will Smith – presumably a future version of Banks' character – appears and dishes out some much-needed advice to the iteration of the character he made famous back in the 1990s.

"You're going to mess some things up and do some dumb shit, but you’re human," the elder Will Smith tells Banks' Will Smith. "You’ll learn, you’ll grow, and just live and laugh and cry… Life goes by fast. Try to enjoy the ride."

You may like
  • Will Smith as Dr. Robert Neville in I Am Legend I Am Legend 2 release date speculation, cast, plot, trailer, and everything we know about the upcoming horror sequel
  • Stranger Things season 5 Stranger Things season 5 star confirms a de-aged Will Byers will open the new season of the Netflix show in "a full circle moment"
  • Will Smith as Agent J in Men in Black There's a new Men in Black movie in the works and the producers want Will Smith to return

From there, Will Smith disappears just as quickly as he entered – with Banks' Will getting ready for the next pivotal stage of his life.

"Since day one, that was always something that we wanted to do, and it was just a matter of finding the right moment," Bel-Air creator Morgan Cooper told The Wrap of the climactic moment. "And for that to be the final moment of the series just felt so right. It all led up to that, but was always in the cards.”

Next up for Will Smith (the actor, to be clear) is reprising another role in I Am Legend 2 alongside Michael B. Jordan, though there's still no word on a release date.

For more on what's coming to cinema, check out our guide to upcoming movies.

Sign up for the Total Film NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Bradley RussellBradley RussellSocial Links Navigation

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more Will Smith as Dr. Robert Neville in I Am Legend I Am Legend 2 release date speculation, cast, plot, trailer, and everything we know about the upcoming horror sequel    Stranger Things season 5 Stranger Things season 5 star confirms a de-aged Will Byers will open the new season of the Netflix show in "a full circle moment"    Will Smith as Agent J in Men in Black There's a new Men in Black movie in the works and the producers want Will Smith to return    Robert Redford Robert Redford's final on-screen appearance was a cameo alongside George R.R. Martin – and it featured a Winds of Winter joke    It: Welcome to Derry It: Welcome to Derry finale is going to leave you "destroyed," tease creators, who say there's a "trick" that’s tied to "the reason we're telling the story backwards"    Chance Perdomo as Andre Anderson in Gen V Gen V season 2's finale scene contains a heartwarming tribute to late Andre actor Chance Perdomo that you may have missed    Latest in Drama Shows Owen Cooper in Adolescence Hideo Kojima has picked his favorite TV show of 2025, and it's a surprise hit Netflix limited series    Jon Hamm in Mad Men Mad Men fans spot edit issues with HBO Max's 4K release, including crew members and visible vomit machines    Kim Kardashian and Naomi Watts in All's Fair. Kim Kardashian's all-time terrible lawyer show All's Fair is experiencing the Morbius effect as Hulu renews it for season 2    Squid Game Season 2 on Netflix Squid Game US series from Fight Club director David Fincher looks to still be happening at Netflix, with potential plot and filming details unveiled    Jon Hamm as Don Draper in Mad Men, smoking a cigarette in a chair. One of the greatest TV shows of all time is finally coming back to streaming in 4K next month    Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring in Breaking Bad Breaking Bad creator says he's "a weenie," and the show's notorious Gus Fring box cutter kill "looked so real" it made him feel "faint"    Latest in News The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot signs off with a bizarre meta cameo from OG star Will Smith: "That was always something that we wanted to do"    Hideo Kojima waving near a Sam Porter Bridges statue Despite Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding acclaim, Hideo Kojima says "sometimes I imagine a life where I make the best-selling thing," but that'd be boring: "I'd be at home with nothing to do"    Baldur's Gate 3 character Nocturne After Baldur's Gate 3 player painstakingly calculates how much spoken dialogue Larian included in its D&D RPG, director admits they didn't actually know themselves: "Which I think was for the better"    David Corenswet as Superman fighting back flames Frankenstein director Guillermo del Toro sings the praises of James Gunn's Superman and how the DC head "views the universe": "You feel the healing power of goodness from someone that believes in it"    Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson at gunpoint in The Long Walk Hideo Kojima shares lengthy review of Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk, and it sounds like he's a huge fan: "It's a meta, philosophical film about friendship and growth"    Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc and Josh O'Connor as Jud Duplenticy in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Netflix CEO promises to commit to releasing Warner Bros. movies theatrically after studio sale: "We didn't buy this company to destroy that value"    GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS