Now this is a story all about how “Fresh Prince” is back — so save the date!
Will Smith gave fans of the Fresh Prince series a much anticipated holiday gift on Friday (Nov. 13) when he dropped the first trailer for the long awaited Fresh Prince reunion special, which will air on HBO Max on Nov. 19.
Smith posted the trailer to YouTube Friday morning where it quickly racked up nearly a quarter of a million views in just a few hours. “You not ready for this trailer,” Smith said in the first few seconds of the video. “You couldn’t be ready for this trailer. Happy Thanksgiving.”
The video — featuring cast members such as Tatyana Ali, Joseph Marcell and Alfonso Ribeiro — combines moments from the TV series with shots of the cast around a couch together rehashing behind the scenes secrets and memorable moments while filming the TV show.
The trailer also teases some difficult moments as the cast discusses the late James Avery, the actor who played father-figure Uncle Phil on the show and who passed away six years ago from complications after an open heart surgery.
“James Avery was this six-foot-four Shakespearen beast,” Smith can be heard saying in the trailer. “And I wanted him to think I was good.”
Furthermore, the clip captures the cast reflecting on the importance that the show — which ran for six seasons and a total of 148 episodes — had for Black viewers.
“Our show meant Black excellence to people,” Ali said in the trailer. “That excellence was the way that we loved each other.”
You can stream the resh Prince reunion special, which will air on HBO Max on November 19.