Few sitcom theme tunes are as instantly recognisable as the one that opens The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Thirty-six years after it first aired, the story of a West Philadelphia teenager sent to live with his wealthy relatives in Bel-Air is still winning new fans, and its Peacock reimagining, Bel-Air, wrapped up its fourth and final season in December 2025.
Here's the story of the show that launched Will Smith's acting career. Find tribute designs for it in our TV series collection.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Fact File
| Aired | 10 September 1990 – 20 May 1996 |
|---|---|
| Network | NBC |
| Created by | Andy Borowitz and Susan Borowitz |
| Executive producers | Including Quincy Jones and Benny Medina |
| Seasons/episodes | 6 seasons, 148 episodes |
| Main cast | Will Smith, James Avery, Janet Hubert, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana Ali, Joseph Marcell |
| Setting | Bel-Air, Los Angeles |
Seasons
| Season/Year | Episodes/Release | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 (1990–1991) | NBC, September 1990 | Will arrives at the Banks mansion |
| Seasons 2–3 (1991–1993) | NBC | Will and Carlton's friendship becomes the heart of the show |
| Season 4 (1993–1994) | NBC | Daphne Maxwell Reid takes over as Aunt Vivian |
| Seasons 5–6 (1994–1996) | NBC | Will starts college; in the finale the Banks family moves to New York |
Across six seasons the show produced 148 episodes. Will Smith also served as an executive producer for the final three seasons.
A Show Inspired by Real Life
The idea came from music executive Benny Medina, who grew up in East Los Angeles and went on to live with a wealthy family in Beverly Hills. With Quincy Jones on board as an executive producer, Andy and Susan Borowitz created the series around Will Smith, who was already a Grammy-winning rapper as The Fresh Prince.
Smith even performed the theme song himself.
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The Banks Family
James Avery's Uncle Phil was the show's moral compass, while Alfonso Ribeiro's Carlton, with his famous dance, became one of the great sitcom characters. Karyn Parsons as Hilary, Tatyana Ali as Ashley and Joseph Marcell as Geoffrey the butler completed a brilliant ensemble. Janet Hubert played Aunt Vivian for the first three seasons before Daphne Maxwell Reid took over the role.
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Reunion and Reboot
For the 30th anniversary, HBO Max aired a reunion special in November 2020, bringing the surviving cast together. A dramatic reimagining, Bel-Air, inspired by a fan-made trailer by Morgan Cooper, premiered on Peacock in 2022 with Jabari Banks as Will and ran for four seasons. Smith himself went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor for King Richard in 2022.
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Awards
Golden Globe Nominations
- Will Smith: Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy (1993 and 1994)
NAACP Image Awards
- Alfonso Ribeiro: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (1996)
- Tatyana Ali: Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress (1997)
Behind the Scenes
The exterior of the Banks mansion is a real house in Brentwood, Los Angeles, while the interiors were filmed on studio sets. The 2020 reunion special also gave Will Smith and Janet Hubert a chance to talk publicly about their past differences.
FAQs
How many seasons of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air are there?
Six seasons and 148 episodes, aired on NBC from 1990 to 1996.
Is The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air based on a true story?
It was inspired by the life of music executive Benny Medina, who moved from East Los Angeles to live with a wealthy family in Beverly Hills.
Where is the Fresh Prince house?
The mansion seen in the opening credits is in Brentwood, Los Angeles, not Bel-Air.
Why did Aunt Viv change?
Janet Hubert played Vivian Banks for the first three seasons, and Daphne Maxwell Reid took over from season 4 in 1993.
Who sang The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme?
Will Smith performed it himself, credited as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
Is there a Fresh Prince reboot?
Yes. Bel-Air, a dramatic reimagining, ran on Peacock for four seasons from 2022 to 2025.
Shop the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Collection
Our Fresh Prince pieces are fan-made tribute designs, printed to order on hoodies and tees.
See more classic shows in our TV series collection. Want your own name on the back instead? Design a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Icon Profiles series. Read next: Friends: Seasons, Cast, Emmys and Why We Still Love It and Only Fools and Horses: Series, Cast and Classic Moments.
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