‘Fresh Prince’ Star Janet Hubert Joins ‘Bel-Air’ Season 4

When Bel-Air returns for its fourth and final season in November, there will be a familiar face on screen — Janet Hubert, who played the original Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Hubert (Demascus and Sweet Magnolia) has booked a guest role on Bel-Air as “a wise woman that Hilary meets, who becomes instrumental to the Banks family,” Peacock said in a press release.

The actress joins newly announced guest star Caroline Chikezie (Power Book II: Ghost), who will play Dominique Warren, the leader of Geoffrey’s former London gang, who’s also like a sister to him.

Peacock previously said Tyra Banks, who appeared on the original 1990s sitcom, is taking on a guest role in season 4 as someone who clashes with Bel-Air‘s main characters.

Related: Janet Hubert Speaks Out About Reconciliation With Will Smith

Hubert played Aunt Viv on seasons 1-3 of the original NBC series, but she was replaced on season 4. The actress later went public and said series star Will Smith was to blame for her departure.

Then in 2020, during a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion special, Hubert said departing the show caused her to “lose everything.”

“When I left the show, I had this new baby and no one. Family disowned me. Hollywood disowned me. My family said, ‘You’ve ruined our name.’ And I wasn’t unprofessional on the set. I just stopped talking to everybody because I didn’t know who to trust because I had been banished. And they said it was you who banished me,” she told Smith on the special.

The rapper-turned-actor told Hubert he has since matured and the two set aside their differences.

“You’re still my Aunt Viv,” Smith said on the reunion.

Now fans can see Hubert on Bel-Air, which Smith co-executive produces.

Inspired by Morgan Stevenson Cooper’s viral trailer that reimagined the sitcom, Bel-Air takes a dramatic and modern approach, while exploring Will’s journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air.

Returning cast members include Jabari Banks (Will), Adrian Holmes (Phillip Banks), Cassandra Freeman (Vivian Banks), Olly Sholotan (Carlton Banks), Coco Jones (Hilary Banks), Akira Akbar (Ashley Banks), Jimmy Akingbola (Geoffrey), Jordan L. Jones (Jazz), Simone Joy Jones (Lisa).

Per Peacock, the new season finds Will trying to balance the excitement of his senior year with the expectations that brought him to this moment. While Carlton is forced to deal with the fallout from decisions that could threaten his future, as previously reported.

The series is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and Westbrook Studios, a division of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s media company Westbrook Inc.

Carla Banks Waddles serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Will Smith, Morgan Stevenson Cooper, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Benny Medina, Andy and Susan Borowitz.

Bel-Air season 4 will consist of eight one-hour episodes. The series returns Nov. 24 on Peacock.