What Tatyana Ali Really Thinks About The Bel-Air Reboot - Exclusive
Believe it or not, it's been more than 30 years since "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" first graced our small screens. "There's so many good memories," actor Tatyana Ali, who played Ashley, reminisced to The List during an exclusive interview.
Working alongside such big name actors like Will Smith, James Avery, and Joseph Marcell was a dream come true for Ali, who was only 11 years old when she booked the role of Ashley. "We had this incredible camaraderie, and we were allowed to just let our creativity loose," she told us. "It's where I learned to do comedy." Today, however, the classic series that always had us laughing is taking a more serious turn with its reboot "Bel-Air," starring up-and-coming actor Jabari Banks.
Though the reboot is filled with brand new faces, the same characters are still present for the story. In fact, the actors who originally played the storied characters in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" are incredibly interested in it, too. "We've all been, like, texting each other and talking about it," Ali admitted. She also told us exactly how she feels about seeing this story again on-screen.
Tatyana Ali is ecstatic that Bel-Air will steer clear of comedy
When Tatyana Ali first saw the trailer for "Bel-Air," she was in complete shock. "I was like, 'Oh, my gosh. They totally got the essence of the story,'" she told The List. "And the essence is so good that it could be a comedy, or it could be a drama."
While the dramatic reboot will certainly have strong ties to the original comedic series, the newest installment will dive deeper into the intense situations that Will Smith's character found himself in before arriving in Bel-Air. The fact that the series will steer clear of comedy is something that makes Ali very happy, too. "I like that the version of the show that we all did kind of remains in this sort of category," she told us.
Knowing that no series could ever compare to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," the reboot is sure to stand on its own — and still bring back all the nostalgia. "Especially in this world of reboots, it's very unique," Ali said. "And I'm really excited to see it."
You can catch Tatyana Ali in her newest film, "Vanished: Searching for My Sister," available now on Lifetime.