Ali will star as an English Literature teacher in the second season of the Peacock reboot series. The streaming service has also released the second season trailer, which heralds tumultuous times for Will (Jabari Banks).
Tatyana Ali (pictured below) joins stars Jabari Banks (Will), Adrian Holmes (Philip Banks), and Cassandra Freeman (Vivian Banks) in the new 10-episode season starting Thursday, February 23 on Peacock. Ali will play Mrs. Hughes, a Bel-Air high school teacher who sees something special in… Ashley Banks (Akira Akbar).
Here's the announced storyline: The second season of Bel-Air begins with Will at a crossroads as a new figure enters his life who challenges what he's learned in Bel-Air and competes for control of his influence. He juggles this as he tries to live his domestic life with the Banks family and rebuild the trust that was broken at the end of the previous season.
We'll see how Will and Carlton's brotherhood begins to develop as they grow closer, but still challenge each other about their differences. We'll also see how Hilary develops as she becomes more of a boss in her influencer world and how that spills over into her relationship with Jazz, as well as the relatable battle around Viv and Phil balancing marriage and family as they try to forge their own career paths. forge and reconnect with the things that matter to them.
“In season two, the show will continue to find ways to push the envelope and feel refreshing and unique while also honoring the heart of the legacy series,” said Carla Banks Waddles, the new showrunner who took over for TJ Brady and Rasheed Newson in October.
“Last season was very much about the introduction to the Banks family world, and this season we get to go deeper with some of the themes we touched on … What it truly means to be a family even when it’s challenging. We’ll also explore Will’s character beyond feeling like a fish-out-of-water. He’s now struggling to find a balance of maintaining his independence and his West Philly identity while also being open to new opportunities for himself in Bel-Air.”
“Man, it feels so good to be back!” added Morgan Cooper, whose viral trailer was the basis for the reboot. “The response from the fans in season one was electrifying, and we couldn’t be more excited to have Carla Waddles taking the reins as showrunner for season two. She has an incredible perspective and voice that jumps off the page and challenges our amazing cast to go even deeper in their character journeys.
The future of our show is bright and I can’t wait for fans to see what’s in store for the Banks family in season two. Everyone is ready to level up in this new chapter, especially Will, who’s determined to become his own man after the fallout with Lou and the Banks family in the season one finale. The themes of trust, pride and ambition are at the forefront, and all our characters find themselves at unique crossroads that will be life-changing.”
Besides Waddles, executive Producers are Cooper, Anthony Sparks, Malcolm Spellman, Will Smith, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Benny Medina, Quincy Jones, Andy & Susan Borowitz, TJ Brady & Rasheed Newson.
Bel-Air is from Universal Television and Westbrook Studios.