Summer, summer, summertime!
The Bel-Air cast is preparing for their third season by hosting a summer BBQ with cast members at the Universal Studios Backlot in Los Angeles on Thursday, August 1.
PEOPLE was in attendance as guests were treated to a performance by Coco Jones, who sang her new single “Here We Go.” She then invited Will Smith, who is an executive producer on the show, up for a surprise performance, with the pair belting out his 1991 smash hit “Summertime.”
According to PEOPLE cast members Jabari Banks, Olly Sholotan, Jimmy Akingbola, Adrian Holmes, Akira Akbar, Jordan L. Jones and Simone Joy Jones were also in attendance at the event.
Will Smith performing Summertime during Summer Time just hits different! Shout out to Coco Jones on the vocals! #belair #season3 #premiere pic.twitter.com/VT2w8MW2au
— Your Friend’s Friend (@walkgoodetienne) August 2, 2024
Set in contemporary Los Angeles, Bel-Air revisits The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with a fresh approach and dramatic lens, following Will’s (Jabari Banks) journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the sprawling, lavish mansions of Los Angeles’ Bel-Air neighborhood.
“While the dynamic duo has a lot of exciting wins, working together also reveals fundamental differences in their backgrounds and worldviews,” the synopsis continues. “Can a partnership of such extremes work? Pressure at work and home will also pose challenges for Viv (Cassandra Freeman) and Phil (Adrian Holmes). How does a couple hold strong when their lives are at sea? Hilary’s (Coco Jones) romantic journey with LaMarcus will face some shocking hurdles, and Ashley’s (Akira Akbar) views on romance will start to blossom as she comes of age the summer before she starts high school, and Geoffrey’s (Jimmy Akingbola) London past will come a little too close to home.”
Coco Jones with Will Smith and her Bel Air co-stars ????
— Coco Jones Source (@CocoJonesSOURCE) August 2, 2024
Executive producer and writer Morgan Cooper previously said in 2022 that the show’s producers sought to position Bel-Air as a drama so it could “stand on its own.”
“With this dramatic reimagining, we wanted to create a show that stands on its own while honoring the spirit and innovation of the original series,” he said in a statement. “Because Bel-Air is a drama, we’re able to really peel back the layers of these characters and themes in a way that you simply couldn’t do 30 years ago in the half-hour sitcom format.”
Cooper also promised that the series would feature more serious, prevalent themes about race.
“We’re able to go have tough conversations that challenge perspectives,” he continued. “At its core, Bel-Air is a celebration of the Black experience through the perspective of a family.”
Will Smith performing Summertime w/ Coco Jones☀️ pic.twitter.com/drQM2rLpIL
— Shirley Ju (@shirju) August 2, 2024
