Bel-Air Season 3 Reveals Return of Fresh Prince OG Joseph Marcell, Teases Will’s ‘Hot Boy Healing Summer’ (Exclusive)

A wise man once said, “Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind.” But this summer, Bel-Air season 3 is coming in hot — and those tuning in will likely spend more time sitting forward, yelling at their screens than unwinding.

“I cannot wait to get on Twitter and hear what people say,” Bel-Air showrunner, executive producer, and writer Carla Banks Waddles says over Zoom with a mischievous grin. (If you need a full recap of how season 2 ended, click here.)

Bel-Air season 3 makes its grand return to Peacock on August 15, with three new episodes ready to watch upon premiere. In 13 new photos shared exclusively with Teen Vogue, we get a better look at what summer has in store for the Banks family and a closer look at new faces joining the season. Enter: Fresh Prince legend Joseph Marcell, who played the original Geoffrey the butler in the ’90s series. Earlier this summer, Marcell also appeared in Hulu’s Queenie.

“The homages get people so excited! Last season it was Tatyana Ali [who played the original Ashley],” says Banks Waddles. “Every season, without forcing it, we like bringing back our OG cast because we love them, the audience loves them… being able to bring Joseph Marcell back was very exciting.”

“Baggage” Episode 306. Joseph Marcell 2024 Peacock Media, LLC.

The guest appearance was a difficult get, as Banks Waddles says the actor “works all the time” and was in the middle of performances for a play in which he had no understudy during season 3’s production. Banks Waddles says everyone working on set lit up when Marcell arrived. “Flying him in from London,” the showrunner says, “We were all excited to go down and take pictures with him and meet him.”

Marcell’s new role is one of many new characters with screen time in season 3, joining the previously announced Amira, played by Alycia Pascual-Peña, and Quentin, portrayed by rapper and actor Vic Mensa. New photos also unveil the addition of Dulé Hill as a character named Omar Campbell. In a number of ways, Bel-Air season 3 is bigger, bolder, and badder.

Related: Bel-Air Season 3: Release Date, Trailer, Cast and Everything You Need to Know

“It feels a little different than previous seasons where we’ve been at school, in the hallways, in school uniforms,” says Banks Waddles. “Summer is going to be a little bit of a wild ride. [It’s] sexy and fun, but also very emotional. There’s going to be some tears with the cheers and some surprises. You may need to press pause and take an emotional lap before you get back at it.”

Jabari Banks, who leads the series as Will, agrees wholeheartedly when we talk over Zoom. “This is definitely a hot boy summer [for Will],” says Banks. “It’s a hot boy healing summer. The duality of man, right?”

Banks Waddles notes that season 3 begins with Will “really ready to take on Bel-Air,” finally shedding the fish-out-of-water perspective he had for two seasons. According to her, this next installment will allow audiences to delve deeper into the man of mystery that is Jimmy Akingbola’s Geoffrey, witness Carlton’s potential rise from rock bottom, explore the harsh realities of Viv and Phil’s marriage, watch Ashley come of age, and indulge in the mess of Hilary’s romantic life. And, of course, fight demons alongside Will.

“Gimme A Break” Episode 308. Jabari Banks as Will, Olly Sholotan as Carlton 2024 Peacock Media, LLC.

“It’s been a dramatic two seasons. There’s been a lot going on in Will’s life, and so I wanted [season 3] to give him a fun break so we could see a different side of him, see how he enjoys his summer and who he is outside of basketball,” says Banks of his character. “I wanted [Will] to have more fun this season, and I think we succeeded in that… but it’s also intense. We pair the brightness of the summer and the levity of it with the intensity of everything else that comes with it. When you think about summer, there’s the sun and fun and it’s beautiful, but there’s also heat and pressure.”

When asked to describe the season in three words, Banks Waddles offers up “emotional, pearl-clutching, and wild.” Similarly, Banks calls his character’s next chapter “elusive, dangerous, and sexy.”

“It’s some sexy sh*t happening,” Banks says, laughing. “We’re getting into our sexy era. We start that way [in the first episode of the season]. We’re bringing sexy back this summer.” Ready for things to heat up? Below, check out 11 more new photos from Bel-Air season 3, shared exclusively with Teen Vogue.

“Baby, I’m Back” Episode 301. Olly Sholotan as Carlton, Justin Cornwell as Lamarcus, Cassandra Freeman as Vivian, Adrian Holmes as Philip, Coco Jones as Hilary, Akira Akbar as Ashley, Simone Joy Jones as Lisa, Jabari Banks as Will 2024 Peacock Media, LLC.