What season of Fresh Prince was Wills dad on?

The 2022 Bel-Air reboot has fans hooked and its recent episode reminded many viewers of Will Smith’s dad, Lou, from the original show.

The retelling of Fresh Prince of Bel-air sees a teenager leaving the streets of West Philadelphia to live with his uncle’s affluent family in Bel-Air.

The show was one of the most loved sitcoms in the ’90s and marked Will Smith’s rise to Hollywood fame.

Over the years, fans have loved re-watching the show. Hence, the reboot starring Jabari Banks has been welcomed with open arms.

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Who played Will Smith’s dad Lou in Fresh Prince?

Actor Ben Vereen portrayed Will’s dad Lou Smith in the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air series. The star made a guest appearance in the famous 1994 episode: Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse.

The versatile actor’s list of credits is very long thanks to his roles in a variety of productions such as B Positive (2021-2022), The Good Fight (2021), Making History (2017), How I Met Your Mother (2010-2014) and New York Undercover (1995).

The 75-year-old actor also appeared on Broadway shows like Wicked, Fosse, I’m Not Rappaport, Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar among others.

Revisiting Will’s first interaction with his dad

Will is introduced to his dad for the very first time in Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse. Lou emotionally tells his son: “You see, the day you were born was the happiest day of my life. The first time I held you, I didn’t think I’d ever put you down.”

He also famously says: “I just wasn’t ready to be a father. I started feeling trapped. Well, one day, I just panicked and ran. It was selfish and cowardly, but that’s what I did. I’m sorry.”

For those who don’t remember, Lou abandoned his family when Will was merely five years old, leaving Viola to raise him on her own.

In the famous words of Hilary, he was “a deadbeat who left him and his mom flat.”

Lou was absent from Will’s life until episode 24 of season 4, when he unexpectedly shows up in Bel-Air after 14 years. The youngling is happy to have his father back but Lou reverts to his old ways and leaves again.

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Lou has a different storyline in the Bel-Air reboot

Will’s dad, Lou had a very short appearance on Fresh Prince, but the reboot sees his storyline begin right in the first season.

Bel-Air season 1, episode 8, sees Viola visit Will on his 17th birthday, telling Viv and Phil that she has decided to tell Will the truth about his father.

Viv and Phil oppose Viola’s idea as the show reveals that Lou had engaged in dangerous activities back in the day.

Peacock's revival of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reunites us with some of our favorite characters. Newcomer Jabari Banks steps into Will Smith's shoes as Will, while Adrian Holmes plays Banks family patriarch Philip Banks. Vivian, Carlton, Hilary, and Ashley Banks's roles have also been reprised, while April Parker Jones plays Will's mother. And during the show's season one finale, we were reunited with Will's father, Lou (Marlon Wayans).

For those who don't remember, Lou (originally played by Ben Vareen) abandoned his family when Will was just 5 years old, leaving Vy to raise Will on her own. Per Hilary, he was "a deadbeat who left him and his mom flat." Lou went on to become a trucker and was absent for most of Will's life until season four, episode 24 ("Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse"), when he unexpectedly shows up in Bel Air after 14 years. He and Will begin to form a relationship, and Lou even invites Will to join him for the summer on a cross-country road trip.

Will is happy to have his dad in his life again, but his joy is cut short after Lou reverts back to his selfish ways and leaves again. He tells Will that some "business" came up that he needs to handle, and that they need to put their trip on hold. Will initially attempts to brush off the whole thing, but he eventually breaks down during an emotional conversation with Uncle Phil.

"I ain't need him then, and I don't need him now," Will tells Uncle Phil. "I'm gonna get through college without him. I'm gonna get a great job without him. I'm gonna marry me a beautiful honey, and I'm having a whole bunch of kids. I'll be a better father than he ever was, and I sure as hell don't need him for that, 'cause ain't a damn thing he could ever teach me about how to love my kids." In tears, Will then asks Uncle Phil, "How come he don't want me, man?"

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We initially assumed that Lou wouldn't be making an appearance on "Bel-Air," but that turned out to not be the case. When Vy comes to visit Will in "Bel-Air"'s eighth episode, she tells Viv and Phil that she plans on telling Will the truth about his father (neither Viv nor Phil think it's a good idea). Lou shows up in the final episode of season one, and it's revealed that he didn't actually abandon his family — he was serving time in prison and didn't want Will to see him behind bars.

In a recent interview with POPSUGAR, showrunner Rasheed Newson said that season two will further explore the fallout in order to bring the Banks family back together. "That's probably our first mission, and it's not going to be easy," he noted. "One of the things we talked about is, with a sitcom, at the end of those 30 minutes, whatever problem we have is resolved. [But] they lied to this boy for years. He feels like he really came here, opened up his heart to them, trusted them, and now he feels betrayed. It's going to be very hard for them to rebuild that." Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next when the show returns for season two.

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