Fresh Prince Reunion: First Look Released by HBO Max and Will Smith

Not long after it was confirmed to be happening, a 30th anniversary reunion show for The Fresh Prince of Bel Air has gone in front of the cameras, and HBO Max and Will Smith have shared a first look behind the scenes. Among the pair of photos released online tonight is a shot of Smith sitting down for a conversation with Janet Hubert for the first time in 27 years. Hubert, who played Smith’s Aunt Viv, has reportedly had a long-standing “feud” with the superstar actor. It’s clear that all involved know that the pair burying the hatchet is big news for fans of the hit sitcom, which made Smith a household name and has been one of the big comedy draws of HBO Max since its launch earlier this year.

The reunion special, like the planned Friends special, is an unscripted look back at the old days, rather than a new, “where are they now?” episode of the series. Filming for the special took place today, on the 30th anniversary of the series’ NBC premiere.

You can see one of the photos above, and the other below.

The series saw wayward teen Will (Smith) relocate to Bel Air, Los Angeles, to live with his wealthy aunt (Hubert, and later Daphne Maxwell Reid) and uncle (James Avery). Smith, who played a Philadelphia born-and-raised version of himself on the NBC sitcom, will get together with the Banks family — Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton), Karyn Parsons (Hilary), Tatyana Ali (Ashley), and Daphne Maxwell Reid (Aunt Viv), as well as Joseph Marcell (butler Geoffrey) and DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jazz) — for “a funny and heartfelt night full of music, dancing, and special surprise guests, in honor of the series that ran for six seasons and 148 episodes.”

Produced by Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s media company Westbrook Media, the Fresh Prince reunion captures its stars “looking back at the series and the cultural impact [it] has had since its debut.”

In April, the show’s cast reunited on Smith’s remotely-recorded Snapchat series, Will From Home, with an emotional remembrance of Avery. The Uncle Phil actor died in 2014 from complications involving open-heart surgery.

HBO Max was among the bidders for the dramatic Fresh Prince reboot inspired by filmmaker Morgan Cooper’s viral concept trailer, to be produced by Smith as a full series.

The reunion special will air in November, but you can catch every episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on HBO Max now.