Original ‘Fresh Prince’ Star, Tatyana Ali, Joins The Cast of Peacock’s, ‘Bel-Air’, For Season 2

Tatyana Ali, who played the role of Ashley Banks on ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, will join the cast of the reboot series, ‘Bel-Air’.

Peacock announced on Tuesday that Ali, 43, will have a recurring guest star role during Season 2. She will be playing the role of Mrs. Hughes, a teacher that will have a connection with her original character. Akira Akbar, 16, plays Ashley Banks in the reboot.

Mrs. Hughes makes a brief appearance in the trailer for Bel-Air Season 2 below. She can be seen telling Ashley to “never ever let anyone try to change you.”

Ali will be joined by stars Jabari Banks (Will), Adrian Holmes (Philip Banks), and Cassandra Freeman (Vivian Banks).

The new showrunner, Carla Banks Waddles, released a statement about season 2 stating:

“In season 2, 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,” Waddles said. “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, like what it truly means to be a family even when it’s challenging. How do you rebuild trust within a family? How do you find your own way, your individualism within a family? 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.”

Congratulations on your role Tatyana!

The 10-episode season kicks off on February 23rd on Peacock!