The Re-Freshed Prince Bel-Air

<p>In March of 2019, <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/lx/bel-air-creator-tells-the-story-of-how-his-life-got-flipped-turned-upside-down/2645832/" target="_blank">Morgan Cooper</a> dropped a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAfJpyBgcgA" target="_blank">video</a> on YouTube that quickly went viral. It was a short film that he made as a passion project, after he was struck with a flash of inspiration: What if the 90’s classic <a href="https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GXdLWQgqPHKXCPQEAAAxk" target="_blank">The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</a> were updated for the 21st century? </p><p>Within 24 hours of posting his project online, Cooper got a call from <a href="https://www.westbrookinc.com/" target="_blank">Westbrook,</a> the production company owned by Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith. Will Smith had seen the video, liked what he saw, and wanted to know what Cooper’s plans were. In short order, Smith flew Cooper to Miami, where he was filming <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1502397/" target="_blank">Bad Boys III</a>. </p><p>The two met, and Will Smith signed on to Cooper’s vision, reimagining The Fresh Prince with a much more dramatic tone. They shopped the idea around and found a home at <a href="https://www.peacocktv.com/dr/bel-air?cid=2111originalsbairpkpdsearch7562&utm_campaign=2111originalsbair&utm_source=pk_ggl_gglsa&utm_medium=pd_search_nonbr_srcpy&utm_term=71700000088738598&utm_content=58700007516116963_44700040938535749&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=Cj0KCQiAmpyRBhC-ARIsABs2EApeaFrCun9WPKGjQgzy6_W4c2p0LbgPTh8MScFCyxiaXYFegcrqOUIaAuFCEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Peacock</a>, NBC’s steaming service. Morgan Cooper was kept on as a writer, executive producer and director for the new series. </p><p>This week on Into America, host Trymaine Lee speaks with Morgan Cooper about Bel-Air, the creative decisions he’s making with the show, and his lightning quick rise in Hollywood. Trymaine also speaks with actress <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cassiedamsel/?hl=en" target="_blank">Cassandra Freeman</a>, who play