| Jabari Banks | |
| Image Upright: | 1.5 |
| Birth Date: | 2 August 1998 |
| Birth Place: | West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | University of the Arts (BA) |
| Years Active: | 2022–present |
Jabari Banks (born August 2, 1998) is an American actor. His notable lead roles in television series include Bel-Air (2022), 97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2023), Bad Genius (2024), and American Dream: The 21 Savage Story (2024). Banks was nominated for the 2024 NAACP Image Awards for his role as Will Smith in Bel-Air.[1]
Born in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Maurice Banks, is African-American and his mother, Jenifer Banks, is of Jamaican descent. They had five children, including Jabari. However, his parents got divorced when he was eight and he completed his primary education at Simeon Career Academy. Afterwards, he proceeded to Chicago Public School where he attended his secondary education. Banks received his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Theatre Arts from University of the Arts, Philadelphia.[2]
Banks rose to prominence by his role as Will Smith in the Peacock's American television series, Bel-Air. He was called "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", which adopted a show after the film release. He has also featured in other movies including Access Hollywood (existed since 1996), The Amber Ruffin Show (2020).
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Bad Genius | Remake of the 2017 Thai thriller film Bad Genius | [3] | |
| American Dream: The 21 Savage Story | Upcoming film set to be released in July 2024. | [4] [5] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–present | Bel-Air | Will Smith | [6] | ||
| 2022 | Kid of the Year | Guest | Appeared as guest, hosted by Trevor Noah |
In 2023, Banks was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for his roles in Bel-Air.[7] He was also nominated in BET Awards 2022 for the BET Award for Best Actor.