Jabari Banks says he will “stick with” Will Smith.
The “Bel-Air” star called the executive producer of the Peacock show — which reimagines the classic 90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” — “a stand-up guy” after he struck Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday night after he made a joke at his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s expense.
The 23-year-old actor told Entertainment Tonight about the 53-year-old Oscar-winner: “It’s what he said, you have to protect your family. I believe in him, and what he stands for. He’s a standup guy. I’ll stick by him.”
After ruling out commenting on the incident between Smith and Rock, Banks called Smith’s Best Actor win for his role in King Richard “such an emotional moment.”
He said: “When he won it, it was such an emotional moment in general. I knew it was him. I already said, it’s already written. I believed it and he manifested it. And his work has proved it throughout the years. He deserved it.”
Banks added that he loves being “an extension of this legacy” started by the “Getting Jiggy With It” rapper.
He said: “The fact that I’m an extension of this legacy is such an amazing opportunity and such an amazing honor. The fact that I could see him express those emotions in front of the whole world, it’s so endearing.”
Banks also gave insight into how Smith helped him deal with the crazy world of show business.
He shared: “He said something that really stuck with me. He said, ‘Don’t let the success get to your head. Don’t let the failures get to your heart.'”
Banks says that it “meant the world” to him that the revamp had gone. down so well with fans despite the initial doubt.
He said: “There was definitely skepticism about this show before it came out but the fact that it was received with so much love from our community and from the world, it meant the world to me.”
