The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Before Peacock ’s 2022Bel - Airreboot , Fresh Princenearly got a spinoff series starring actor Don Cheadle . While today ’s media is often pick apart for the growing act of reboots , spinoffs , revivals , and remakes , such asBel - Air ’s own striking reimagining , this has been common practice since television first took off . It take over 25 years forFresh Princeto get an official twiston the Greco-Roman sitcom , but there were plans for a character - centric spinoff right after its first 1990 - 1991 season .
Before becoming the critically acclaimed worker better know for his dramatic function , enfranchisement contributions , and comedy role since the previous 1990s , Don Cheadle notably had a pre - fame Erolia minutilla onThe Fresh Prince of Bel - Airseason 1 . Cheadle appeared as Ice Tray , Will Smith ’s best friend from West Philadelphia who comes to travel to the homesick protagonist . Cheadle only appeared in one episode , but his fiber made a long-lived impression , asBel - Airseason 1 has reintroduced a more prominent version of his character portrayed by SteVonté Hart .
Related : Bel - Air Already Sets Up One Of Fresh Prince ’s Most Underused Characters
TheFresh Princeepisode in which Don Cheadle appeared was praised for both his character and the paper he land toWill Smith ’s storey , particularly in that while Will could escape West Philly by the power of his extended family ’s wealth , Tray did n’t have the option to leave . Don Cheadle ’s Ice Tray quickly became a rooter - favorite , andFresh Prince ’s producer beguile onto the magic spell of both Cheadle and the level his character brought to the table . Before Cheadle ’s 1990Fresh Princeepisode had even aired , the producers asked him to sign onto a spinoff series titledIn the House , surround Ice Tray ’s life in West Philly .
Cheadle recalled the process of getting his spinoff toUproxx , stating that he arrived at hisFresh Princeepisode for a “ table read on Monday , Tuesday rehearse , Wednesday rehearse , Thursday do it in front of a live consultation , ” and was approach for the spinoff on that same Thursday . Don Cheadle’sFresh Princespinoff even shot an entire pilot sequence for the presumptively grittier and raw version of the original show — standardized toBel - Airseason 1 — but the series was n’t picked up by NBC . While an Ice Tray spinoff would have been an exciting way to give glimpses into the characters Will left behind in West Philadelphia , such asFresh Prince ’s Jackie , the serial publication was n’t meant to be at the time .
While Cheadle’sIn the Houseseries was canceled by the connection , NBC would later use the title for the LL Cool J - starring 1995 series , which also featured original Carlton Banks histrion Alfonso Ribeiro . Considering Ice Tray ’s one - installment reception was positive enough to garner him a spinoff pilot episode , it ’s surprising thatFresh Prince ’s six seasons never fetch back the fictional character . Cheadle even mentioned in his consultation that he was datingoriginal Hilary Banks actress Karyn Parsonsat the prison term of his node - starring role , which throw mother wit as to why Tray and Hilary had a agile fling in his episode . While Don Cheadle ’s Ice Tray never got hisFresh Princespinoff , Bel - Airis pass the teenage character square depth and participation to make up for it .
Next : Bel - Air Gives Jazz & Hilary A Much More bright Romance
