Janet Hubert, famed for playing the original Aunt Viv in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, will make a guest appearance in the fourth and final season of Peacock’s Bel-Air. According to Deadline, the actor is expected to cross paths with Hilary (Coco Jones) before becoming “instrumental” to the Banks family.
Hubert, who featured in the first three seasons of The Fresh Prince, is the fifth OG cast member to pop up in the reboot, following guest spots from Daphne Maxwell Reid, Vernee Watson-Johnson, Tatyana Ali and Joseph Marcell.
Slated to premiere on Monday, 24 November, season four of Bel-Air will consist of eight episodes, with Jabari Banks, Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, and Jimmy Akingbola expected to reprise their roles.
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According to the show’s logline, “Will tries to balance the excitement of senior year with the expectations that have brought him to this moment, while Carlton tests his own resolve as he deals with the fallout of some big decisions that could impact his future.
“An unexpected power shift threatens the brotherhood between Phil (Holmes) and Geoffrey (Akingbola), whose loyalties to the Banks family will be tested. Viv (Freeman) struggles with reinventing herself as she looks at motherhood from a different perspective.”
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While the exact details of Hubert’s arc are yet to be revealed, fans of the Fresh Prince universe will no doubt delight in her on-screen return. Back in 1993, the TV star waved goodbye to the sitcom, following reports that she was fired and had been feuding with the show’s lead, Will Smith.
Daphne Maxwell Reid, known for Simon & Simon and Frank’s Place, was brought in to replace her for seasons four to six.
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When the cast and crew came back to film a reunion for HBO Max in 2020, however, Hubert clarified that she had left after rejecting a “bad deal” which would significantly affect her salary (via Variety), and was told that Smith was the one who ultimately “banished” her, leading to a recasting rather than a renegotiation.
After sitting down with Smith, Hubert has since acknowledged their reconciliation, and while appearing on The Big Tigger Show in September 2025, said their relationship was “so good” now they’ve made amends.
Season four of Bel-Air will premiere on Peacock on Monday, 24 November.
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Megan is a freelance news reporter for Digital Spy.Â