Back in New York, sitting calm amongst the chaos as her home undergoes the final touches of a few renovations, is the multi-talented actress of the moment, Cassandra Freeman. After a 30-minute conversation dedicated to Freeman's most recent project, the dramatized reimagination of the late 90’s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” titled “Bel-Air,” I got to know her as she exists beyond the camera frame.
As previously mentioned, “Bel-Air,” gets its name and cast of characters from the classic piece of television which starred Will Smith as the main protagonist, Will Smith. Fans of the original comedy will be happy to know that while the new show takes a different approach to the storyline, Smith is signed on as an Executive Producer.
Something that Freeman explained to me which I wasn’t aware of, is that the original concept of the show was imagined a few years ago and posted online.
“Morgan Cooper, the creator of the show, made a viral video three years ago and it was called ‘Bel Air.’ It was a three-minute trailer of what it would look like if you did a drama…a darker theme on a comedy sitcom like ‘Fresh Prince,’” Freeman said.
After the public responded with a desperate plea for more, the once imagined show turned into a reality with Freeman being selected to act in the role of Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks.
With a heavily dramatic undertone, “Bel-Air” does more than address the social, economic and class themes mentioned in the original series, it intensifies them. The show also gives a fresh light to the many other characters previously set in the background of scenes starring Smith and his school-age antics.
Explaining further, Freeman described, “We get to dig deeper. So, I like to say Fresh Prince was like cocktail hour, and then our show is like reading the diary entries of these people.”
I asked Freeman if she felt any pressure to work on “Bel-Air” considering the extreme success of the original show. Did she feel as though the new story would get lost behind the glimmer of “The Fresh Prince’s” fame? Was there a weird sense of responsibility to make “Bel-Air” more unique?
Confidently and clearly, Freeman eased my worries by passing on a much simpler way to handle succession. “Our creator made it very clear that we weren't here to duplicate the show that’s already been made because it was an iconic show. It was lightning in a bottle back then. So, we weren't trying to mimic those people,” Freeman went on, “Instead we're here to try to create a new show. So, with that, I think we all looked at the essence of what that show originally was and tried to keep that intact while trying to add the deeper layers that you would need to create a drama.”
Another thought I brought up during our time together was the idea of legacy, and if there was additional pressure to play a role previously performed at length by another actress. Interestingly, Freeman revealed that her background in the theater world has helped manage her expectations surrounding one character being played by multiple different actors.
“I use that same mindset developing my character on the show.”
It was recently announced that Daphne Maxwell Ried, the second actress cast in the role of Aunt Viv from 1993-1996 on “The Fresh Prince,” will be featured on “Bel-Air.” For someone like Freeman who grew up watching the original show, this news was not only exciting but extremely emotional.
“When I met her, I just started crying. I was just so overwhelmed to meet her!”
I was curious to see if Ried gave Freeman her “blessing” to reprise the character or was more hesitant to give up her beloved Aunt Viv.
Freeman revealed that her icon was more than happy to share the role. 'She said I'm passing the torch on to you, you know, feel free to make it your own.' Freeman gushed, “She was just a very compassionate, wonderful person to talk to. But she did the same thing Morgan Cooper did and said it's your turn, go make your own imprint.”
Moving on to a more personal question, I asked Freeman to expand upon her thoughts and feelings of “Fresh Prince’s” plot, explained briefly in the original sitcom’s theme song, in relation to her own journey to fame. Did she have a similar experience as Smith, confused in a world of opulence in New York and Los Angeles after living a seemingly normal life in Florida?
“I think the thing that keeps you interesting as an artist is that you sort of live in observation mode. You see how other people might change, but you always know the truth of who you are. You're interested in the history of people in places you're deeply curious about,” Freeman detailed.
The actress went on to mention how being an artist has changed her viewpoint on life significantly. “I think maybe if I weren't an artist, maybe I'd be overwhelmed. But I'm always curious about why people do what they do and how it affects them. And I never had a moment where I was like, oh, now I'm gonna pretend like I'm not from where I am. It never occurred to me.”
Despite many knocking it out of the park, reboots and reimaginings of entertainment don’t have the best reputation for being unique enough to stand on their own. Most viewers roll their eyes at the sight of an old show being revived for a modern audience.
Because of this, something I’ve always wanted to know is how do the actors feel? Do they enjoy reboots popping up on their television screen, or do they scoff on cue at the site? Taking the risk, I asked the performer on the screen in front of me…and surprisingly she isn’t a fan either.
“Or I should say, it takes a lot to win me over for a reboot,” Freeman said laughing. “And this was no different than the others. When I first heard about this reboot. I thought it was a horrible idea. But as soon as I saw the trailer, I was like, oh my God, this is genius.”
“I guess doing a reboot is no different than then a theater company doing Shakespeare again for the 100th time. You can only do a piece of work if the bones of it are classic and iconic.”
Freeman had a lot to say on the way “Bel-Air” ultimately played out. It was encouraging to hear how much she enjoyed not only the process of making the show, but the eventual product that became the first season.
“I'm overwhelmed by how I think the writers are brilliant in a lot of the stories and I love how subtle some of the storylines are.” Going on to express her gratitude for the show’s portrayal of their characters, Freeman said, “I think if you're from the culture, African American culture, a lot of the storyline will just hit home. And if you're not from the culture, it might be an education and for some people, it might be such a far out education that they'll either get lost or just sink right into it.
“I hope everyone gets interested in the humanity of this family. I mean, ultimately, the show is just about an American family, dealing with what happens when someone in your family is in trouble and needs help.”
Moving on to swoon over her fellow castmates, Freeman revealed she never felt a similar sense of community on a set before.
“I was so amazed just to be working with them. I felt that way about every single person. Even off screen, we don’t need a reason to hang out with each other. We're constantly all coming together in some kind of way. Whether we’re meeting up at someone's house or going out to eat, we really are a family.”
Excited to hear more from the self-assured actress, I asked Freeman what she plans on doing next. Like music to my ears, I was excited to hear that while we all patiently await for season two of “Bel-Air” to premiere, Freeman has no plans to stop her stardom in its tracks… taking a break to continue her role at home as a loving mother.
“I’m a mom to a three-year-old so I'm looking forward to raising my son and having a fun summer with him and traveling. I’m also developing some other projects on the side, entrepreneurial and also film, so there's a lot of fun things that I'm working on!”
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Elizabeth Grace Coyne
- Retouching
- Brianna Kish
- Styling
- Jenn Rosado
- Photography
- Stephanie Diani
- Hair Stylist
- Monae Everett
- Makeup Artist
- La Sonya Gunter
