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Actress Akira Akbar has been a part of Bel-Air, the modern-day reimagination of the sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show has been airing on Peacock since 2022 and released its third season recently. Morgan Cooper created Bel-Air, which takes the comedy of the original show and adds plotlines that tackle themes like race, privilege, and culture shock.
Will Smith, who was the lead in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is one of the producers of the show. Bel-Air stars Jabari Banks as Will Smith, Cassandra Freeman, Adrian Holmes, and Olly Sholotan as Viv, Phil, and Carlton Banks, respectively. Meanwhile, 17-year-old actress Akira Akbar plays the role of Ashley Banks, the youngest of the Banks siblings.
Unlike her predecessor, Akira's Ashley faces contemporary issues such as social media influence and racial identity. This brings an added relatability to her character as it resonates with today's generation.
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Akira Akbar plays Ashley Banks in Bel-Air
Akira Akbar portrays the role of the youngest Banks sibling, Ashley, in the modern-day reinterpretation of Bel-Air. Her portrayal of the character is different from Ashley's previous more comedic rendition in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In this updated series, 12-year-old Ashley is shown as someone undergoing the complicated social landscapes of teenage life and the pressures of an affluent environment. Akira's performance reveals a depth to Ashley that goes beyond the typical pre-teen roles. She struggles with issues like race, and identity, apart from the growing pains of adolescence.
Akira’s Ashley is a middle school student who is thrust into scenarios that challenge her perceptions and values. She is shown to be dealing with topics that the original series didn't touch on as frequently, like exploring her s*xuality.
Akira brings a genuine curiosity and sensitivity to Ashley, making her struggles and triumphs resonate authentically with viewers. Her interactions, especially within her family and school, are portrayed with a realism that invites empathy and understanding from the audience.
The emotional agility shows her character’s inner growth and the nuanced challenges she faces. As the youngest daughter in the Banks family, Ashley’s role in Bel-Air is crucial in showing the generational contrasts and expectations of the Black elite in modern America.
How is Akira Akbar's Ashley Banks different than her predecessor?
Tatyana Ali portrayed the character Ashley Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She was shown to be Will's cheerful but naive younger cousin. However, Akira Akbar as Ashley in Bel-Air is a more complicated character who faces the challenges of today's world. While both portrayals maintain a core of innocence and familial love, Akbar's character shows the realms of personal identity and social issues.
In the original series, Ashley was primarily a source of lighthearted fun and typical teenage dilemmas. Her issues usually concerned school, boys, and family misunderstandings, and while these were meaningful, they rarely touched on anything profound or political.
Conversely, Akbar’s Ashley is introduced into a plot thick with themes of racial identity, social justice, and the impacts of privilege. Bel-Air's Ashley lives in a world where she and her actions are perceived through the reality of living as a young black woman in a predominantly wealthy, white community.
The reboot’s focus on authenticity allows Akbar to explore and express the vulnerabilities of her character in a way that the original series didn't often permit. She struggles with the implications of her s*xuality and the pressures of conforming to societal expectations.
This is what helped Akira Akbar's portrayal of Ashley be more relatable. It mirrors the complexities of modern adolescence, where issues of identity and acceptance play crucial roles. Akira Akbar's Ashley is more outspoken and assertive than her predecessor, showing the spirit of Gen Z's activism and awareness.
Her character is written to confront issues head-on, whether it's standing up against racial injustice or advocating for her own independence and respect within her family. The evolution also gives a more realistic and resonant view of the character, making Akira Akbar’s Ashley a crucial figure in the new landscape of Bel-Air.
Bel-Air is streaming on Peacock.
