'Bel-Air': Joseph Marcell and Jimmy Akingbola Talk 'Fresh Prince' Star's Intriguing Season 3 Role (Exclusive)

Joseph Marcell was the first to play Banks family butler Geoffrey on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.'

By Anna Rumer

Bel-Air is bringing in the OG – Original Geoffrey – for Season 3. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Joseph Marcell returns to the world of the Banks family as he guest stars on Peacock's dramatic reimagining of the popular '90s sitcom, and while the veteran actor won't be returning to his iconic role of Geoffrey, he will play an important role in the arc of Jimmy Akingbola's version of the Banks' butler. 

Prior to the Thursday, Aug. 22 episode of Bel-Air, Marcell and Akingbola opened up to PopCulture.com about working together as two generations of Geoffrey come together for a dynamic new storyline. 

Bel-Air – Season 3
(Photo:

Joseph Marcell on 'Bel-Air' Season 3.

- Greg Gayne/PEACOCK)

"Coming back into the world of Bel-Air, I was really nervous arriving because I had really no idea how I was going to be greeted [or] how the character would interact with the other characters," Marcell shared, "but I arrived and it was an embrace. It was marvelous." He joked, "And gradually I began to see that, oh yes, I can act. It's good fun!"

Akingbola admitted it "still feels like a dream" getting to work with Marcell on the mysterious new storyline that will deliver more answers about Geoffrey's past, which is beginning to "slowly creep up on him" in Season 3. Marcell teased of his enigmatic character, "I mean, Jimmy is G and I am OG. That's really all you need to know. And once you grab that, it'll take you to worlds you never imagined."

Bel-Air – Season 3
(Photo:

Jimmy Akingbola on 'Bel-Air' Season 3.

- Greg Gayne/PEACOCK)

Working together with Marcell was "quite trippy," Akingbola gushed, as he grew up "idolizing" the actor for his portrayal of the Black British experience on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. "Then [there was] the moment where I got the job, and now there was a moment where actually I'm seeing Joseph walk on the set of [Bel-Air]," he told PopCulture. "My brain just couldn't really compute. It's a real honor, and I think it's a testament to everybody on the show – the showrunner [Carla Banks Waddles], [Westbrook Studios], Peacock] and [executive producer Will Smith] – to really do the best to honor the original show."

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He continued of Marcell's performance, "I can't wait for you guys to see what Joseph's done. I'm just so excited."

Season 3 of Bel-Air premiered on Thursday, Aug. 15 with three episodes on Peacock. New episodes drop weekly on Thursdays with three episodes on Aug. 22 and two episodes on Aug. 29 and Sept. 5.

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