It’s a new era and new season for Coco Jones.
Jones, who portrays Hilary Banks in Bel-Air on Peacock, is excited about the new season premiere Thursday. After Season Three was delayed because of the writers’ strike in 2023, Jones is ready to dig even deeper into her character.
“So many shows would love to be in this position that we’re blessed to be in with a third season and really getting comfortable in our characters and getting that creative freedom to, you know, dive deeper into this show that we love with people we love,” Jones told Andscape. “So [the cast]really came back super-grateful. Everybody was eager to make something impactful. The whole world was just waiting on us, so we kind of felt that gravity as well coming into the third season.”
Since its premiere, Bel-Air, a dramatic reboot of the 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has combined the elements of the original series and introduced new characters and storylines. Bel-Air has a crossover character from the original show. Tatyana Ali, who played Ashley Banks from 1990 to 1996, made a guest appearance on the first season of Bel-Air. Janet Hubert and Daphne Maxwell Reid, who both portrayed Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, appeared during the second season. According to the trailer, Joseph Marcell, who played Geoffrey on the original show, is slated to make an appearance this season.
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While this season promises to be interesting for Jones, she’s also excited about releasing new music. She won a Grammy for best R&B performance for her song “ICU,” which she performed during the tribute to Usher at the 2024 BET Awards. She finished recording her debut album, which she hopes will be released this fall.
Andscape spoke with Jones last week about the new season of Bel-Air, portraying an iconic Black sitcom character, and her new single for her debut album.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
In the first two seasons of Bel-Air, people noticed a lot of crossovers with the original sitcom. How does seeing the original characters from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on the show help merge the old and new elements of the show?
Bel-Air does a great job of putting amazing OGs in the show and finding new ways to spin everything. It’s like a way of reinforming the new generation of who has come before us and what has really brought us to this show. Even with the entire plot and premise of our show, some fans are younger, and this is the first taste they have of all of these characters and this premise and plot. So, it’s continuing to inform the younger generations. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was such a classic that it spanned so many decades, so hopefully, Bel-Air will do the same.
How have you been able to play an iconic character like Hilary Banks while putting your spin on it?
The way that I merge them both is to keep the air of confidence that the OG Hilary has had. Because it is a drama, we get to tap into and see a lot more of the unpretty side of life. But what I want to always keep as a theme is Hilary was very sure of herself, even if life doesn’t reflect that. In Bel-Air, who she is — her confidence, her belief in herself — I never wanted that to diminish. I feel that Karyn Parsons did such a good job of showing women how to stand their ground and have their head held high when they entered the room [and]looking at yourself [with]that main character energy. I wanted to keep that in mind with my version of Hilary. Even though she does get to go through more of life’s challenges and show those sides, I never wanted her to lose the spark she has about herself.
Hilary is known as a fashionista, but have there been any special ’fits this season that stood out to you?
I’m excited for Hillary to have more ’fits that are realistic for a day in your actual life. Most of the girls aren’t going to huge business meetings [or]need to wear suits with the shoulder pads and the matching skirt, you know what I’m saying? You’re going somewhere fun and cute, and you don’t need to wear a blazer. You can be cute and casual, but still [have people saying], ‘Where do you get that?’ I’m excited for the girls to see that. I think it will inspire a lot of fashion.
Hilary and Jazz broke up last season. Will there be a reunion this season?
You guys will see them together and just be like, what are you doing now? What is this? But it’s so similar to real life. [People] have that person that you can always run back to and facing the uncertainty of closing the chapter on that relationship is just hard.
Pictured: (l-r) Coco Jones as Hilary and Akira Akbar as Ashley in “Bel-Air” season 3.
Travis Ellison/PEACOCK
What advice would Coco give Hilary for this upcoming season?
That’s a good question. I would be like, girl, go to therapy because are you even OK? Are you sure you’re operating from the fullest? Yes, the ’fits are sickening, and you look the part, but what does that look like internally? Let’s just make sure that you’re equally as sickening on the inside in that heart of yours.
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How do you find that balance between giving what you have artistically to your acting projects versus your music?
It’s about knowing what you are signing up for. I feel like if I can wrap my head around it — how long will this be, how much time will this take, and what the pros and cons of this thing are — then I can lock into that project, or I can with my chest say I cannot commit. So, it’s knowing what you’re signing up for and then pushing through. I look at it like, where were you four years ago? Would you rather be there? No. So, you must push through to get where you want to be. It’s just the price.
A lot has happened for you over the last year. How would you describe this new chapter of your life?
It’s like Chapter 1A because my EP [What I Didn’t Tell You] did so much more than I could have expected, but it wasn’t my album, though. That was like the prelude or something, and so this was like Chapter 1 — but I can’t really say Chapter 1 because I won a Grammy. So 1723793202 it just has to be Chapter 1A to me. Looking at who I am now, I feel like I’m just starting.
With my debut album, I made a lot of choices. I made a lot of the calls, and I really had to learn through my EP what feels authentic to me, how I can use my voice respectfully, and the main theme has to come from me. So, I have to speak up more. I have to make decisions and find out what I really want.
After several social media hints, what can you say about your new single coming out Friday?
I can actually say it’s on the way. Praise him! I am excited because I don’t want people to forget that I’m still young and fun, and I go to the club. So I’m like, OK, so what is the version of me that can balance? What version of me brings the vocals and can go to the club? Do I have any songs I want to hear in the club? And I was, like, no. I want to make some new songs that if I heard in a club, I’m dancing to this. And if I’m out with my girls and we’re driving somewhere, I’m dancing to this. But I don’t lose my vocals. That was an interesting challenge that I set for myself. My next single, ‘Sweep It Up,’ is coming out. When it comes out, I will be super-relieved to just see that give the girls up-tempo Coco style.
Mia Berry is the senior HBCU writer for Andscape and covers everything from sports to student-led protests. She is a Detroit native (What up Doe!), long-suffering Detroit sports fan and Notre Dame alumna who randomly shouts, “Go Irish.”
