Bel-Air, a reimagining of the 1990s comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has already been a hit in its first two seasons, becoming Peacock’s most-watched original series premiere. Will and his friends are coming back for a third season, which is out now! Ahead of the new season, we got to chat with Olly Sholotan, who stars as Carlton Banks, to learn more about his character, balancing acting with his music career, and what to expect from season three. 

The show is a reimagined take of Will Smith’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. As his two worlds collide, Will reckons with the power of second chances in a world so different from the one he’s always known. Jabari Banks plays Will Smith, and the cast also includes Jimmy Akingbola, Coco Jones, Adrian Holmes as Uncle Phil, and more! 

Olly is a man of many talents, with TV cameos in both All American and Cruel Summer. In addition to acting, he is also a music artist, releasing songs through his independent record label Lamintin Records. He blends elements of Afrobeats with pop, R&B, and hip-hop. 

We asked Olly about balancing music and his record label with acting, and he said while it was a lot at first, they both go hand in hand and he finds different joys in both.

“In acting, I get to work through other people’s feelings and emotions but for music, I get to work through mine.”

A few of the original cast members of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air have made special guest appearances on Bel-Air including Daphne Maxwell Reid and Vernee Watson-Johnson. Olly said it was so great getting to talk with them about their experiences filming the original and also revealed he’s reached out to Will Smith before to chat about his character.

“This whole show has been done with the blessing of the original cast.”

While starring on a reboot of such a huge hit sitcom, Olly said he’s had to navigate the social media frenzy and fame and ground himself. He said he knows this is what he is destined to do which helps him stay in the moment. 

“I want to create art, I want to move people.”

We asked Olly if he thinks him and Carlton would be friends in real life and Olly joked that Carlton is like a little brother to him. Especially in season three, as Carlton gets into a relationship, Olly said he would probably be a mentor to his character. 

“I have so much love for Carlton, but I think he has a lot of growing up to do.”

Thank you, Olly, for Facetiming with Young Entertainment! Make sure to follow him on his Instagram at @ollysho. Make sure to watch the rest of the interview where we ask Olly about his music, the hair and makeup process, and what to expect from season three. Stay tuned at the end for a round of rapid fire questions all about firsts! Like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment.

Consider this:

• Accept change. The entertainment industry is constantly shifting, so be willing to shift gears and adapt to different situations. 
• Become best friends with the word no. If you know what you want, go after it, no matter any rejection you face.