‘Fresh Prince’ Mansion Hits The Market For The First Time In Nearly 50 Years
The iconic Southern California mansion that fans instantly recognize from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" is officially up for grabs, and it’s hitting the market for the first time in nearly half a century. The home, built in 1937, served as the backdrop for multiple exterior shots throughout the NBC sitcom’s six-season run from 1990 to 1996. Will Smith starred in the iconic 90s series and helped turn it into a pop-culture staple, alongside Alfonso Ribeiro, Joseph Marcell, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, and the late James Avery. While most of the show wasn’t actually filmed inside the house ("The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" was largely shot on a soundstage), the mansion’s exterior became synonymous with the Banks family’s world and remains one of the most recognizable homes in television history.
Inside The Real-Life ‘Fresh Prince’ House
The Brentwood estate spans more than 6,000 square feet with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, according to reports. Its signature look includes a white facade, symmetrical design, and four massive columns that make it feel straight out of a classic Hollywood dream.
According to PEOPLE, the Georgian Colonial-style home, which is located in Brentwood, California, is being listed publicly for the first time since 1978, when it last sold for $732,000. TMZ reports the famous property is now listed for just under $30 million.
Will Smith Turned It Into An Airbnb Moment In 2020
The property also made headlines in 2020 when it briefly became a real-life fan experience. To celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary, the mansion was made available to rent through Airbnb in October 2020, though the promotion was limited to Los Angeles County residents. And Smith leaned all the way into the nostalgia for the promo, telling fans, “If this place looks familiar that's because it's just as fly as it was when I first rolled up the driveway,” while making plenty of references to his beloved character.
He also joked in the ad, “I'm handing you the keys so you'll have my wing of the mansion all to yourself; but my sneaker collection is off limits, alright?” before summing up the moment by saying, “Some may say I've done it all, but I've never opened the doors to a wing of the iconic mansion that helped launch my career.”
Inside The ‘Fresh Prince’ Theme Song Switch-Up
With the “Fresh Prince” mansion back in the spotlight thanks to its headline-making listing, it’s also a reminder of the show’s lasting cultural impact, including a story Smith shared a few years ago about how that instantly recognizable theme song almost ended up sounding completely different.
While promoting "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" in 2024, Smith reflected on how the show’s theme song came together, “[Jazzy] Jeff was at the hotel and I was like, 'Jeff, Quincy [Jones] played a theme song... Dude, it's no good at all,'” he recalled. Jeff encouraged him to be honest, but Smith admitted he couldn’t bring himself to do it. “Jeff was like, 'Just tell him, man, he'll understand.' I was like, 'There ain't no way I'm telling Quincy Jones.' ... Quincy knows better than I know,” Smith said, explaining he retreated to his room instead.
A few hours later, Smith said Jeff came through with a new track, and it changed everything. Smith called it “a little bit better,” then decided to start writing to it immediately. “So I wrote that theme song that night in the hotel room with Jeff,” he said. “We wrote it, we recorded it, he had a four track... He was like, 'Just play it for Quincy.'” In the end, that last-minute hotel-room rewrite became the version the world knows by heart.
Smith’s $30M ‘Fresh Prince’ Mansion Listing Lands As Violinist Files Retaliation Lawsuit
While the iconic “Fresh Prince” mansion is grabbing headlines for its jaw-dropping price tag, Smith is also making news for a far more serious reason.
Earlier this month, a violinist accused Smith of retaliation in a lawsuit, alleging he was fired after reporting sexual harassment while on tour with the actor and rapper. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, centers on what the suit describes as a “hotel intrusion” in Las Vegas last March, an incident the plaintiff says he immediately reported to hotel security, police, and the artist’s representatives.
Will Smith’s Lawyer Fires Back
Days later, according to the complaint, a representative for Smith accused the violinist of lying and fired him. A management company associated with Smith is also named as a defendant, and the filing does not specify damages.
Smith’s attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, denied the claims, saying, “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless. They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.”
For now, the Bel-Air-style mansion is back in the spotlight for its price tag and pop-culture legacy, but off-screen, Smith is also facing a very different kind of attention as the newly filed lawsuit plays out.
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