Coco Jones May Take Hilary Banks To N.Y. In New ‘Bel-Air’ Spinoff
Coco Jones’ Hilary Banks Might Get Her Own ‘Bel-Air’ Spinoff Based In NYC
Peacock may not be ready to leave the world of Bel-Air behind just yet.
The NBCUniversal streamer is developing Hilary, a potential spinoff of its popular drama reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The new series would put Hilary Banks front and center, with Coco Jones expected to reprise the role she played throughout Bel-Air’s four-season run, Deadline reports.
Written by Tracy Oliver, the potential series would give Hilary a fresh start far away from the Banks family mansion. According to the proposed premise, Hilary accepts an unexpected job offer from celebrity chef Yvonne Durand and impulsively heads to New York City, determined to establish herself as more than just a member of one of Bel-Air’s most recognizable families.
Of course, leaving Los Angeles does not mean leaving the drama behind.
As Hilary attempts to build her career and identity in New York, she discovers that nothing, including success, friendships, and love, comes easy.
The proposed storyline represents a different direction from where viewers last saw the character. In the Bel-Air series finale, Hilary returned to Los Angeles from Costa Rica with plans to launch her own café. But her move to New York also echoes the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which saw Hilary head to the city in its series finale.
Bel-Air debuted on Peacock in February 2022 and became the streamer’s first major breakout hit. The series, inspired by Morgan Cooper’s viral short film, transformed the beloved sitcom into a dramatic exploration of class, family and identity. It wrapped its four-season run in December.
Jones will also executive produce Hilary, alongside Oliver and several producers connected to the original series, including Will Smith and members of Westbrook Studios.
The project would continue Jones’ rise beyond Bel-Air. The actor and singer recently released her debut album, Why Not More?, which earned a 2026 Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album.
Meanwhile, Oliver brings an impressive résumé to the project. The writer behind Girls Trip, Harlem and The Blackening knows a little something about giving Black women complicated, funny and ambitious stories of their own.
Now, Hilary Banks may get the chance to prove she can carry one.
See social media’s reaction to the spin-off below.
