Are you ready to take a trip down memory lane to the luxurious streets of Bel-Air? Well, I might have some bad news for you. Your whole childhood may have been a lie and we’re about to uncover the real location of the iconic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air house!
You may think you know where Will Smith and his unforgettable crew spent their days causing mischief, but prepare to have your mind blown as we dive deep into the real world of this ’90s sitcom. Get your sunglasses on, because this article is about to bring some serious nostalgia.
Where Was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Filmed?
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was filmed in a studio and not in a real house. Like many other sitcom series, the studio company recreated the interior and made it look like the cozy home the fans know.
Additionally, there are other iconic places like the school that were created in the same Hollywood Center Studios and later in NBC Studios, Burbank. I know what you are saying now, but you’ve seen the exterior of the house, it does exist. So,
Where Is The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air House Located?
The house as seen from the outside that is shown in the series is very real. It’s located in Los Angeles (more specifically, Brentwood), California, and people are actually living there. So, to learn more, let’s take a cab with dice in the mirror and go to Bel-Air.
The Banks’ Mansion
In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will leaves his hometown to live with the Banks family, one of the richest families in Bel-Air. They lived in an enormous mansion with a big backyard, a pool, and a garden house which are the places where all of the fun mostly happens in the series.
With its not-too-shabby 6400 square feet, 10 bedrooms, and 4 and a half bathrooms, this house offers a luxurious comfort for one big family such as the Banks. As can be often seen in the series, there is also no problem in accommodating many guests at a time which is why Philip’s parents or Vivian’s sisters were visiting frequently.
However, the most important rooms in the mansion such as the living room, the kitchen, and Will’s bedroom are the ones where all the fun stuff happens.
And even if they were part of a set, those rooms felt like home and were always the place where we laughed, and sometimes cried out loud. Those were the rooms where many of the ’90s kids grew up in.
Where Is The Fresh Prince From Bel Air’s House in Real Life
The mansion where Will Smith lives with his uncle Phil and the rest of the Banks family is surprisingly not located in Bel-Air. While this information seems shocking and confusing for many, it’s true.
The luxurious house that’s often briefly seen between scenes on the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was built in 1937 and is actually in Brentwood – another city in Los Angeles, California that many people are not familiar with.
However, it’s also a home of rich people and is very close to Bel-Air, so it got the job done. And, after all, “The Fresh Prince of Brentwood” doesn’t sound very catchy, does it?
Will Smith’s House from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on Airbnb
2020 was a crazy year, and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show, Will Smith decided to do a crazy thing. He made a deal with the owners of the house and partnered with Airbnb to invite the fans for a night to remember. A night spent as a resident of the legendary Banks Mansion.
That’s right. Each Los Angeles County resident had the unique opportunity to take a friend or a loved one and book a stay for two in the Banks Mansion for a symbolic price of $30 per night.
Will was very cool with it and welcomed everyone interested saying: It’s your crib for the night, so feel free to act like you own the place. My wing of the mansion includes my bedroom (great for naps), a full bathroom (great for spitting bars in the shower), a pool area (great for dips), an outdoor lounge, and the dining room (great for eating obviously). And you gotta do it like my guy DJ Jazzy Jeff so don’t forget your sunglasses!
Jazz was also a part of this fun reunion. By booking a stay in Will’s wing of the mansion, the fans got to experience how it is being a DJ with some online pro tips from no other than DJ Jazzy Jeff. They also got the chance to swim at the pool and then wear Air Jordans and some of the other fresh clothes from Will’s collection.
Some Final Thoughts on The Filming Location of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
It’s a fact that it isn’t easy to create a cozy environment that brings so much comfort and warmth through a TV screen. However, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” perfectly succeeded in doing that with the best part being it wasn’t actually filmed even using a real house to portray the iconic Banks Mansion. They did it all in a studio.
While many shows were and still are filmed in such a fashion, there are only a few that stay relevant throughout the years. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is definitely one of those shows and it’s for a reason. And unlike what everyone thinks the recipe for success is in today’s industry, the reason for this show’s success was not the special effects, extra-high budgets, or some extravagant filming locations.
What determined The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s success was the cohesive group of actors who enjoyed what they were doing. Even though they only acted as a family in a small studio, they later became a real family who are still close to this day and are loved by many people around the world.
