Jabari Banks Is Just Getting Started

"I know I have so much to give to the world," the breakout star says after four seasons of leading Peacock's “Bel-Air."

This interview is part of “Pivotal,” a Q&A series where we highlight the defining moments that have shaped a star’s career — from breakthrough roles to game-changing milestones to epic moments that catapult them into the spotlight. Read our previous interview with Lady London here.

Jabari Banks felt completely out of his depth when he moved to Los Angeles years ago to take on the lead role in Peacock’s “Bel-Air.”

The breakout reimagining of the beloved ’90s sitcom, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” marked the newcomer’s first true step into Hollywood. Though he had auditioned for various projects prior to the show, he’d never booked a television role before — and certainly had never found himself at the top of the call sheet above other veteran actors. The actor admits it was a “nerve-wracking” experience right off the bat, “but also really encouraging.”

“I think they all wanted to see me win,” Banks told HuffPost. “And so when you have a community like that around you, it feels good. I don’t want to disappoint them or disappoint myself, but there’s no reason to overthink or second-guess.”

“Nobody wants to see that,” he added, “and I didn’t want to see that for myself either.”