Don Cheadle's Shocking Revelation: The Unheard Story Behind the Failed Fresh Prince Spinoff

Summary

Don Cheadle reflects on his failed Fresh Prince of Bel-Air spinoff, mentioning that he shot a pilot and wrote the intro song for the show.

Cheadle's career thrived in other areas, such as acclaimed movies and collaborations with Steven Soderbergh, despite the lack of success in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air spinoff. This spinoff was not a determining factor for Cheadle's success, given his household name status achieved through various endeavors, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As the property undergoes a captivating transformation, Don Cheadle reflects on his unsuccessful attempt at a spinoff of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Cheadle played the role of Ice Tray, an old friend of Will from Philadelphia, who initially faced opposition from Aunt Vivian and Uncle Phil when he started dating Hillary. However, they eventually developed a respect for him after learning about the emotional history between the two friends. Although Ice Tray's character only appeared in one episode of the first season, it came close to being the first successful expansion of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air franchise.

In a recent "A List" interview with Vanity Fair, Don Cheadle revealed details about his scrapped spinoff of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The actor expressed surprise upon discovering the pilot episode of the sitcom online one day and also mentioned his collaboration with his producing partner and friend Kenny Finch in writing the show's intro song, although he had uncertainties about its eventual usage. Watch the video and read Cheadle's comments below to learn more.

Yeah they did, I shot a pilot. I believe it is actually available online. It suddenly appeared and I was like, "Oh, wow, here's the pilot." Yeah [I wrote the introduction for it]. During that time, I was heavily involved in studio work. However, I never intended to completely abandon music; it always remained on the sidelines. I wanted to attempt the theme song, and they gave me the go-ahead. So, my producing friend, Kenny Finch, and I wrote the theme song. It's the one that may or may not have ultimately been used. [Laughs] But it is me singing, and you can hear the entire thing [in the opening of the pilot].

Don Cheadle's Unfortunate Streak Of Failed Spinoffs

Unfortunately, In the House, a spinoff of the beloved Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was a failure and marked Don Cheadle's first attempt at starring in a spinoff of a hit sitcom. He then appeared in The Golden Palace, a sequel spinoff to The Golden Girls, right after his stint on Smith's show. Despite premiering shortly after its predecessor, The Golden Palace struggled with ratings throughout its debut season. As a result, CBS executives made a last-minute decision to cancel the show's second season. Interestingly, The Golden Palace has achieved retrospective success since its arrival on Hulu.

Despite not making it past its pilot stage, the TV show In the House actually helped boost Don Cheadle's career. Rather than being restricted by a demanding sitcom schedule and missing out on other opportunities, Cheadle went on to achieve widespread recognition on the big screen. He received critical acclaim for his performances in movies such as the celebrated thriller Devil in a Blue Dress, where he was praised even more than Denzel Washington. He also stood out in John Singleton's historical drama Rosewood and Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight.

Cheadle's collaboration with Soderbergh on the latter film turned out to be particularly advantageous. It led to four more successful movie projects together, including the Ocean's trilogy and No Sudden Move. Beyond this, Cheadle has enjoyed success in various projects on both the big and small screens. Most notably, he has become a significant part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he is set to star in his own solo title, Armor Wars, in the near future. While his Fresh Prince of Bel-Air spinoff may not have had the same impact as Will Smith's sitcom, it is clear that it was not necessary for Cheadle to become a household name.

Source: Vanity Fair