The Bel-Air star opens up about mental health, legacy and why this final season pushed his character to the limits.
Adrian Holmes has spent four seasons reimagining one of television’s most beloved father figures. As Phillip Banks on Peacock’s Bel-Air, the NAACP Image Award-winning actor transformed the iconic Uncle Phil into something rawer and more vulnerable for a new generation. Now, as the series approaches its final chapter, Holmes reflects on the emotional weight of the role, the legacy he inherited from James Avery and why this season pushed his character to places he never expected.
How would you describe Phillip Banks’ evolution from season one to this final season?
Philip Banks started out as the pillar, the patriarch building his career professionally and creating financial stability. But this season, we’re starting to see him pivot and really appreciate peace of mind. He’s looking for stillness in life. He just wants to sit back with a fishing rod by the lake and chill. He’s getting the kids ready to go off to college. It’s about new beginnings. He wants to connect with Viv and just take it easy.
What emotional or psychological layers of Phil did you feel most compelled to explore as the series approached its final chapter?
A theme that’s been going throughout this series is vulnerability and being open, being able to feel and trust and let yourself be seen for all that you are, the good and the bad. I think that’s something the audience really taps into and can relate to. He’s not perfect. He’s a strong, powerful Black man, but he’s also flawed, as we all are. That’s a quality we were really able to expand on and explore.
The father-son dynamic between you and Jabari Banks, who plays Will, is one of the show’s anchors. How did you approach deepening that relationship this season?
We realized that Will’s got a crown now, and my job is to help him find the courage to wear it. That’s how we started this whole arc. He’s at that point where he’s got to make a decision on what school to go to, and with Blackcess, the entrepreneurship venture he and Carlton created, we’re really showing the audience that you don’t have to be followers. You could be leaders. You could create your own empire and build your own legacy. Phil’s just continuing to be there as that anchor and that pillar of support. He’s going to ride off into the sunset, by God’s grace.
Stepping into a role once portrayed by James Avery is no easy feat. At what moment did you feel you made this version of Uncle Phil your own?
When we got feedback from the audience and from the viewers, that really helped all of us exhale a little bit easier. We were all obviously aware these are big shoes, and we wanted to do it right. We didn’t want to let anybody down. But Morgan Cooper, our creator, gave us permission. He said these are your characters. The only similarity is the name. This is a different time, for this generation, for this period. Just trust your instincts and do what feels natural.
From day one, when we got on set and started playing, Morgan said just go play and have fun. It was like, thank you, Jesus. We just went off. Then getting feedback from people who would stop us and say thank you for not messing up our show, thank you for keeping it going in the right direction and expanding on the narrative, that’s what the original series always did. That was the best compliment we could get.
Bel-Air has tackled issues like identity, loyalty, mental health and belonging. Which storyline or message this season do you feel will resonate most with Black families?
Mental health is huge, especially for Phil this season. He’s really found himself between a rock and a hard place with this whole money laundering situation, putting his family in harm’s way. It’s the last thing he wanted to do, especially now with a new addition on the way. I know after all of this, he’s going to need a therapist. He’s going to need a Doctor Phil. He’s going to have to sit down with somebody. So yeah, mental health would definitely be a strong one.