Interview: Adrian Holmes Gets Candid About Bel-Air’s Final Season — High Stakes, Legacy, and One Last Ride as Uncle Phil

The Banks family is back for one last luxurious, chaotic, emotionally-charged lap and according to Adrian Holmes, the man behind Bel-Air’s modern Uncle Phil, it might just be the show’s most powerful season yet. With Season 4 marking the end of Peacock’s reimagined hit, Holmes steps into the role with a renewed sense of gravity. Everything this year is a “last”: last suit, last family dinner, last trip through that sprawling Bel-Air mansion set. And for fans who’ve been rooting for this dramatic remix of the Fresh Prince legacy, the final stretch holds nothing back.

Holmes hopped on a call with us at The TV Cave to talk high stakes, heavy emotions, and how he honored the legendary James Avery while carving out his own corner of TV history. Spoiler: the man came prepared. And reflective. And a little dangerous at least when his character’s family is on the line.

From the jump, Holmes admits Season 4 hit differently. Not in the “new haircut and a fresh plotline” way but in the “this is the last time I’ll ever play this version of Uncle Phil” way. That weight shows up on screen, where the character’s world is collapsing at the same speed the series is approaching its finale. Between legal trouble, family tension, and the kind of high-octane drama that would make even OG Philip Banks straighten his tie, this Uncle Phil is fighting battles far beyond the courtroom.

“It was emotional,” Holmes said. “Everything was a last. And because of that, I wanted to be present in every moment every scene, every breath.” If you’re sensing Shakespearean gravitas in your prestige-TV reboot, you’re not wrong. Holmes goes all in this season, and the performance reflects that commitment.

Of course, stepping into James Avery’s iconic shoes was never going to be subtle work, but Holmes never tried to mimic the original. Instead, he chose authenticity trusting the story, the writing, and his instincts. “That’s what James would have wanted,” he noted. And honestly? It shows. Rather than chasing nostalgia, Holmes expands the character’s emotional range, grounding him in modern pressures while still honoring the spirit that made Uncle Phil TV royalty.

This season’s storyline puts Phillip Banks through the wringer. Family pressure? Check. Public life? Double check. Some very illegal trouble brewing in the background? Oh, absolutely. And when a new antagonist, Dominique, pushes him to the brink including breaking into and destroying his home, Holmes gets to explore a darker, sharper gear that we haven’t seen from him since early Season 1. “He’ll do anything to protect his family,” Holmes emphasized and that’s exactly what makes this arc so electric. Uncle Phil becomes less the calm, collected patriarch and more a man cornered and ready to strike.

The emotional core of the show still rests on family, especially as Phil prepares Will and Carlton for college and adulthood. Holmes sees this as an opportunity to highlight Black fatherhood and the power of legacy. His message is simple but resonant: empowerment, discipline, consistency, and the courage to wear the crown you already have. It’s sincere, unexpected, and exactly the grounding force the show uses to counterbalance its glossy chaos.

As Bel-Air heads toward its final curtain, Holmes’ performance helps anchor the season with heart, intensity, and a surprising level of philosophical realness. It’s the kind of work that reminds fans why the reboot became a standout in the first place not because it recreated a classic, but because it reimagined it with purpose.

One thing’s for sure: if this is Uncle Phil’s last stand, it’s one worth watching closely. The stakes are high, the emotions are big, and Adrian Holmes is delivering the richest, rawest version of the character yet.

And when the mansion doors finally close? Well, let’s just say the legacy he leaves behind isn’t measured by what he walks away from but by what he leaves within the Banks family and a generation of fans.

Check out our full interview below: