Coco Jones Could Be Heading to New York in Bel Air Spinoff Hilary

Peacock may have said goodbye to Bel Air, but apparently nobody told Hilary Banks to pack up her fabulous wardrobe and leave television with everybody else. Coco Jones is attached to reprise her fan favorite role in Hilary, a new Bel Air spinoff currently in development at Peacock, and honestly, out of the entire Banks family, giving Hilary her own show makes a whole lot of sense.

Before we start planning premiere parties, there is one important distinction: Hilary has not officially been ordered to series. The project is currently in development, with Girls Trip and Harlem creator Tracy Oliver writing and executive producing alongside Jones. Will Smith's Westbrook Studios and Universal Television, the studios behind Bel Air, are producing the potential spinoff. Still, Peacock, y'all better not tease us with this and then change your minds.

Hilary Banks Is Leaving Bel Air Behind

The potential series would send Hilary across the country for a fresh start in New York City. After receiving an unexpected opportunity to work for celebrity chef Yvonne Durand, Hilary impulsively makes the move determined to establish herself without relying on the Banks family name and everything that comes with it. Once there, she discovers that building a career, friendships and a love life in New York may be considerably more complicated than she anticipated.

It's a natural evolution for the version of Hilary we watched grow throughout Bel Air. When the dramatic reimagining began, Jones' Hilary was heavily invested in becoming a successful influencer, but the series gradually developed her culinary ambitions and gave the character considerably more depth than simply being the fashionable older Banks sister. The final season pushed Hilary through grief and eventually toward figuring out what she wanted her life to mean beyond everything she had lost.

Putting her in New York also creates a pretty great connection to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Karyn Parsons' original version of Hilary moved to New York at the end of the classic sitcom after landing her own talk show. Nearly 30 years later, another Hilary Banks could be heading east to build a career on her own terms. Sometimes a full circle moment practically writes itself.

Coco Jones Is More Than Ready to Lead

Jones emerged as one of Bel Air's biggest breakout stars during its four season run, taking a character audiences already knew and making this version distinctly her own. The dramatic reboot gave Hilary more independence, ambition and emotional complexity, while Jones brought enough charisma to keep the character interesting even when her personal life was an absolute mess.

Giving her the lead also arrives at an interesting point in Jones' career. In addition to acting, her music career has taken off considerably since Bel Air premiered, including a Grammy win for “ICU.” A series built specifically around her now feels very different than it might have when the reboot launched in 2022.

There are plenty of questions Peacock still needs to answer, including whether any other members of the Banks family could appear and, yes, what Hilary's move means for certain relationships left behind in Los Angeles. We're looking at you, Jazz.

For now, Hilary remains in development with no premiere date or full series order. But after Bel Air successfully turned a viral fan film into a four season Peacock drama, continuing that universe through one of its strongest characters doesn't feel like much of a stretch.

Give Coco Jones the keys to New York and let us see what happens.