Rel and Snowfall scene-stealer Jordan L. Jones has taken his talents to Bel-Air and is episode by episode proving why he was the perfect choice to step into the shoes of DJ Jazzy Jeff and play the role of Jazz in Peacock’s dramatic reimagining.
Though he’s known for his comedy chops, the actor told Shadow and Act in a recent interview that he was excited to not only explore this drama iteration, but also to be able to shape what the character of Jazz looks and feels like as well.”
“I’m really good at comedy and comedic timing and all of that, but at the same time, this show is a drama,” he said. “So not that it was a challenge for me, but I was very thankful to [showrunner] Morgan [Cooper], especially with this script and especially with him like, ‘Hey, you can take full reign over this character.’ Instead of me always being quirky and physically comedic, of course, I’ve got some funny lines and improv in certain situations, but [also have] serious situations, instead of slapstick or physical comedy.”
Jazz is one of the characters in the reimagining that has an expanded role. This includes, as we’ve seen so far, a possible romantic pairing with Hilary (Coco Jones). But first of all, he serves as a key piece of Will’s Bel-Air experience.
He explained, “In comparison to the first [series], he is more of like a confidant in this one. Like a piece of home that he can’t really get to when he first arrives in Bel-Air and goes to the Banks family…and this whole entire dynamic of family is just completely different to him. Everyone’s just rich and wealthy. As you see from the first episode, we got Black people letting white people say the N-word and he’s like, ‘Hey, man. I don’t know what’s going on here.’ [laughs]”
But what Jazz provides for him is unlike the rest.
“You can get advice from older people, Uncle Phil, Geoffrey, all of that, [but] I’m that little piece of home because I’m from Compton, he’s from West Philly…[both] inner-city kids…I first picked him up and I see myself in him,” Jones continued. “Even in the first and second episodes, you can see I’m really dropping gems on how to just stay true to yourself because I’ve seen bad things happen to people who don’t stay true to themselves. So I like the fact that in this one, I’m still comedic. I’m well-rounded in this one where there are funny parts, but there are also some real, real deep, deep conversations that me and Will have.”
New episodes of Bel-Air drop Thursdays on Peacock.
Watch the full interview below:
