The mere prospect of a super-serious Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air remake made '90s youth delirious. Here was this flawlessly timeless event,
headed by one of the most charismatic megastars of the previous 30 years. Unimproveable! However, timelessness is a subjective concept that is rarely relevant when it falls to a new generation to make a connection with something created for a different era and with a different purpose. In summary, Bel-Air (which premieres new episodes on Peacock every Thursday) isn't only for those fans, but if you can get past your nostalgia and give it a chance, you could discover some similar notes and a tale about fitting in that has the ability to resonate.
The part of Carlton provides actor Olly Sholotan with a fantastic opportunity to showcase his abilities to a wider audience. Carlton's ambition and the weight of expectations on him have turned him fiercely territorial and ceaselessly intense, and he's been tasked with the most difficult role in this whole endeavor, taking the preppy, Tom Jones-loving Carlton that's frozen in amber for some people and bringing him into a new, more aggressive pose. How's he doing along with that? As we discovered when discussing the difficulties of taking on Carlton, being perceived as a villain by new fans, and connecting with his own objectives and self-imposed expectations, he does rather well.
the character that changes the most is your character. Would you say that that’s fair?
"Oh, ha ha ha," he said. "Oh, he's black, but he doesn't really know how to be black," you say of this youngster. But, while we've had more and more discussions about race over the years, I believe we've yet to fully address the expression "doesn't know how to be black." And what I like about the program is that it truly brings that sense of identity loss into the present day. "What happens when a 16-year-old child doesn't feel like he belongs in his own community, and how does this effect him?" it asks. On top of that, you have to cope with mental health difficulties. On top of that, he has to cope with concerns like how he views himself, success, and his father. And all of that really, really was fascinating to me about this version of Carlton.
Could you tell me a little bit about how you got into it?
And then there's Will to consider. Because Carlton has fought so much with his blackness and, as a result, has tried so hard to, in a way, run away from it, which I think is masterfully done. As a result, he watches his cousin arrive in Bel-Air and accomplish exactly what he has fought so hard to avoid. And he succeeds spectacularly. And it irritates me. He's a 16-year-old adolescent.
Beyond the job itself, what do you hope to gain from this?
The sky’s the limit. I really love interdisciplinary work. I love work that pulls in all kinds of media, between traditional media, film/TV, to movies to newer media to music to art to live experiences. So, I think the goal, really, is to be happy and to create art for a living. Because I think I’ve learned time and time again that it’s very easy to get stuck in the, “Okay, and after this, I want to do a movie that’s between this budget and this budget. And then…” But this career path is so non-linear that my goal really is just to get the chance to keep creating and to keep sharing my art and work with the world, through as many mediums as possible.
In terms of Carlton's goal, you need to bring him to this position of calm.
The truth is, it took me a minute to get here. Oh, God, I remember my poor mother. "What's up?" she'd ask as I ran downstairs in tears. "I just watched this fantastic movie, and I wasn't even in it," I'd say. "What movie are you talking about?" she asks. And I'm referring to the film Inception. I didn't have a part to play. I didn't even try out for the part. But it took a lot of development to get to this position... There was a time in my life, not long ago, when I couldn't see a decent movie without feeling bad for the rest of the day.
And that’s, I think, what makes me really proud of Carlton, especially just knowing where he goes by the end of the season. He’s become like a little brother to me. And I know right now, the world isn’t fucking with him too hard. I believe Carlton might be the most hated character on Black Twitter at the moment. And I totally understand it, but I only ask that people give him the chance to grow, because he really does do that.
How much weight do you place on public opinion?
It's difficult not to. I'm not going to lie and say, "Oh, I haven't seen anything," because clearly, we built this thing in a bubble, and it's a lot of fun. Part of the fun of releasing a show is sharing it with the public and seeing what people respond to and adore. But there are a few things to consider. A, I'm not sitting all day just to hear what others have to say. It's caught by me. Friends will send me amusing tweets and such such things. Also, I believe that the best praise an actor can receive is believability. And if people are saying that, “Oh, Carlton pisses me off,” I’m, all right, cool. I think I’m doing my job. And I’m proud of that.
