Bel-Air, the Peacock reimagined version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has returned for Season 4 on November 24, 2025, with a three-episode premiere. While the show is in its fourth season, one character who is not often discussed is Will’s father, Lou Smith.Lou’s past is filled with loss, hardship, and difficult choices, all of which shaped the man he became, the person who, unfortunately, deeply hurt his family. His role added a deeper layer to Bel-Air, especially as Will learnt who his father really was and what kept them apart for so many years.Who is Will's dad in Bel-AirLou’s character plays a major role in Bel-Air, even though he has appeared only once in the show. Lou has helped us understand Will and his relationship with his father. Marlon Wayans plays Lou, a man with a difficult past, but that does not excuse his actions in adulthood. In Season 1, Lou is introduced as Will’s estranged father, who has been trying to rebuild his life after spending a decade in prison. Lou grew up in West Philly without his own father, who spent years behind bars, and Lou visited him often until the day his father was killed. Lou’s mother raised him alone, but she passed away when he was fifteen, leaving him all alone at a very young age. By the age of nineteen, he dropped out of school and was later arrested for stealing cars. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostSometime later, Lou met Vy, and they had Will. But Lou couldn’t stay with his family because he was arrested again, this time for assault and robbing an older man whom he claimed owed him money. He was sentenced to ten years in prison, keeping him away from Will during his childhood. In Season 1, Lou returned to Bel-Air after Geoffrey met with him and mentioned that Will had been asking questions about his father. This led Lou to go to the Banks’ house in hopes of reconnecting with his son. However, Phil was not pleased to see him and immediately asked Lou why he didn’t visit Will when he was released from prison three years earlier. Lou responded, saying,“No ex-con wants to look his boy in the eyes,”Lou explained that after leaving prison, he struggled to find work and stability. He insisted that he was no longer the same man and wanted a chance to make amends with his son. Phil eventually agreed to discuss this with Viv, and together they decided that Will should be allowed to meet his father. Viv, however, warned Lou that he must not hurt Will any more than he already had. During their meeting, Lou opened up to Will about why he never reached out, saying that he didn’t want Will to see him in prison and that thinking of Will helped him get through his sentence. He also explained that seeing his own father behind bars for years changed him deeply, because of which he chose to stay away so Will wouldn’t have to go through the same pain.Their conversation started as a warm one as they talked about a Sixers game from Will’s childhood. But things quickly took a turn when Lou brought up Vy, said she was ungrateful, and blamed her for the reason why he was hustling for money. This angered Will and nearly caused a physical fight until Phil stepped in. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Will told Lou he wanted nothing to do with him. With no choice left, Lou walked away. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostContrary to what Lou told Will, Vy was actually not responsible for Lou having to hustle to the point of robbery. In reality, he felt insecure not being able to match Phil's wealth and wanted to be equally wealthy. His fault was trying to make money in the wrong way, instead of actually working hard, and that mistake pushed him away from his family.The first three episodes of Bel-Air are streaming on Peacock, and the next two will be released on December 1, 2025.For more articles like this, follow Soapcentral.