Vivian Banks

"I do enjoy spending time with Reid, but do you know why? He just makes me feel so alive. And it's not the way he looks at me. It's the way he looks at my art. Likes it's some rare gift that I'm depriving the world of if I don't share it. And I just love how that makes me feel. That's all."

—Vivian to Philip^[src]

Vivian Banks (née Smith) is a main character on Peacock's modern-day reinterpretation, Bel-Air. She is portrayed by Cassandra Freeman.

Vivian is a former artist and Will's smart, artistic, and sophisticated aunt, who takes him in after an incident on a ball court in West Philadelphia. Now in her 40s, she walked away from a promising art career to focus on raising her children.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Viv was born and raised in West Philadelphia, alongside her sister, Vy. When she was 19, Vivian went on a trip to South Africa for four months and met President Nelson Mandela.^[1] She also attended Howard University, where she pledged to Delta Phi Gamma and became close with Joan and Gayle.^[2] Viv has been an artist for most of her life, but she set that aside to raise her family and support Philip.^[3]

Taking Will in[]

Vivian agrees to take in her nephew Will after he is arrested for pulling out a gun during an incident on a ball court in Philly. She greets him upon his arrival, ensures that he's well, and takes him to Hilary, who is tasked with finding him something appropriate to wear for the fundraiser. That night, she and Phillip discuss if taking Will in was the right move, especially considering that they're in the middle of Phillip's DA campaign. The following morning, the family gathers around the table for breakfast, where they discuss Hilary's "Haute Cuisine" interview, which Vivian helped arrange for her, as it's a major step up from the social media stuff she does.

Vivian attempts to mediate an argument between Will and Carlton by telling Will to get past whatever issues he has with Carlton, but he has no intentions of changing who he is just to fit in. Aunt Viv can relate, as she felt the same and was bound and determined to keep her West Philly rep, but it was challenging, forcing her to adapt, though it became easier when she found her people, who allowed her to be herself, but that kind of respect goes both ways, and Will isn't the only one having to adjust to their new arrangement. While Carlton may be a bit more territorial, she reminds Will that they're family and advises him to try and get along with Carlton. If she and Uncle Phil see them trying to make an effort, he'll gain their trust, and with that comes more privileges.^[4]

Helping Hilary for Haute Cuisine[]

SE1-E02-Screenshot-Keep-Ya-Head-Up-01-Phillip-Vivian — Phil and Viv talk about Will

Aunt Viv scolds both Will and Carlton after she discovers a video of them fighting at Connor's beach party. When Will mentions Lisa, Aunt Viv comes to understand the root of their issues, sending both Will and Carlton to their rooms, while she joins Phillip in his study to discuss further exactly what their plans are for Will. Phillip is considering sending him away, but Vivian reminds him that he can't go back to Philly, and she knows in her heart that he's not a lost cause.

The next morning, Hilary prepares breakfast for the family and decides to use this recipe for her Haute Cuisine interview, but Vivian advises her against it and suggests that Hilary pick something fancier, but Hilary refuses to stray from who she is and her brand. And so, when the interview finally happens, Hilary ultimately declines the job, the reason being that she wasn't willing to accept some of their requirements. Vivian advises Hilary to push back and negotiate, as no one gets through life without having to negotiate. Vivian then gets a call from her sister, Vy, after learning of Will and Carlton's fight, though Vivian assures her it's' handled.^[5]

Kicking Hilary out the house[]

SE1-E03-Screenshot-Yamacraw-01-Phillip-Vivian — Phil and Viv question Will and Carlton

After Vivian and Phillip get word that Will was suspended for drugs, they confront him, though he insists that he's being framed. And so, the two of them head up to Bel-Air Academy, where they speak to the principal and discover that the tapes from the cameras around the schools hadn't even been reviewed, and they give Principal Hartwig a mere 24 hours to review the tapes. In the meantime, Will is released and allowed to return to class.

Vivian reunites with her sorority sisters for the annual lupus fundraiser, where Joan attempts to convince Viv to start painting again. They refer to Vivian as the multi-task queen and ask about her secret to maintaining it all. Once upon a time, all eyes were on Vivian, who was taking the art world by storm, and Phillip was merely the lucky guy on her arm, but that all changed when she got pregnant with Hilary, speaking of whom, Vivian gives her a shout-out for catering the event and suggests that all her sisters get in contact with her. The party further shifts attention to Hilary when Vivian is confronted by Kendra, demanding an apology after Hilary went on live and accused Haute Cuisine of being racist and sexist. Vivian suspects Hilary of self-sabotaging, as she has already tried countless times to provide opportunities for her, but Hilary insists that she can find her own. So, Vivian provides her with the opportunity to do just that by kicking Hilary out the house while they're at Will's game.^[6]

Returning to the art world[]

SE1-E04-Screenshot-Canvass-04-Joan-Vivian — Vivian wants to paint again

After braiding Ashley's hair in preparation for Phillip's campaign fundraiser, Vivian decides that it's time she starts painting again. She is joined by Joan as she digs through her old art supplies. It was never her decision to stop painting, but she got swept away with being a mother and wife. Joan then offers to set up a meeting with Reid Broderick, who is back in Los Angeles and is making a name for himself by rediscovering artists.

Before going to meet with some community leaders, Vivian learns from Phillip that the recent polls show that the public view her as sarcastic, dismissive, and arrogant. In that case, she suggests that he go without her, but he needs her. Phillip is simply asking that she bite her tongue a little and let him shine, as he did for her when she was an artist in her prime. And so, Vivian does just that, though she is recognized by one of the leader's wife for painting the mural on the side of Jerome Brady Elementary. After the couple leaves, Vivian questions why Phillip referred to her as a former artist, as she explains that artists don't cease from being an artist, even if it's been years since their last work. She then suggests that he stop playing his campaign so safe.

At the fundraiser, Viv runs into Lisa, who she views as family, due to Lisa's late mom being one of her sorority sisters, and embraces her. Vivian realizes that the breakup between her and Carlton made things awkward for a while, but she thinks they should have one of their girls nights again with Ashley and Hilary. They also need to talk about plans for this year's Lupus fundraisers in her mom's honor. She then watches in full support as Phillip does his Q&A and honestly answers those in attendance. Once home, she learns that Hilary has been accepted into an influencer house, but she warns Hilary that nothing is free.^[7]

After welcoming Tray to her home, Viv gets a call from Vy to check in. She reveals to her sister that Will has been floating the idea of returning to Philly, but Viv was hoping he would stay with them in Bel-Air, where Will is exposed to a world outside of sports and could have a number of opportunities, but Vy reminds her sister that their arraignment was only ever temporary and that she's not done raising her son. Viv promises that she won't try to talk Will into anything, allowing him to come to his own decisions.

SE1-E05-Promo-PA-to-LA-01-Phanta-Vivian — Viv meets Phanta

While skeptical, Viv attends dinner with Hilary's new roommates and fellow influencers. There, she meets an influencer named Phanta, who takes a liking to her necklace, which is from South Africa, where she visited for four months when she was 19 during a cultural exchange program for artists. It changed the way she depicted light in her paintings, and she had the chance to meet President Nelson Mandela. Phanta proposes that Viv begin creating content about her travels, as she's producing a series about women who've been places the average person can only dream about, but Vivian doesn't think she's cut out for the social media world.

The following day, Viv meets with Reid at his art gallery to discuss her rejoining the art world. Not only is he a huge fan of her work, he has also designated an entire space in his gallery just for her art. After a chat with Will and agreeing to arrange for Tray to go home early, Viv sits down with Hilary and tells her daughter just how proud of her she is, even if it doesn't always come off that way. ^[1]

Gayle's fundraiser[]

Vivian is stressing over Gayle's fundraiser, which is being hosted at their home. She becomes even more overwhelmed when the caterer cancels on them, forcing her to look to Hilary for assistance. After getting word that Will is being roasted online by his friends in Philly, Aunt Viv checks in on him, but he doesn't wish to talk, though he does eventually agree to help with the fundraiser. As the guests arrive, Viv welcomes her sorority sisters, as well as Lisa, Fred, and a pregnant Angela, who, unlike Viv, doesn't intend to set aside her passion simply because she's starting a family. However, Angela does hope that Viv can assist her with getting to know Lisa better, perhaps she could even say a few words, but Viv doesn't think it's a good idea. Even less so when Will joins them, and Angela unintentionally reveals that she was with Fred prior to Gayle's death.

SE1-E06-Promo-Love-and-Go-On-07-Vivian — Viv at the fundraiser

Reid is among the guests in attendance for her fundraiser, and he has gotten a sneak peek at her latest piece, which he is amazed with. So much so, that he makes her a bet: if her piece goes for more than $15,000 in the silent auction, she has to show her art at his gallery opening. Vivian joins the guests back outside, where she thanks everyone for attending tonight's event to support those who are suffering from Lupus and to honor their late friend Gayle, who was like a sister. After Lisa reads her poem, Angela tries to get on stage, but Viv reminds her that today is about Gayle. As the night comes to an end, Viv learns from Reid that her art sold for $20,000. A woman of her word, Vivian agrees to have her work showcased in Reid's gallery opening. Viv then proceeds to unwind with a glass of wine and tell Will how pain gets misdirected sometimes. When Gayle died, she was angry that she lost her best friend and that Fred moved on with Angela. She imagines that Will and Tray are facing a similar dilemma and advises Will to give Tray some space.^[2]

San Diego Art Fair[]

After learning that Phil has sunken more of their money into his campaign without her permission and advising Hilary to be her ow savior, Vivian decides to attend the Modern Art Fair, where she convenes with Reid, who informs Viv that she has created a lot of excitement, and people are even saying she'd be an ideal candidate for the Neeman Artistic Fellowship. Viv is in disbelief, even more so when they are suddenly joined by Philip, who accuses Reid of trying to sleep with Vivian and wronging previous up-and-coming artists.

SE1-E07-Screenshot-Paybacks-A-Btch-01-Vivian-Philip — Vivian and Philip discuss her giving up painting

When Viv and Phil return to their hotel room, they have an honest conversation, during which Viv explains that she enjoys spending time with Reid because he looks at her art like it's a rare gift that she's depriving the world of, and she loves how that makes her feel. Many people have asked her over the years if she's going to return to her art, but Phil never has. Viv gave up on her dreams in order to be the best mother and wife, because she couldn't do both. Phil was simply trying to help when he told her that she no longer had to work. While she appreciated it at the time, a part of her now resents him for it. And even though he tells her how much he admires her work, she tells him to go home. She then joins Reid at the bar to further discuss the Neeman Artistic Fellowship.^[3]

Reconciling with Vy[]

Viv flies Vy out for Will's 17th birthday, though there is tension that remains between the two of them, which only grows when Vy reveals her plan to tell Will the truth about her father, which Viv advises her against, in fear that Will would hate them. The tension between them becomes more evident when they begin to discuss their dying mother and how Vy took care of her by herself, though Viv did send money and recommend that Vy look into a caretaker. Not only overwhelmed by the arrival of her sister, Viv also has to deal with Phil's petty jealousy in regards to Reid and her resuming her craft in hopes of being awarded the Neeman Fellowship.

SE1-E08-Promo-No-One-Wins-When-the-Family-Feuds-06-Vivian-Viola — Viv argues with Vy

The following night, after an awkward and tense lunch with Vy and Will, the Banks celebrate Will's birthday, during which Viv gifts Will a pair of limited edition Jordans, which leads Vy to suspect that Viv is attempting to undermine her gift and disrespect her in front of Will, which she insists wasn't her intent. Viv accuses Vy of being jealous of her success, but Vy retorts that her dreams only came true because she and their mother supported Viv, as did Phil. Viv isn't trying to outshine her or deny her credit, but Vy already has it fixed in her mind that Viv is trying to erase her. After getting some surprisingly helpful advice from Carlton, Viv apologizes to her sister for never taking the time to thank her for all the sacrifices she's made.^[8]

Neeman Fellowship[]

SE1-E09-Promo-Cant-Knock-the-Hustle-02-Janice-Vivian-Helen — Viv meets with Janice and Helen

Following church, Viv asks Ashley if there is a specific reason why she's shifted to championing LGBTQ+ causes. Ashley explains that she hasn't abandoned climate change and that she's simply advocating on multiple fronts. Viv isn't entirely convinced and reminds Ashley that she can always talk to her about anything. She then goes to meet with two board members from the Neeman Fellowship. Janice and Helen ask Viv why she stopped painting, and Viv admits that she was tired of all the battles of being a black female artist; she often had to explain who she was and what her painting meant to men, and then to make matters worse, she had to fight every inch of the way. As for why she decided to come back, that's because of Will, who is so free and unapologetically himself, with a fire to take life head on, which used to be her. Now, she's realized that her work can resonate out in the world without her needing to define it on anyone else's terms. Janice and Helen are pleased to hear this, especially since they decided before she even came in that they wanted to offer her the fellowship, but they're giving her 24 hours to consider the demands of the fellowship.

After a conversation with Phil regarding Will no longer wanting to meet his dad, Geoffrey leaving, and all the responsibilities of their household, Viv calls Janice to decline the fellowship, but Janice reminds Viv of their 24-hour policy and won't accept her answer just yet. And it's a good thing she doesn't, because after Phil surprising withdrawals from the race, he makes Viv promise to accept the fellowship.^[9]

Viv officially receives the Neeman Artistic Fellowship and a gala is held in here honor, where her most cherished paintings are presented throughout the hall and she receives congrats from her sorority sisters as well as fellow artists, such as Hebru Brantley. However, Viv's feeling a bit guilty, as the fellowship is typically given to young, emerging artists, so she goes to Reid the following day to not only thank him but to join him and help other artists of color get the same opportunities she has been given.

SE1-E10-Screenshot-Where-To-06-Will-Vivian-Philip — Viv and Phil try to reason with Will

Shortly after learning that Lou has arrived in Bel-Air, Viv and Phil discuss what he wants and what's best for Will, as she believes that there's a possibility that Lou has in fact changed after 10 years in jail. However, before they can decide, Will confronts them after learning the truth, that his father didn't abandon him, rather he was incarcerated. Viv and Phil explain that they were simply trying to protect Will from his father and that it's still his choice to decide if he wants to meet him, which Will decides that he does. Viv warns Lou that he better be on his best behavior with Will and to make him happy, however, when the reunion goes awry, Viv tries to convince Lou to give Will some time, but he leaves. It's not long before Will leaves too, as he can no longer trust his family. And it's up to Viv to inform Vy that Will is missing.^[10]

Viv has her interview for the Neeman Fellowship at the mansion, where she explains her intentions to use her platform to give young artists of color access that she's never had, as the art world has been historically known as an elitist space, which she now wants to put emerging black talent at the focus of. However, according to Reid, the focus of her fellowship will be big events with more established artists, but Viv believes that approach is out of touch. She seeks to use this fellowship as an opportunity to change the game. Later that week, when the article is finally posted, Viv discovers it was overtaken by Reid.^[11]

Viv decides to call an immediate meeting of the parental advisory board to get some answers after learning Mrs. Hughes was fired. After sharing her findings with the family, Viv heads over for a meeting with Reid, only to discover that he's stood her up for an "art emergency." She instructs his assistant to relay a message, that she will no longer need his services, as she doesn't need him explaining her work in the press or controlling her narrative.^[12]

Hoping to cheer Will up following his suspension from school, Viv reaches out to Doc and asks him to speak with Will. Unfortunately, Phil catches wind of this, resulting in an explosive argument, with Viv exclaiming that they can't control who should or shouldn't be in Will's life. They learned this with Lou, and the last thing Will needs is for him to feel like they're playing puppet master with his life again. Later that evening, Phil apologizes, and Viv assures him that not everyone is against him.^[13]

Art gallery[]

SE2-E05-Promo-Excellence-Is-Everywhere-15-Vivian — Viv's speech

Vivian shares her concerns about the fellowship with Geoffrey. Janice has been very hands-on and has made it clear that she's not comfortable with Viv pushing the envelope, leading Viv to stress even more after Janice reworks the entire show. However, after a beneficial conversation with Hilary, Viv decides to make the art show her own. The new theme is inspired by Ashley, and the space is big enough to not only feature her art but share the limelight with new talent. Once the day of Viv's gallery finally arrives, she explains how she spent her undergraduate years in D.C. at Howard University, where she was exposed to the rich legacy of the Barnett Aden Gallery. The first privately owned black gallery in the U.S., which helped launch the careers of many artists. Viv hopes to create a legacy that lives up to that history.^[14]

SE2-E07-Promo-Under-Pressure-16-Vivian — Viv on live

Janet keeps emailing Viv negative reviews of her show and has expressed her condemnation of the anonymous piece for being too provocative, though Hilary disagrees, citing her post of the painting on Instagram, which is her most popular post with 746,365 likes. Viv then unintentionally reveals that she's the anonymous artist, with Hilary encouraging her to tap into her newly found audience. With help from Hilary, Viv create a social media account and goes live to talk to her fans, revealing that she's feeling like she's suffocating in silence, which led her to create the anonymous painting to begin with. She was afraid to claim it as her own, which is ironically what it represents. When will it be her time to feel valued and wanted. At this point, she reads the comments and takes in all the love she receives. Later, while watching her recorded live, discussing her artistic voice, she gets a direct message from the Neeman Artistic Foundation account.^[15]

SE2-E08-Promo-Pursuit-of-Happiness-16-Vivian-Erika — Viv confronts Erika

In preparation for her Neeman meeting, Viv pins an apology to the Neeman Fellowship after they accuse her of tarnishing their reputation through her Instagram lives. However, to her surprise, the Neeman Fellowship board members not only agree with her stance, but they seek to appoint her as the executive director position, which is currently Janice's title. While giving this offer some consideration, Viv confronts Erika at her office. Years ago, when they were in college, she and Erika were best friends until she began dating Phil while he and Viv were on a break. Now that she's back, Viv needs to be sure that moving forward, whatever Phil decides, that Erika doesn't have another agenda beyond bringing him to her firm.^[16]

Viv receives an unexpected visit at the house from Erika, who stopped by to apologize for her past actions while they were in college. Viv invites her inside and proceeds to give her a tour of the house, at which point they discuss work life and Erika advises Viv to take the Neeman position, which Viv ultimately decides is in her best interest.^[17]

SE2-E10-Promo-Dont-Look-Back-25-Vivian-Janice — Viv and Janice discuss an alternative

Viv is confronted by Janice for accepting her position as executive director. Janice claims to have done so much for Viv, who has a different perspective of their relationship. Ever since she's accepted the fellowship, Janice has done nothing but squeeze the life out of her. Nevertheless, she won't be leaving without a fight and is threatening to go to the media and say that the board is putting two black women against each other. Rather than competing against her, Viv has a better idea and proposes that Janice gracefully retire and allow Viv to continue her legacy. That night, at the Founder's Award ceremony, Viv and Phil learn that Carlton has been doing drugs.^[18]