That specific vision helped redefine a role that was originally just background comic relief. Now, Geoffrey is a fan favourite. “I keep getting told Geoffrey is the most well-known British character on US TV,” he laughs. “I thought, seriously? But I think it may be true.”

When asked what prop he’d love to have from the set, Akingbola doesn't hesitate: “Carlton’s convertible Mercedes and one of my favourite Geoffrey suits.”

Though Bel-Air resonated deeply, it wasn’t just about the character. For Akingbola, it struck a chord because of its emotional DNA—one rooted in adoption and family.

“I used to watch the original show starring Will Smith, in the UK with my family,” he recalls. “We’d sing the theme song. But only now do I realize how much Fresh Prince was an adoption and fostering story. And I was fostered. So Will’s story… it hit differently for me.”

Akingbola’s foster care journey has even deeper resonance than Bel-Air; it’s the core of his most personal work yet, his documentary Handle With Care. During the pandemic he lost three members of his immediate family: his biological mother and father, and his brother.

“I was deep in grief,” he says. “When you lose certain pillars of your life, you start asking, ‘Who am I now?’ That loss made me reflect on my own journey and how the media so often focuses only on the negative side of foster care. I wanted to share the honesty that there’s beauty in foster care and adoption and that it can be hopeful.”

Handle With Care, which aired on ITV and Peacock, became a powerful reflection on family, identity, and healing. “I wanted to honour everyone in my life. My foster family, my biological family, and those who are gone. And I wanted kids in care to see that they can be anything. Society tells you that you’ll end up incarcerated or on drugs, but that's not the full story, and it doesn’t have to be true.”

What makes the film unique, he adds, is its raw honesty. “There are stories where foster homes were safe havens,” he says. “And others where the home was the problem. We didn’t shy away from anything. It was about showing the full picture.”

For Akingbola, acting and advocacy intersect in meaningful ways. “I’m so proud of what we achieved, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support around me,” he reflects. “Since the pandemic, I’ve been on a journey of leaning into vulnerability and learning that it’s not a weakness—it’s a superpower and a strength. I made Handle With Care at the same time I was working on Bel-Air, and both projects explore themes of vulnerability and honesty. Sometimes it’s easier to hide, but after making the documentary, I knew I couldn’t hide anymore. It’s okay to be vulnerable, and it’s okay to show emotion.”

As for what’s next for Akingbola, he’s developing a new scripted drama based on his powerful documentary Handle With Care (Peacock/ITV). Partnering with Bel-Air writer/producer Justin Calen Chenn, the pair are developing an emotionally charged series that is a raw, character-driven exploration of identity, survival, and healing. “It’s like Ozark meets Shameless,” he says. "The series will be set in New Jersey and will fictionalize my life experiences, weaving them into a compelling narrative about family, fractured identity, crime, and generational trauma."

The biggest thread through Jimmy Akingbola’s life on-screen and off, it appears, is the idea that family is something you choose. That showing up matters more than DNA.

“My foster father raised three boys who weren’t his by blood,” he says. “That didn't matter; to him we were his sons, and he loved us. That shaped me. That saved me. That taught me about unconditional love. And that family doesn't have to be blood.”

And even today, Akingbola says, he leans on his chosen family in L.A. “It can get lonely out here,” he admits. “But I’ve got my people, my community, and that means everything.”

Now, as he prepares to close the door on Geoffrey and open a new chapter in storytelling, Jimmy Akingbola remains grounded by a simple, powerful idea:

“Your beginning doesn’t have to dictate your future.”