Photo by Jimmy Kimmel, cropped (CC BY-SA)
The Lowdown
Don Cheadle’s Fresh Prince guest turn as Ice Tray almost spun off into its own series — a pilot that did not get picked up.
Key Takeaways
- Cheadle guest-starred as Ice Tray on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (“Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy”).
- Producers shot a spinoff pilot that was not picked up; Cheadle has recounted the near-miss in interviews.
- A later sitcom titled In the House (with LL Cool J) came from the same producers — a related title history, not the same show.
The Connection
Ice Tray almost got his own show
Cheadle’s Ice Tray visit was popular enough that producers filmed a spinoff pilot. It did not go to series. Cheadle has told that story in outlets including TV Guide.
Keep the Connection on the professional near-miss: a guest credit that almost became a lead. Later, the same producers launched a different sitcom that reused the pilot title In the House with a different star — say that carefully so the credits stay distinct.
This article sticks to on-screen and production history.
Who’s Who
- Don Cheadle: Ice Tray on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; subject of an unpicked spinoff pilot.
Where It Happened
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — “Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy.”
- Unaired Fresh Prince spinoff pilot (not picked up).
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Actor · Director
As an American actor and director, Don Cheadle played James Rhodes in Iron Man 2 (2010).