Which actor joined the main cast as Nicholas "Nicky" Banks?

Ross Bagley joined the main cast as Nicholas “Nicky” Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Nicky is the youngest child of Philip and Vivian Banks, and he is introduced as a baby late in the series. Bagley became a regular cast member during the show’s later seasons, appearing alongside Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana Ali and Joseph Marcell.

Bagley was already a recognizable child performer in 1994. He played Buckwheat in The Little Rascals and later appeared with Will Smith in the 1996 science-fiction film Independence Day. That connection is an easy source of confusion: Bagley played Smith’s television cousin on Fresh Prince, but he played Dylan Dubrow, the stepson of Smith’s character, in Independence Day.

Nicky is sometimes confused with Carlton, Ashley or Hilary because all four are members of the Banks family. However, Carlton, Ashley and Hilary were original core characters, while Nicky entered the story later as the family’s youngest child.