Geoffrey Joseph Marcell
Joseph Marcells portrayal of the ever-sarcastic-yet-loyal butler Geoffrey provided one of the shows most instantly-recognisable traits; the ability to playfully mix-up racial stereotypes and expectances. Here we had a black butler actually serving other black characters, who were all (in the first few seasons) taking on the traits of a rich white family. It served as a great juxtaposition to what has gone before, and immediately made the show stand out. His quips and deadpan delivery are the stuff of Fresh Prince-legend, as his ability to add an extra few seconds onto the comedic timer for any given scene by getting in some words of wisdom is the sort of ability many ancillary characters strive for, yet few obtain. Later seasons saw some Geoffrey-centric episodes, but center of the real-life Marcells life is serving on the board of Londons Shakespeare Globe Theatre, where he stars in a plethora of plays and productions alongside living in the city.