Will Smith is an actor from Philadelphia who has achieved incredible success twice: in the mid-80s, becoming a pioneer in the genre of comic hip-hop, and ten years later, having achieved recognition from viewers and film critics around the world. Among his most outstanding and significant works are Independence Day, Men in Black, Bad Boys, The Pursuit of Happiness, I, Robot, I Am Legend, Hancock, and many other great films, which have become classics of Hollywood cinema. The actor was twice nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor: in 2002 (Ali) and 2007 (In Pursuit of Happyness).
Rap
As a young man, Will Smith formed DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince with his best friend Jeff Towson. All the lyrics were written by Will, and none of the songs contained obscene expressions. So, the records of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince could be bought by teenagers without parental permission, which helped to make the project commercially successful. On the other hand, aggressive gangsta rap artists made fun of guys who they thought were making rap for girls.
Nevertheless, the duo was rapidly gaining popularity. For example, the single called Parents Just Don’t Understand became an instant hit, and two albums of young rappers quickly went platinum. In 1988, Will Smith and Jeff Towson became the first rappers who received the prestigious Grammy Award.
At the age of 21, the already famous Will Smith suddenly realized that all the millions he earned had disappeared somewhere. Moreover, by that time, he had earned a million in debt, and the creditors were already demanding payment.
As luck would have it, the band’s popularity just began to decline – new players appeared on the American humorous hip-hop scene. The main competitors of Will and Jeff were the guys from De La Soul, and after them, such groups began to emerge rapidly.
The beginning of a film career
Then Will Smith got an offer from NBC. The young man was invited to play a tough guy from West Philadelphia who ended up in the Hollywood celebrity district of Beverly Hills in the television series The Prince of Beverly Hills. Inspired by his triumph, Will Smith decided to move from television to the big screen. Smith’s big-screen debut was in 1992, in the movie A Day in the City of Angels. He played the homeless Manny. The following year, the actor successfully portrayed the reckless guy on the screen in the film Made in America. His appearance as the charming con man Paul in Six Degrees of Separation made a splash among viewers and critics alike.
People’s love came to Will Smith after the action movie Bad Boys (1995). In the film, the actor appeared in the role of a policeman along with Martin Lawrence. The contrast in their lifestyles (Lawrence is an exemplary family man while Will Smith is a cheeky playboy) and catchy humor brought the film high reviews from critics.
Film career development
In 1997, the actor played a role that remained for him throughout his future career. The adventures of the two agents from the comedy action movie Men in Black have been loved by millions of people around the world. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith were among the best acting duos of the 90s.
The actor soon starred in the iconic role of Muhammad Ali in the biography film Ali. This picture received many positive reviews and greatly changed the actor himself. According to Smith, he has reached the limit of his physical, spiritual, and emotional capabilities. Will Smith took the role very seriously: he exhausted himself with 6 hours of daily training, sat on a boxing diet, and, as a result, gained 15 kilograms of muscle mass. Also, Will learned the language and gave up sex for a while, like his hero.
During the following years, Will Smith carefully chose roles. He took only significant and not ordinary characters. So, the heroes of the actor were the matchmaker doctor in the 2005 melodrama Hitch, as well as the heroic single father in the 2006 drama In Pursuit of Happyness, which also starred Will’s son, Jaden Smith.
In 2007, Will’s hero was the only survivor in New York City from the film I Am Legend. It was followed by the role of a homeless superhero in the comedy Hancock, along with Atticus Schafer and Charlize Theron.
Among his recent works, there is the intricate crime drama Focus in tandem with the gorgeous Margot Robbie, the tragic detective thriller Concussion, and the superhero comedy Suicide Squad.
In Suicide Squad, Will Smith played the role of the anti-superhero hitman, Deadshot. It is noteworthy that many Hollywood stars applied for this role: Keanu Reeves, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and even Johnny Depp, but director David Eyre still stopped at Smith. For this role, the actor had to shave his head and take a training course in shooting in a military field.
In 2019, after a two-year break, Will Smith appeared on the screen, brilliantly playing the Genie in the film adaptation of the Disney cartoon Aladdin. Critics’ reviews of the musical were mixed, so Disney was reproached for exploiting the nostalgic feelings of viewers whose childhood fell in the 90s. However, everyone unanimously appreciated Will’s play. He endowed Jinn with the required charisma and incendiary performed several musical numbers.
In 2020, Will Smith voiced the main character of the cartoon Spies in Disguise. In the same year, the film Bad Boys Forever was released.
