Will Smith

Will Smith

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For other people named Will Smith, see William Smith (disambiguation).
Will Smith
Smith clapping and laughing in a cardigan
Smith in June 2011
Born Willard Christopher Smith Jr.
September 25, 1968 (age 44)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other names The Fresh Prince
Occupation Actor, producer, rapper
Years active 1985–1993, 1997–2005, 2013 (rapping)
1990–present (acting)
Spouse(s) Sheree Zampino (m. 1992 – 1995)
Jada Pinkett Smith (m. 1997)
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith Jr. (born September 25, 1968)[1] is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood.[2] Smith has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won four Grammy Awards.
In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show ran for nearly six years (1990–1996) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks since then. In the mid-1990s, Smith moved from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films. He is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office and the only one to have eight consecutive films, in which he starred, open at the #1 spot in the domestic box office tally.[3]
Fourteen of the nineteen fiction films he has acted in have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $100 million, and four took in over $500 million in global box office receipts. As of 2011, his films have grossed $5.7 billion in global box office.[4] He received Best Actor Oscar nominations for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.

Contents

Family and early life

Born in West Philadelphia, Smith also lived in Germantown in Northwest Philadelphia. His mother, Caroline (née Bright), was a school administrator who worked for the Philadelphia school board, and his father, Willard Christopher Smith, Sr., was a refrigeration engineer.[5][6] He was raised Baptist.[7] His parents separated when he was thirteen,[8] and did not actually divorce until around 2000.[9]
It is untrue, though widely reported, that Smith turned down a scholarship to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); he never applied to the school,[10] although he was admitted to a "pre-engineering program" there.[9] According to Smith, "My mother, who worked for the School Board of Philadelphia, had a friend who was the admissions officer at MIT. I had pretty high SAT scores and they needed black kids, so I probably could have gotten in. But I had no intention of going to college."[11]

Recording and acting career

Smith at the Emmy Awards in 1993

Early work

Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer,[12] as well as Ready Rock C (Clarence Holmes) as the human beat box. The trio was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime".[12] They gained critical acclaim and won the first Grammy awarded in the Rap category (1988).[12]
Smith spent money freely around 1988 and 1989 and underpaid his income taxes.[12] The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income.[13] Smith was nearly bankrupt in 1990, when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him.[12]
The show was successful and began his acting career. Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world," studying box office successes' common characteristics.[8]

Feature films

Smith's first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the action film Bad Boys (1995) in which he starred opposite of Martin Lawrence.
In 1996, Smith starred as part of an ensemble cast in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day. The film was a massive blockbuster, becoming the second highest grossing film in history at the time and establishing Smith as a prime box office draw.[14] He later struck gold again in the summer of 1997 alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the summer hit Men in Black playing Agent J. In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State.[12]
He turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix in favor of Wild Wild West (1999). Despite the disappointment of Wild Wild West, Smith has said that he harbors no regrets about his decision, asserting that Keanu Reeves's performance as Neo was superior to what Smith himself would have achieved.[15] Though in interviews subsequent to the release of Wild Wild West he stated that he "made a mistake on Wild Wild West. That could have been better."[16]
Smith in May 2012
In 2005, Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending a record breaking three premieres in a 24-hour time span.[17]
He has planned to star in a feature film remake of the television series It Takes a Thief.[18]
On December 10, 2007, Smith was honored at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Smith left an imprint of his hands and feet outside the world renowned theater in front of many fans.[19] Later that month, Smith starred in the film I Am Legend, released December 14, 2007. Despite marginally positive reviews,[20] its opening was the largest ever for a film released in the United States during December. Smith himself has said that he considers the film to be "aggressively unique".[21] A reviewer said that the film's commercial success "cemented [Smith's] standing as the number one box office draw in Hollywood."[22] On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Smith has been selected as one of America’s top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special that aired on December 4, 2008.[23]
Smith was reported in 2008 to be developing a film entitled The Last Pharaoh, in which he will star as Taharqa.[24]
US President Barack Obama has stated that if a film were to ever be made about his life, he would have Smith play his part, because "he has the ears". Obama stated that the two have discussed the possibility of a film based on the 2008 election, but this may not happen until the end of the Obama presidency.[25]
Men in Black III opened on May 25, 2012 with Smith again reprising his role as Agent J. This was his first major starring role in four years. Reports indicate Smith would star in Men In Black 4.[26]
On August 19, 2011, it was announced[27] that Smith had returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to work on his fifth studio album. Edwards has worked with artists such as T.I., Chris Brown, and Game. Smith's most recent studio album, Lost and Found, was released in 2005.
Smith and his son, Jaden, have completed filming After Earth, which is set for a 2013 release.

Personal life

Main article: Smith (show business family)
Nobel Peace Prize Concert December 11, 2009, in Oslo, Norway: Smith with wife Jada and children Jaden and Willow
Smith credits his father's dedication to his own involvement in the lives of his children.[28] Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. They had a son, Willard Christopher Smith III, also known as "Trey", but divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single "Just the Two of Us".
Smith married actress Jada Pinkett in 1997. Together they have had two children: Jaden Christopher Syre (born 1998), his co-star in The Pursuit of Happyness, and Willow Camille Reign (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in I Am Legend. Along with his brother, Harry Smith, he owns Treyball Development Inc.,[29] a Beverly Hills-based company named after his first son. Smith and his family reside on Star Island in Miami Beach, Florida, Los Angeles, Stockholm, Sweden[30] and Philadelphia.
Smith was consistently listed in Fortune Magazine's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the age of 40. He donated $4,600 to the presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama.[31] On December 11, 2009, Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway - to celebrate Obama's winning of the prize.[32]
Smith has said he has studied multiple religions, including Scientology, and he has said many complimentary things about Scientology and other faiths. Despite his praise of Scientology, Smith said "I just think a lot of the ideas in Scientology are brilliant and revolutionary and non-religious"[33][34] and "Ninety-eight percent of the principles in Scientology are identical to the principles of the Bible.... I don't think that because the word someone uses for spirit is 'thetan' that the definition becomes any different."[35] He has denied having joined the Church of Scientology, saying "I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions, and I respect all people and all paths."[36]
Smith gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007, of which $450,000 went to two Christian ministries, and $122,500 went to three Scientology organizations; the remaining beneficiaries included "a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and [...] the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel".[37] Smith and his wife have also founded a private elementary school in Calabasas, California, the New Village Leadership Academy, which uses Study Technology, a teaching methodology developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.[38] Federal tax filing showed that Will Smith donated $1.2 million to the school in 2010.[39]
In 2012, he expressed support for the legalizing of same-sex marriage, in an endorsement of president Barack Obama's declaration to adopt this stance on the issue.[40]

Discography

Main articles: Will Smith discography and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince discography

With DJ Jazzy Jeff

Solo

Filmography

Main article: Will Smith filmography

Awards and Nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Will Smith

References

  1. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Will Smith > Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  2. ^ Sean Smith (2007-04-09). "The $4 Billion Man". Newsweek. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "WEEKEND ESTIMATES: 'Hancock' Delivers $107M 5-Day Opening, Giving Will Smith a Record Eighth Consecutive $100M Grossing Movie!; 'WALL-E' with $33M 3-Day; 'Wanted' Down 60 Percent for $20.6M; 'Kit Kittredge' a Disaster!". Fantasy Moguls. 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
  4. ^ Staskiewicz, Keith. "Will Smith's Road to Superstardom". Entertainment Weekly. July 8, 2011. page 10
  5. ^ "Will Smith Biography (1968–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  6. ^ "Where there's a Will, there's a way". Taipei Times. 2004-08-09.
  7. ^ Strauss, Bob (2007-12-14). "Will Smith on power, dogs and Cruise". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
  8. ^ a b Rebecca Winters Keegan (2007-11-29). "The Legend of Will Smith". Time.
  9. ^ a b James Lipton (producer) (2002-01-13). "Will Smith". Inside the Actors Studio. Season 8. Episode 806. Bravo.
  10. ^ Jennifer Hillner; Wu, JS; Hyland, B; Lu, XD; Chen, JJ (December 2007). "I, Robocop". Wired 46 (8): 833–9. doi:10.1007/s11517-008-0355-6. PMID 18509686.
  11. ^ Meg Grant (December 2006). "Will Smith Interview: Will's Roots". Reader's Digest. Retrieved 2006-06-27.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Stated on Inside the Actors Studio, 2002
  13. ^ Smith, Will (2007-12-02). Interview with Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes. CBS.
  14. ^ "Independence Day". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
  15. ^ "Smith has no Matrix Regrets". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  16. ^ O'Toole, Lesley. "Will Smith: The Total Film Interview", Total Film, February 2009, Issue 151, pp. 120-125, Future Publishing Ltd., London, England.
  17. ^ Daniel Saney (2005-02-23). "Will Smith in Guinness Book of Records". Digital Spy.
  18. ^ Snyder, Gabriel; Fleming, Michael (2006-03-21). "U finds man of steal for 'Thief' feature". Variety.
  19. ^ "Will Smith Immortalized At Grauman's Chinese Theater". HHWorlds.com. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  20. ^ "I Am Legend". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  21. ^ Will Smith: He is a legend video interview with stv.tv, December 2007
  22. ^ Gitesh Pandya (2007-12-16). "Box Office Guru Wrapup: Will Smith Rescues Industry With Explosive Opening For I Am Legend". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  23. ^ Barbara Walters Gets Up Close with 2008's Most Fascinating People", TV Guide. December 1, 2008. Retrieved on December 3, 2008.
  24. ^ "Will Smith set to conquer Egypt?". Jam Showbiz. 2008-03-23. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  25. ^ "In the movie of Obama's life, he'd pick Will Smith to star". Sun-Times. 2008-02-26. Retrieved 2009-12-09. "Will and I have talked about this because he has the ears!"[dead link]
  26. ^ "Men in Black 4 confirmed". The Times Of India. 21 July 2012.
  27. ^ "Will Smith making a new album? A producer says yes". Entertainment Weekly.
  28. ^ "Becoming ... Will Smith". People. 2005-03-28. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  29. ^ "Treyball Development". Treyball Development. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  30. ^ "Hail to the chief: Mr Will Smith shall go to Washington". Daily Mail (UK). 2007-12-27. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  31. ^ "Will Smith's Federal Campaign Contribution Report". newsmeat.com. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
  32. ^ "The Nobel Peace Prize Concert". nobelpeaceprize.org. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
  33. ^ "Smith Turns Down Cruise's Scientology Bid". Hollywood.com. 2006-12-01.
  34. ^ Clark Collis (June 2005). "Dear Superstar: Will Smith". Blender.
  35. ^ "Will Smith Admits to Studying Scientology With Tom Cruise". US Magazine. 2007-11-20.
  36. ^ "Will and Jada are not Scientologists". MSN Entertainment. 2008-03-18. Archived from the original on 2008-04-08.
  37. ^ Friedman, Roger (December 17, 2008). "Will Smith Gives $1.3 Million to Charities". Fox News. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
  38. ^ Downie, Heather (2000-09-11). "What Goes on Inside Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith's School? The New Village Leadership Academy Allegedly Mimics Some Scientology Teaching Methods". ABC News.
  39. ^ . http://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerfriedman/2012/04/24/will-smith-invested-1-2-mil-into-school-with-scientology-ties-in-2010/.[dead link]
  40. ^ Will Smith supports gay marriage retrieved 16 May 2012

Further reading

External links

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