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Will Smith

Person Score

 
9.6 Superb
662 votes

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Will Smith Picture

Biography

Recent Role:
Himself on The Talk
Gender:
Male
Born:
9-25-1968
Birthplace:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Birth Name:
Willard Christopher Smith II
AKA:
The Fresh Prince, Wil Smith

Although he initially became famous as a rapper, Will Smith went on to prove his acting talents in both television and films, eventually winning a reputation as an entertainer who could easily cross back and forth between musician and actor. In the process, he became one of the most successful entertainers -- African-American or otherwise -- in the American popular consciousness of the 1990s.

A native of Philadelphia, Smith was born on September 25, 1968. The son of middle-parents (his father owned a refrigeration company and his mother worked for the school board) and the

More second of four children, he earned the nickname "Prince" thanks to his ability to talk himself out of trouble. The nickname became part of his popular persona when, with fellow rapper Jeff Townes, Smith (who had been rapping since the age of 12) formed the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Smith found fame as a rapper, producing two platinum albums and winning a Grammy for He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper.

However, by the time he was 18; Smith had squandered much of his fortune and was in debt to the IRS. Help came in the form of Warner Bros. executive Benny Medina, who wanted to create a TV show based on his own experiences as a poor kid living with a rich Beverly Hills family. The result was The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, a popular sitcom that gave Smith -- who had turned down an M.I.T. scholarship to pursue his career -- even greater fame as the show's protagonist. During the show's six-year run, Smith began to branch out toward film work. Following roles in Where the Day Takes You (1992) and Made in America (1993), he scored critical approval as a young, gay con man pretending to be Sidney Poitier's son in Six Degrees of Separation (1993). He also scored a decent helping of controversy, thanks to remarks he made in an interview that were perceived as homophobic. Two years later, Smith found his first major commercial success alongside Martin Lawrence in the action flick Bad Boys. The following year, he topped that with a turn in the sci-fi smash Independence Day, which was one of the year's biggest moneymakers.

Extraterrestrial life forms proved to be a profitable subject for Smith, as he went on to make a similarly gargantuan amount of money playing a secret agent tracking down aliens with Tommy Lee Jones in Men in Black (1997). The film turned out to be a lucrative enterprise for him off the screen as well, as his theme-song single also became a hit. Its success inspired him to begin rapping again, and that same year he released Big Willie Smith also found success on a more personal front, as he married actress Jada Pinkett on New Year's Eve. In 1998, the actor starred in Enemy of the State, a conspiracy thriller, also starring Gene Hackman, which had him on the run from government agents. The film was a commercial success and the next year Smith starred in Wild Wild West. As the film's titular 19th century lawman hero, Smith was part of a project that was widely dismissed by critics and failed to make back its high costs. However, his theme-song single provided another hit for the actor/musician.

Following a moderate success with his role as a mysterious golf caddy who tutors down-on-his-luck putter Matt Damon in The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), Smith next pumped up for his most demanding role to date. With his Oscar-nominated turn as legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in director Michael Mann's Ali, Smith faced heretofore unprecedented scrutiny that his previous, notably lighter roles had not faced. Though some critics pointed out that Smith's acting abilities shined through Mann's sometimes lamentably restrained Ali opened strongly with much praise going to Smith's well-studied performance.

From the Forums

More Topics
  • Cool Will

    is will smith THE coolest man on the planet?

    2 comments, last one 11 days ago
  • What's your favorite "Will Smith" movie and why?

    (Yay, I opened the forum) For me: Ali - because it's a great biographal movie about Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer whom I am the editor for;) Watching Ali made me a much bigger fan of Will Smith. After that, it's probably: iRobot - because it's a cool movie about robots :P So what's your More favorite film that stars Will Smith?

    25 comments, last one Apr 13, 2011
  • Rapper or. Actor?

    Many have discussed this many time. I decided to put one up to ask others if he should stay with the music business or the acting businness. I actually believe he is awesome on both! He should stick with both.

    17 comments, last one Sep 20, 2009
  • Will's songs

    What is your favorite Will Smith Song?  I like "Just the Two Of US"  I know...Such A girl!!:D

    9 comments, last one May 16, 2009
  • Best and (Worse)

    See i put worst in brakets because its hard to name a really bad Will Smith film, seems most of the films he does has something good about them. So what i was thinking how about we name our favourite film to our least favourite, should be fun here's mine 1 Enemy Of the State 2 Hancock 3More Independance Day 4 Bad Boys 2 5 Seven Pounds 6 Men In Black 7 Ali 8 Bad Boys 2 9 I-Robot 10 Men In Black 2 11 Six Degrees of seperation 12 Wild Wild West 13 Shark Tale 14 Bagger Vance Feel free to add any i missed, if any but again i dont think any are bad films.

    1 comments, last one May 16, 2009
More Topics

Will Smith News

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  •  
    10 Perfect

    Possibly one of the greatest actors of all time,and has such great movies

    hide show

    If you can say a great actor who actually has talent,it's Will Smith. He first started as a rapper,and he's actually a great singer,with such great songs like Parents Don't Understand,Wild Wild West and Switch. And then he was in that sitcom,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,which was hilrailous and still is. Now,he's an actor,and he has such great movies. Some of his great films include Men In Black,Hitch,Independence Day and the list goes on and on. Whenever he's in a film,you know it's going to be a great film. However,he has such untalented children. Overall,he's a great actor,and great rapper.

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  •  
    8 Great
    I've grew-up watching Will Smith, from his previous series of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Films. hide show

    Wow! I couldn't believe my own eyes at all. Will Smith has tone down quite bit since his previous sitcom series. He actually isn't quite that funny anymore like he use to be. But he is still a great actor that isn't lost really. Will Smith still brings us great entertainment into films.

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  •  
    9.5 Superb
    Awesome actor hide show

    Will Smith, born Sept 25 1968, is one of the best actors from this generation. Since Th Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith have growing and becoming such a great actor, and I've gotta say that his movies and roles are so amazing that he will always be remembered. He has such great movies and TV shows: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Bad Boys I and II, Independence Day, I Robot, Men in Black, Hitch, The Pursuit of Happiness, Hancock, I am Legend, and many many others. His movies and TV shows are so great that he is one of the best actors alive.

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    One of the greatest actors that I've ever seen. hide show

    Will Smith is without a doubt one of the greatest actors Hollywood could provide. He has amazing talent and really shows it in his movies. His sense of humor is only matched by his uncanny ability to pull of some of the most intense acting you could ever see. His performance in The Pursuit of Happiness was terrific. Managing to get even the toughest of people to shed a tear. His jokes in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air were pure gold. He really shows his acting skills in all of his moves. I certainly hope that he keeps making these great movies and doesn't loose his talent anytime soon.

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  •  
    9 Superb
    empty hide show

    I like will smith. He's another one thats under my favorite persons list. He can Rap and act. The Fresh Prince of bel-air is my most favorite TV show. Will smith was hilarious in that show. I think that he is a cool person.

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