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Willard Christopher "Will"
Smith, Jr. (born September 25, 1968),[1] also known by his stage name
The Fresh Prince, 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
multiple 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 #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] His most
financially successful films have been Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Independence Day,
Men in Black, Men in Black II, I, Robot, The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend,
Hancock, Wild Wild West, Enemy of the State, Shark Tale, Hitch and Seven Pounds.
He also earned critical praise for his performances in Six Degrees of
Separation, Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness, receiving Best Actor Oscar
nominations for the latter two.
****
Background Information
Born Willard Christopher Smith, Jr.
September 25, 1968 (1968-09-25)
(age 43)
Wynnefield, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other names The Fresh Prince
Occupation Actor, producer, rapper
Years active 1985–present
Spouse Sheree Zampino (m.
1992–1995) «start: (1992)–end+1: (1996)»"Marriage: Sheree Zampino to Will Smith"
Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Smith)
Jada Pinkett Smith (m. 1997)
«start: (1997)»"Marriage: Jada Pinkett Smith to Will Smith" Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Smith)
Children Trey Smith
Jaden Smith
Willow Smith
Website
www.willsmith.com
****
Family
and early life
Smith was born and raised in West
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and also spent time 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
Early
work (1985–1995)
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 had a line in "Voices That Care", a 1991
Persian Gulf War song by a celebrity group. Smith spent money freely during his
early career 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]
His first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the
action film Bad Boys (1995).
Breakthrough (1996–2000)
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] 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]
International success (2001–present)
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
recognized 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 is currently developing a
film entitled The Last Pharaoh, in which he will star as Taharqa.[24]
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 a
possibility of a film based on the 2008 election, but this may not happen until
the end of the Obama presidency.[25]
He is currently filming Men in
Black III for a 2012 release playing Agent J, one of his more popular earlier
roles, making this his first major starring role in four years.
On August 19, 2011, it was
announced[26] that Smith had returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards
to make a new album. Edwards has worked with artists such as T.I., Chris Brown,
and Game.
Personal life
Smith was raised by his parents in
West Philadelphia. Smith credits his father's dedication when discussing his own
involvement in the lives of his three children: "I look at my father and how he
was able to keep four kids fed and clothed and still managed to find time to
spend with us."[27] 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.,[28] a
Beverly Hills-based company named after his first son. Smith and his family
reside on Star Island in Miami Beach, Florida and in Los Angeles, Stockholm,
Sweden[29] and Philadelphia.
Smith was consistently listed in
Fortune Magazine's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the
age of 40 and according to magazine article Celebrity Net Worth Smith's
estimated net personal wealth is stated at $188 million[30]. He donated $4,600
to the presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama.[31] December 11, 2009,
Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, when
Obama had won 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]
Discography
Main articles: Will Smith
discography and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince discography
With DJ
Jazzy Jeff
Rock the House (1987)
He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper (1988)
And in This Corner... (1989)
Homebase (1991)
Code Red (1993)
Solo
Big Willie Style (1997)
Willennium (1999)
Born to Reign (2002)
Lost and Found (2005)
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1990 Saturday Morning Videos Host
TV
ABC Afterschool Special – "The
Perfect Date" Hawker TV
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air William
"Will" Smith TV (1990–1996)
1992 Blossom Fresh Prince TV,
Cameo, episode 18 "I'm with the Band"
Where the Day Takes You Manny
1993 Made in America Tea Cake
Walters
Six Degrees of Separation Paul
1995 Bad Boys Detective Mike
Lowrey
1996 Independence Day Captain
Steven "Steve" Hiller, USMC MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss
1997 Men in Black James Darrell
Edwards / Agent J MTV Movie Award for Best Fight
MTV Movie Award for Best Song From
a Movie
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for
Every Child Pinocchio TV Series;Episode 14 of Season 2 which aired on April 13,
1997.Episode also starred Chris Rock and Della Reese
1998 Enemy of the State Robert
Clayton Dean Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion
Picture
1999 Torrance Rises Himself Cameo
Wild Wild West Captain James "Jim"
West
2000 Welcome to Hollywood Himself
The Legend of Bagger Vance Bagger
Vance Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
2001 Ali Muhammad Ali MTV Movie
Award for Best Performance
Nominated—Academy Award for Best
Actor
Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics
Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
2002 Men in Black II James Darrell
Edwards / Agent J BET Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best
Actor
Girlfriend by B2K Himself Music
video
2003 Bad Boys II Detective Mike
Lowrey Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
All of Us Johnny TV, 3 episodes
(2003–2004); Creator/Executive Producer
2004 A Closer Walk Narrator
Documentary
Jersey Girl Himself Uncredited
Cameo
American Chopper Himself TV, Cameo
I, Robot Detective Del Spooner
Producer
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
The Seat Filler Executive
Producer; Independent Film
Shark Tale Oscar Voice
2005 There's a God on the Mic
Documentary
Hitch Alex "Hitch" Hitchens
Producer
Nominated—BET Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Black Movie Award for
Best Actor
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best
Actor
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
2006 The Pursuit of Happyness Chris
Gardner Producer
Nominated—Academy Award for Best
Actor
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best
Actor
Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics
Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Chicago Film Critics
Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award
for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
2007 I Am Legend Dr. Robert Neville
Producer
MTV Movie Award for Best
Performance
Saturn Award for Best Actor
Nominated—BET Award for Best Actor
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
2008 Hancock John Hancock Producer
Nominated – Saturn Award for Best
Actor
Lakeview Terrace Producer
The Secret Life of Bees Producer
Seven Pounds Ben Thomas Producer
2010 The Karate Kid Producer
2012 This Means War Producer
Post-production
Annie Co - Producer with Emma
Thompson
Men in Black III[39] James Darrell
Edwards / Agent J Post-production
2013 The Last Pharaoh Taharqa
Pre-production
Box
office grosses
Year Title Budget U.S. gross[40]
Worldwide gross[40]
1992 Where the Day Takes You N/A
$390,152 $390,152
1993 Made in America $44,942,695
$104,942,695
Six Degrees of Separation
$6,284,090 $6,284,090
1995 Bad Boys $23m $65,647,413
$141,247,413
1996 Independence Day $75m
$306,169,255 $817,400,878
1997 Men in Black $90m $250,690,539
$587,790,539
1998 Enemy of the State
$111,549,836 $250,649,836
1999 Wild Wild West $170m
$113,805,681 $222,105,681
2000 The Legend of Bagger Vance
$80m $30,695,227 $39,235,486
2001 Ali $107m $58,183,966
$84,383,966
2002 Men in Black II $140m
$190,418,803 $441,818,803
2003 Bad Boys II $60m $138,540,870
$272,940,870
2004 I, Robot $120m $144,801,023
$348,601,023
Shark Tale $75m $161,192,000
$367,192,000
2005 Hitch $70m $177,784,257
$366,784,257
2006 The Pursuit of Happyness $55m
$162,586,036 $306,086,036
2007 I Am Legend $150m $256,393,010
$585,055,701
2008 Hancock $227,946,274
$624,346,274
Seven Pounds $55m $69,369,933
$166,617,328
References
1.^ Ankeny, Jason. "Will Smith >
Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p278403. Retrieved June 30,
2010.
2.^ Sean Smith (2007-04-09). "The
$4 Billion Man". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/2007/04/15/the-4-billion-man.html.
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. http://news.fantasymoguls.com/originalcontent/2008/07/early-wednesday.html.
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. http://www.filmreference.com/film/92/Will-Smith.html.
Retrieved 2010-06-23.
6.^ "Where there's a Will, there's
a way". Taipei Times. 2004-08-09. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/08/09/2003198111.
7.^ Strauss, Bob (2007-12-14).
"Will Smith on power, dogs and Cruise". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/movies/5377381.html.
Retrieved 2011-07-24.
8.^ a b Rebecca Winters Keegan
(2007-11-29). "The Legend of Will Smith". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1689234,00.html.
9.^ a b "Will Smith". James Lipton
(producer). Inside the Actors Studio. Bravo. 2002-01-13. No. 806, season 8.
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. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.07/smith.html.
11.^ Meg Grant (December 2006).
"Will Smith Interview: Will's Roots". Reader's Digest. http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=31133.
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. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=independenceday.htm. Retrieved
2011-07-24.
15.^ "Smith has no Matrix Regrets".
Contactmusic.com. http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/smith%20has%20no%20matrix%20regrets.
Retrieved 2010-06-23.
16.^ Total Film magazine, Feb 2009
Issue 151, pp 120-125, Will Smith: The Total Film Interview, by Lesley O'Toole,
Future Publishing Ltd., London England
17.^ Daniel Saney (2005-02-23).
"Will Smith in Guinness Book of Records". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a19424/will-smith-in-guinness-book-of-records.html.
18.^ Gabriel Snyder; Michael
Fleming (2006-03-21). "U finds man of steal for 'Thief' feature". Variety.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117940129.html.
19.^ "''HHWorlds.com'' – Will Smith
Immortalized At Grauman's Chinese Theater". Hhworlds.com.
http://www.hhworlds.com/f11/12-11-07-will-smith-immortalized-grauman-s-chinese-theater-9841.html#post102972.
Retrieved 2010-06-23.
20.^ "I Am Legend". Rotten
Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/i_am_legend/. 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. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/1697664.
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.
http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/Artists/S/Smith_Will/2008/03/23/5078376-sun.html.
Retrieved 2008-03-23.
25.^ "In the movie of Obama's life,
he'd pick Will Smith to star". Sun-Times. 2008-02-26.
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/people/813369,obamamovies022608.article.
Retrieved 2009-12-09. "Will and I have talked about this because he has the
ears!"
26.^ "Will Smith making a new
album? A producer says yes". Entertainment Weekly.
http://music-mix.ew.com/2011/08/19/will-smith-new-album/.
27.^ "Becoming ... Will Smith".
People. 2005-03-28. http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,661258_5,00.html.
Retrieved 2010-05-16.
28.^ "Treyball Development".
Treyball Development. http://www.treyballdevelopment.com. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
29.^ "Hail to the chief: Mr Will
Smith shall go to Washington". Daily Mail. UK. 2007-12-27.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-500394/Hail-chief-Mr-Will-Smith-shall-Washington.html.
Retrieved 2010-05-16.
30.^ Will Smith Net Worth |
Celebrity Net Worth
31.^ "Will Smith's Federal Campaign
Contribution Report". newsmeat.com.
http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Will_Smith.php. Retrieved
2008-01-11.
32.^ "The Nobel Peace Prize
Concert". nobelpeaceprize.org. http://nobelpeaceprize.org/concert/history/2009.php.
Retrieved 2011-01-11.
33.^ "Smith Turns Down Cruise's
Scientology Bid". Hollywood.com. 2006-12-01. http://www.hollywood.com/news/Smith_Turns_Down_Cruises_Scientology_Bid/3591886.
34.^ Clark Collis (June 2005).
"Dear Superstar: Will Smith". Blender. http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1604.
35.^ "Will Smith Admits to Studying
Scientology With Tom Cruise". US Magazine. 2007-11-20. http://www.usmagazine.com/node/13443.
36.^ "Will and Jada are not
Scientologists". MSN Entertainment. 2008-03-18. Archived from the original on
2008-04-08. http://web.archive.org/web/20080408090704/http://entertainment.uk.msn.com/news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=7843428.
37.^ Friedman, Roger (December 17,
2008). "Will Smith Gives $1.3 Million to Charities". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,468644,00.html.
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. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/smiths-alleged-scientology-school/story?id=8331367&page=1.
39.^ Brendon Connelly (April 21,
2010). "Barry Sonnenfeld Confirms Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones For Men in
Black 3D". /Film. http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/04/21/barry-sonnenfeld-confirms-will-smith-and-tommy-lee-jones-for-men-in-black-3d/.
Retrieved April 20, 2010.
40.^ a b "Will Smith – Box Office
Data". The Numbers. http://www.the-numbers.com/people/WSMIT.php. Retrieved
2009-01-08.
Further
reading
Iannucci, Lisa (2009). Will Smith:
A Biography. Greenwood. ISBN 0313376107.
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