Will Smith

Biography

Willard Carroll Smith II was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 25, 1968. He grew up in the middle-class neighborhood of Wynnefield. In high school, he earned the nickname "Prince Charming," which he later adapted to "Fresh Prince" to forge a more hip-hop persona for his burgeoning music career. In 1985, he met Jeffrey Townes (DJ Jazzy Jeff) at a house party, and the two began performing together as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Their first single, "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble," was a hit in 1986. The duo was known for their clean, curse-free raps about teenage life, which stood in contrast to the "gangsta rap" sound emerging from the West Coast. In 1988, their song "Parents Just Don't Understand" won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance.

From Music to Television

By 1990, despite his musical success, Smith was in financial trouble due to underpaid income taxes. His fortunes turned when NBC signed him to star in a sitcom, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." The show, which was loosely based on Smith's own life, featured him as a street-smart teenager from Philadelphia sent to live with his wealthy relatives in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" was a massive success, running for six seasons from 1990 to 1996 and launching Smith's acting career.

Hollywood Stardom

Smith's transition to film was highly successful. His first major roles were in "Six Degrees of Separation" (1993) and the action film "Bad Boys" (1995), which established him as a bankable star. He became a major box office draw with the blockbuster "Independence Day" (1996), which was the highest-grossing film of that year. This was followed by a string of hits including "Men in Black" (1997) and its sequels, "Enemy of the State" (1998), and "I Am Legend" (2007). His films have grossed over $9.5 billion worldwide. Smith has also received critical acclaim for his acting, earning Academy Award nominations for his roles as Muhammad Ali in "Ali" (2001) and as Chris Gardner in "The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006). He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, in "King Richard" (2021).

Solo Music Career

Even after becoming a movie star, Smith continued his music career as a solo artist. He released several successful albums, including "Big Willie Style" (1997) and "Willennium" (1999). He had No. 1 singles with "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" and "Wild Wild West." Many of his songs were featured in his films, such as the Grammy-winning theme for "Men in Black."

Personal Life

Smith was married to Sheree Zampino from 1992 to 1995, and they have a son named Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III. In 1997, he married actress Jada Pinkett. They have two children together: Jaden and Willow, both of whom have also entered the entertainment industry. Jaden has acted alongside his father in films like "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "After Earth," while Willow is a successful musician. In October 2023, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed that she and Will had been separated since 2016, although they do not plan to legally divorce.

2022 Academy Awards Incident

During the 94th Academy Awards ceremony in 2022, Smith walked on stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Pinkett Smith has alopecia areata, a condition that causes hair loss. Following the incident, Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was banned from attending Academy events for 10 years.