Will Smith Biography

Date of Birth
25 September 1968, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Birth Name
Willard Christopher Smith Jr.

Nickname
Fresh Prince
Mr. July

Height
6' 2" (1.88 m)

Mini Biography

Will Smith was the second of four children of Caroline (school board employee) and Willard C Smith Sr. (owner of a refrigeration company). Smith is of both African American and Native American heritage. He grew up in middle class area in West Philadelphia called Wynnefield. Will attended the Overbrook High School located in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He got the nickname 'Prince' because of the way he could charm his way out of trouble. Bright student Will also signed up with the high-status Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia.

Pursuing music, he met Jeff Townes at a party and they soon began performing together as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. When the duo took off in popularity, Smith made and spent a lot of money on a house, cars and jewelry; leading to his near bankruptcy in his early twenties.

Luckily, in 1989, he met Benny Medina, who had an idea for a sitcom based on his life in Beverly Hills. Smith loved the idea as did NBC which put on the "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990). The plot was simple -Will basically played himself; a street-smart West Philly kid transplanted to Beverly Hills. The series lasted 6 years. During that time, he ventured into movies where the critics took note of him in Six Degrees of Separation (1993). With the success that came with the action picture Bad Boys (1995), Will's movie career was set. He had a huge Blockbuster hit with Independence Day (1996) where he plays the alien-battling Marine Corps Captain Steven Hiller.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana <>

Spouse
Jada Pinkett Smith (31 December 1997 - present) 2 children
Sheree Smith (9 May 1992 - 10 December 1995) (divorced) 1 child

Trade Mark

Often plays a cop or an agent.

Trivia

Met wife Jada Pinkett Smith when she tried out for the role of his girlfriend on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990). The role eventually went to Nia Long.

Son Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (Jaden Smith) born with Jada Pinkett Smith born. [8 July 1998]

Son Willard Smith III (aka Trey Smith) born in December, with Sheree Smith. [1992]

His daughter Willow Smith was born to his wife Jada Pinkett Smith weighing 6 lbs, 10 oz. [31 October 2000]

Has said he based his character Captain Steven Hiller in Independence Day (1996) on his favorite big screen hero, Harrison Ford, most notably his performances of Han Solo in Star Wars (1977) and its sequels.

Also known as rap artist "The Fresh Prince.".

Will's siblings are: Pam Smith (born in 1964), and twins Ellen and Harry Smith (born in 1971).

Won a Grammy Award for the song "Summertime" during his rap career.

Received the first ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance, for the song "Parents Just Don't Understand" in 1989 with his partner Jeffrey A. Townes (aka Jazzy Jeff).

Enjoys playing chess.

Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. [1998]

Smith's pilot test show for "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990) was directed by Debbie Allen.

Met first wife, Sheree Smith, at a taping of _"Different World, A" (1987)_ in 1991.

As a public role model, hosted the Presidential Inaugural Celebration for Youth, as part of the Gala for President Bill Clinton. [January 1993]

Graduate of Philly's legendary Overbrook High School, whose alumni include Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Lear, Wali Jones, Walt Hazzard, The Dovells, The Orlons, DeeDee Sharp, etc. and in tribute to his student years there, his production company is called Overbrook Entertainment.

Attended the prestigious Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia.

Turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix (1999).

First hip-hop artist to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Speaks fluent Spanish.

Ranked #2 on Star TV's Top Ten Box Office stars of the 1990s (2003).

Had a chart-hit together with DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Dropped from Columbia Records as an artist after lackluster sales of his third solo album, which was self-titled, and greatest hits compilation. [Summer 2003]

Incorporates the line "Aw, hell no!" into all his movies as a running catch phrase like Arnold Schwarzenegger's "I'll be back!".

Ranked #15 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols" (23 January 2005 issue).

Gained a place in the Guinness World Records book for most public appearances in 12 hours, by attending three red carpet "premieres" for Hitch (2005/I) on 22nd February 2005. He walked the red carpet and introduced the film at Manchester, Birmingham, and finally for the premiere in London, England.

Once stated that in his whole career, he most regrets turning down the part of Neo in The Matrix (1999) and the film that he most regrets making was Wild Wild West (1999).

He has been at his adult height of 6' 2" since he was 13, although he is now about 60 pounds heavier than he first was when he reached this height.

Premiere Magazine ranked him as #44 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005).

He sang a few lines "Wild Wild West" to his on screen cousin Carleton, a movie in which he starred 6 years later.

Hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 1994.

Was considered for the role of "Mr. Smith" in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) before Brad Pitt was cast.

Is supposedly a huge fan of the Swedish well-known (but barely known in the U.S.) melodic heavy metal band Soilwork.

Raked #66 in VH1's 100 greatest Teen Stars.

Holds the record for most Kids Choice Awards with a whopping six wins.

Ranked #14 on Premiere's 2006 "Power 50" list. Had ranked #18 in 2005. He is the second-highest ranked actor, behind only Tom Cruise.

He and Jada Pinkett Smith were forced to leave their home in California because a bush fire threatened to destroy it and several other houses in the same area. [October 2005]

His 1995 divorce from ex-wife Sheree Smith led to a $900,000 lump sum divorce settlement for Zampino plus $24,000 per month in alimony and child support; this equals $288,000 a year.

Lost his place in the Guiness World Records book for most public appearances in 12 hours to German actors Jürgen Vogel and Daniel Brühl, who attended four red carpet premieres of their movie _Freund von mir, Ein (2006)_, one more than Will (22 October 2006).

In the 1998 rap lyrics of "Gettin' Jiggy", Will Smith says that Muhammad Ali would call him "The Greatest." Two and a half years later, he played the title role in Ali (2001).

Along with early partner DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jeffrey A. Townes), was the first to start scratching records and started the trend in the early '80s.

An animated caricature of him appeared in "Men in Black: The Series" (1997)_ (the animated series adaptation of _Men In Black (1997)_), alongside a caricature of his MIB co-star Tommy Lee Jones, set against a shot that parodied one of the famous low angle shots of a building being threatened by a flying saucer, an in-joke reference to Smith's 1996 hit "Men in Black: The Series" (1997), which preceded Men In Black.

His character from Men in Black (1997), Agent Jay, was not originally written to specifically be a black man. In fact, the role was offered to Caucasian actors Chris O'Donnell and David Schwimmer before Smith accepted the part.

Had to undergo treatment on his shoulder in a New York hospital after he suffered a strain. [March 2007]

Was among the guests at Tom Cruise's and Katie Holmes's wedding ceremony in Italy.

Ranked #30 on VH1's 50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists along with DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.

Ranked #29 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists.

2007 - Ranked #5 on EW's The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood.

December 2007 - According to Forbes, for each dollar he got paid, Smith's movies averaged $10 of gross income.

Was a millionaire before the age of 20.

In 2004, his net worth was estimated to be $188 million.

In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated his earnings for the year at $31 million.

Good friends with Ken Foree.

Huge fan of Professional Wrestling.

He has Native American ancestry.

Is often called "Mr. July" by the media due to the fact that most of his summer blockbusters open in July.

As of Hancock (2008), he holds the record for the actor to star in the most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies (8).

He and his daughter Willow Smith both had movies opening 2 July, 2008. His was Hancock (2008), hers was Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008).

Has appeared in two films starting with the word "I", I, Robot (2004) and I Am Legend (2007).

Wrote and performed the song Just the Two of Us about his first son Trey.

Was considered for the role of Detective James Carter in Rush Hour (1998).

Holds the record of appearing in the most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies (8).

Was in consideration for the part of Curtis Taylor Jr in Dreamgirls (2006). However Jamie Foxx was cast instead.

Personal Quotes

[On his first season of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990)] "I was trying so hard. I would memorize the entire script, then I'd be lipping everybody's lines while they were talking. When I watch those episodes, it's disgusting. My performances were horrible."

On the change in his body that Ali's intense physical training required: "I'm human viagra. I'm Willagra. I'm a sex machine now. I'm raring to go every second of the day. My wife's loving it."

My biggest emotional defeat and the greatest emotional pain I've had as an actor was when 'Wild Wild West' opened up to $52 million. The movie wasn't good. And it hurt so bad to be the No. 1 movie, to open at $52 million and to know the movie wasn't good.

"I want to stop at five." when asked by Jules Asner about having more children.

When I turned 28, everything clicked. I even got way better in bed.

It's a whole different thing being an actor. A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are. You make yourself a different person. You become a different person.

You're so much stronger when your partner is strong. I honestly believe there is no woman for me but Jada. Of all the women I've met - and there've been a few - no one can handle me the way Jada does. Once you feel someone locked in on you, it's no contest. As fine as other women can be, as tempting sexually, I'm not going anywhere. This is it. I can't imagine what anyone else could offer.

I love being black in America, and especially being black in Hollywood.

I really believe that a man and a woman together, raising a family, is the purest form of happiness we can experience.

If you're not willing to work hard, let someone else do it. I'd rather be with someone who does a horrible job, but gives 110% than with someone who does a good job and gives 60%.

People laugh, but if I set my mind to it, within the next 15 years I would be president.

My grandmother once told me, 'Don't let failure go to your heart and don't let success go to your head.'

[on Star Wars] "I might have been eight or nine. That was the movie that put me into a space where the science fiction element was almost a spiritual connection for me. I thought, if someone could imagine that and then put it on a screen and make me feel like that... and my entire career I've been trying to make people feel like Star Wars made me feel."

Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want to impress people they don't like.

About Aishwarya Rai: "I really wanted to work with her in _Hitch (2005)_ but she was shooting for Bride and Prejudice (2004) at the time and she couldn't do it. She has this powerful energy where she doesn't have to say anything, do anything, she can just stand there. Anything she's making, I'll be there." (February 2006)

If I weren't a musician/actor, I'd be a computer engineer. I was always good at math. I probably would have been the guy who invented the remote control if I'd been around then.

When I started in movies, I said, 'I want to be the biggest movie star in the world.' The biggest movie stars make the biggest movies, so [my producing partner James Lassiter and I] looked at the top 10 movies of all time. At that point, they were all special-effects movies. So Independence Day, no-brainer. Men in Black, no-brainer. I, Robot, no-brainer.

[on refusing to kiss Anthony Michael Hall in Six Degrees of Separation (1993)] It was very immature on my part. I was thinking, 'How are my friends in Philly going to think about this?' I wasn't emotionally stable enough to artistically commit to that aspect of the film. In a movie with actors and a director and writer of this caliber, for me to be the one bringing something cheesy to it... This was a valuable lesson for me. Either you do it or you don't.

Give me a problem, I'll give you a solution. I just love living. That's a feeling you can't fake. I'm glad every single day. I think that even the camera can feel that I'm a happy man.

Salary
Hancock (2008) $20,000,000
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) $20,000,000
I, Robot (2004) $28,000,000
Bad Boys II (2003) $20,000,000 + 20% of the gross
Men in Black II (2002) $20,000,000 + 10% Gross
Ali (2001) $20,000,000
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) $10,000,000
Wild Wild West (1999) $7,000,000
Enemy of the State (1998) $14,000,000
Men in Black (1997) $5,000,000
Independence Day (1996) $5,000,000
Bad Boys (1995) $2,000,000
Six Degrees of Separation (1993) $500,000
Made in America (1993) $100,000
Where the Day Takes You (1992) $50,000

Where Are They Now

(August 2004) Recently purchased a home in south Stockholm, Sweden because he feels it is the best place to relax.

(January 2008) Attended a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to promote I Am Legend. He stayed at the famous Copacabana Palace Hotel.