Will Smith is an African-American film actor, rapper, and singer. His real name is Willard Christopher “Will” Smith Jr. Beginning his music career with DJ Jazzy Jeff, he later continued successfully as a solo artist. Smith won the Grammy Award three times, one of the most prestigious honors in the music industry. Known mainly for high-budget, special-effects-driven blockbuster action films, he also proved his dramatic acting abilities in films such as Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness. He was nominated for the Academy Awards twice and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. Considered one of the most beloved actors worldwide, his notable films include Ali, Men in Black, I, Robot, Hitch, Independence Day, The Pursuit of Happyness, and I Am Legend.

Will Smith was born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, as the second child of a family with four children. His mother, Caroline Smith, served on a school board, while his father, Willard C. Smith Sr., owned a refrigerator manufacturing business. Coming from an African-American family, Smith was raised according to strict Baptist traditions. His parents divorced when he was only thirteen years old. He grew up in a middle-class neighborhood in West Philadelphia known as Wynnefield. A successful student, he attended Overbrook High School. Due to his charismatic personality and popularity at a young age, he earned the nickname “Prince,” which later evolved into “Fresh Prince,” a name by which he would be known for many years.

During his teenage years, Will Smith developed an interest in rap music. At one of the parties he attended, he met Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes, and together they formed their first group, marking Smith’s entry into the music world. Their group was named “DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince,” combining their nicknames. Singles from their first albums, “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and “Summertime,” achieved major success, and in 1988, the duo won the Grammy Award in the rap category, the first time this award was ever given in that field. Despite this success, Smith had also earned a scholarship from one of America’s most prestigious institutions, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but he declined it, choosing instead to pursue a career in music.

In 1990, Will Smith received an offer from NBC to develop the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. His star continued to rise rapidly, and he became a household name across the United States. His natural charm caught the attention of Hollywood producers, leading to consecutive film offers. In 1993, he appeared in his first feature film, Six Degrees of Separation, followed by Bad Boys in 1995. His compatibility with blockbuster productions became evident after the conclusion of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1996, when he starred in Independence Day and Men in Black. These large-scale, high-grossing films firmly established his cinematic success.

Although acting flourished, Will Smith never abandoned his first passion: music. In 1997, he released his debut solo studio album Big Willie Style. The album climbed to number eight on the US charts and produced hit singles such as “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” “Men in Black,” “Just the Two of Us,” and “Miami.” With “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” Smith won his third Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance.

In 1999, Wild Wild West was released, with Will Smith sharing the lead roles alongside Kevin Kline and Salma Hayek. The commercially successful film featured the title song “Wild Wild West,” included on his album Willennium, which reached number five on the US charts.

Following Men in Black II in 2000, Will Smith portrayed legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in the 2001 biographical film Ali. This performance earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and his first Academy Award nomination, clearly demonstrating the heights his acting career could reach. In 2002, he released his third album Born to Reign, which ranked twelfth on the US charts. That same year, he appeared again in Men in Black II and released a compilation album titled Greatest Hits.

In 2004, Will Smith starred in I, Robot and signed with Interscope Records, releasing the album Lost and Found. The album sold over 600,000 copies, earning him a gold record. He collaborated with Mary J. Blige on “Tell Me Why” and with Snoop Dogg on “Pump Ya Brakes,” while the lead single “Switch” delighted fans. That same year, he achieved notable success in romantic comedy with Hitch.

In 2006, Will Smith appeared alongside his son in The Pursuit of Happyness. The film holds a significant place in his filmography and earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. After Ali, this marked his first major dramatic performance, which was widely praised for its emotional depth and authenticity.

Will Smith married his first wife, Sheree Smith, on May 9, 1992, and they had one child before divorcing on December 10, 1995. On December 31, 1997, he married Jada Pinkett Smith, with whom he has two children.

On March 27, 2022, the 94th Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. During the event, Will Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard, marking a historic milestone in his career.

Awards :
2022 – 94th Academy Awards – Best Actor Award

Films and TV Series :

Producer :
2012 – The Good Wins (Feature Film)
2012 – Free Angela and All Political Prisoners (Feature Film)
2008 – Seven Pounds (Feature Film)

Actor :
2022 – Emancipation (Peter) (Feature Film)
2022 – This Joka (TV Series)
2020 – Will from Home (TV Series)
2020 – The Council (Nicky Barnes) (Feature Film)
2020 – King Richard (Richard Williams) (Feature Film)
2020 – Bad Boys for Life (Mike Lowrey) (Feature Film)
2019 – Spies in Disguise (Lance Sterling – Voice) (Feature Film)
2019 – Gemini Man (Henry Brogan) (Feature Film)
2019 – Aladdin (Genie) (Feature Film)
2017 – Collateral Beauty (Leon Rowlands) (Feature Film)
2017 – Bright (Scott Ward) (Feature Film)
2016 – Suicide Squad (Floyd Lawton / Deadshot) (Feature Film)
2016 – Collateral Beauty (Howard Inlet) (Feature Film)
2015 – Focus (Nicky Spurgeon) (Feature Film)
2015 – Concussion (Dr. Bennet Omalu) (Feature Film)
2014 – Winter's Tale (Lucifer) (Feature Film)
2013 – After Earth (Cypher Raige) (Feature Film)
2012 – Men in Black 3 (Agent J) (Feature Film)
2010 – A Man's Story (Himself) (Feature Film)
2008 – Seven Pounds (Ben Thomas) (Feature Film)
2008 – Hancock (John Hancock) (Feature Film)
2007 – I Am Legend (Robert Neville) (Feature Film)
2006 – The Pursuit of Happyness (Chris Gardner) (Feature Film)
2006 – El Hormiguero (Himself) (TV Series) (2 Episodes)
2005 – I Love the '90s: Part Deux (Himself) (TV Series) (Archive Footage)
2005 – Hitch (Alex “Hitch” Hitchens) (Feature Film)
2004 – The 76th Annual Academy Awards (Himself) (TV Film)
2004 – Tavis Smiley (Himself) (TV Program) (2 Episodes)
2004 – Le Grand Journal de Canal+ (Himself) (TV Program) (2 Episodes)
2004 – Shark Tale (Oscar – Voice) (Feature Film)
2004 – I, Robot (Del Spooner) (Feature Film)
2004 – Father and Daughter (Himself) (Feature Film)
2003 – Bad Boys II (Detective Mike Lowrey) (Feature Film)
2002 – Men in Black II (Agent J) (Feature Film)
2001 – Ali (Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali) (Feature Film)
2000 – Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years (Captain Steven Hiller – Archive Footage) (TV Film)
2000 – The Legend of Bagger Vance (Bagger Vance) (Feature Film)
1999 – Wild Wild West (James West) (Feature Film)
1998 – Enemy of the State (Robert Clayton Dean) (Feature Film)
1997 – Men in Black (James Edwards) (Feature Film)
1996 – Independence Day (Captain Steven Hiller) (Feature Film)
1995 – Bad Boys (Mike Lowrey) (Feature Film)
1993 – Six Degrees of Separation (Paul) (Feature Film)
1993 – Made in America (Tea Cake Walters) (Feature Film)
1992 – Where the Day Takes You (Manny) (Feature Film)
1987 – Biography (Himself) (TV Series)
1981 – Entertainment Tonight (Himself) (TV Series) (24 Episodes)

Music :
2002 – Men in Black II (Feature Film)

Source: Biyografiler.com