Will Smith

Early life

Willard Carroll Smith II was born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, to Caroline (née Bright), a school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith Sr., a U.S. Air Force veteran and refrigeration engineer. His mother graduated from Carnegie Mellon University.

He grew up in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood and was raised Baptist. He has an elder sister named Pamela and two younger siblings, twins Harry and Ellen. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic elementary school in Philadelphia, and Overbrook High School. His parents separated when he was 13 and divorced around the year 2000.

Smith began rapping at age 12. When his grandmother found a notebook of his lyrics, which he described as containing "all [his] little curse words", she wrote him a note on a page in the book: "Dear Willard, truly intelligent people do not have to use words like this to express themselves. Please show the world that you're as smart as we think you are". Smith said that this influenced his decision not to use profanity in his music.

Career

1985–1992: DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

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. Townes and Smith were introduced to each other by chance in 1985, as Townes was performing at a house party only a few doors down from Smith's residence, and he was missing his hype man. Smith decided to fill in. They both felt strong chemistry, and Townes was upset when his hype man finally made it to the party.

Soon after, the two decided to collaborate. Smith enlisted a friend, Ready Rock C, to join as the beatboxer of the group, making them a trio. Philadelphia-based Word Records released their first single in 1986 when A&R man Paul Oakenfold introduced them to Champion Records with their single "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble", a tale of funny misadventures that landed Smith and his former DJ and rap partner Mark Forrest (Lord Supreme) in trouble. The song sampled the theme song of "I Dream of Jeannie". Smith became known for light-hearted story-telling raps and capable, though profanity-free, "battle" rhymes. The single became a hit a month before Smith graduated from high school.

Based on this success, the duo were brought to the attention of Jive Records and Russell Simmons. The duo's first album, Rock the House, which was first released on Word Up in 1986 debuted on Jive in March 1987. The group received the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for "Parents Just Don't Understand" (1988), though their most successful single was "Summertime" (1991), which earned the group their second Grammy and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Smith and Townes are still friends and claim that they never split up, having made songs under Smith's solo performer credit.

Smith spent money freely around 1988 and 1989 and underpaid his income taxes. Smith was struggling financially in 1990 when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him.

1993–1997: Solo music and film breakthrough

Smith's first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the action film Bad Boys (1995) in which he starred opposite Martin Lawrence. The latter film was commercially successful, grossing $141.4 million worldwide. However, critical reception was generally mixed. 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.

In the summer of 1997, he starred alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the hit Men in Black, playing Agent J. The film was released on July 2 by Columbia Pictures and grossed over $589.3 million worldwide against a $90 million budget, becoming the year's third highest-grossing film, with an estimated 54,616,700 tickets sold in the U.S. It received positive reviews, with critics praising its humor and Jones's and Smith's performances.

During the summer of 1997, Smith also began his solo music career with the release of "Men in Black", the theme song for the film, which topped singles charts in several regions across the world, including the UK. "Men in Black" (and second single "Just Cruisin'") was later included on Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style, which reached the top ten of the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified nine times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The third single from the album, "Gettin' Jiggy wit It", became Smith's first Billboard Hot 100 number one when it was released in 1998.

1998–2007: Leading man status

In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State. although in interviews subsequent to the release of Wild Wild West, he said that he "made a mistake on Wild Wild West. That could have been better".

Smith's second album was again supported by the release of a film theme song as the lead single: "Wild Wild West", featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album, Willennium, reached number five on the Billboard 200 and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. "Will 2K", the second single from the album, reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Before the end of 1999, a video album was released featuring Smith's seven music videos released to date, which reached number 25 on the UK Music Video Chart. The same year, he was also featured on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-star Tatyana Ali's single "Boy You Knock Me Out", which reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and topped the UK R&B Singles Chart.

Smith portrayed heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali in the 2001 biopic Ali. For his performance, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. In 2002, following a four-year musical hiatus, Smith returned with his third album Born to Reign, which reached number 13 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album's lead single was the theme song from Smith's film Men in Black II, called "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)", which reached number three on the UK Singles Chart. Later in the year, Smith's first compilation album Greatest Hits was released, featuring songs from his three solo albums and those produced with DJ Jazzy Jeff.

2003 saw Smith return for Bad Boys II, the sequel to the 1995 film Bad Boys; the film follows detectives Burnett and Lowrey investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami. Despite receiving generally negative reviews, the film was a box-office success, grossing $270 million worldwide. In the following year, he starred in the science fiction film I, Robot and the animated film Shark Tale; both films were box office successes despite mixed reviews. Smith's latest album Lost and Found was released in 2005, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200. Lead single "Switch" reached the top ten of both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.

In 2005, Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending three premieres in a 24-hour time span. Smith and his son Jaden played father and son in the 2006 biographical drama The Pursuit of Happyness. In the film, Smith portrays Chris Gardner. Smith first became interested in making a film about Gardner after seeing him on 20/20 and connected with him during production. The film, along with Smith's performance, received praise.

On December 10, 2007, Smith was honored at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Smith left an imprint of his hands and feet outside the theater in front of many fans. Later that month, Smith starred in the film I Am Legend, released on December 14, 2007. Alongside marginally positive reviews, 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". A reviewer said that the film's commercial success "cemented [Smith's] standing as the number one box office draw in Hollywood". On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Smith was 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.

2008–2022: Career fluctuations and ''King Richard''

In 2008, Smith was reported to be developing a film entitled The Last Pharaoh, in which he would be starring as Taharqa. Smith later starred in the superhero film Hancock, which grossed $227,946,274 in the United States and Canada and had a worldwide total of $624,386,746. Sometime between 2008 and early 2009, Smith was offered the lead role in Inception but turned it down because he did not understand the story. On August 19, 2011, it was announced that Smith returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to work on his fifth studio album.

Smith again reprised his role as Agent J with Men in Black 3, which opened on May 25, 2012, his first major starring role in four years. After the release of the film, Smith was content with ending his work with the franchise, saying, "I think three is enough for me. Three of anything is enough for me. We'll look at it and we'll consider it, but it feels like that it might be time to let someone else do that". Men in Black 3, released ten years after Men in Black II (2002), grossed over $624 million worldwide. Unadjusted for inflation, it is the highest-grossing film in the series. In 2013, Smith starred in After Earth with his son Jaden. The film was a disappointment at the domestic box office and was panned critically. Calling the film "the most painful failure in my career", Smith ended up taking a year and a half break as a result.

Smith starred opposite Margot Robbie in the romance drama Focus, released on February 27, 2015. He played Nicky Spurgeon, a veteran con artist who takes a young, attractive woman under his wing. Smith was set to star in the sci-fi thriller Brilliance, an adaptation of Marcus Sakey's novel of the same name scripted by Jurassic Park writer David Koepp, but he left the project to work on the Ridley Scott-produced sports drama Concussion.

In Concussion, Smith played Dr. Bennet Omalu of the Brain Injury Research Institute, the first to discover chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Smith reported he had doubts about the film early in the production, saying, "some of my happiest memories are of watching my son catch and throw a football. I didn't want to be the guy who did a movie saying football could be dangerous". These views subsided when he met Omalu, whose words about American ideals resonated with Smith. Smith's performance was praised for being "sensitive [and] understated".

In 2016, Smith played Deadshot in the supervillain team-up action film Suicide Squad. Smith's participation in the film meant choosing it over a role in Independence Day: Resurgence, which he said would be like "clinging and clawing backwards". While Suicide Squad was a massive financial success, earning over $700 million at the box office, the film received negative reviews from critics. Christopher Orr, film critic from The Atlantic wrote that "the latest offering from the DC Comics superhero universe may be the most disastrous yet". Later that year, Smith starred in director David Frankel's drama Collateral Beauty, playing a New York advertising executive who succumbs to a deep depression after a personal tragedy.

Weeks after signing Smith onto the film, his father was diagnosed with cancer, from which he died in 2016. As part of his role required him to read about religion and the afterlife, he was brought closer to the elder Smith, calling the experience "a beautiful way to prepare for a movie and an even more majestic way to say goodbye to my father". The film marked the lowest box office opening of Will Smith's career. The film also received near universal negative reviews from film critics. Hollywood Reporter critic David Rooney criticized Smith's performance writing as "the least interesting component in a madly overqualified cast".

His film Bright was distributed via Netflix on December 22, 2017. An urban fantasy, it was the most expensive film for Netflix to date. Smith collaborated with his director from Suicide Squad, David Ayer. This would also be another critical disappointment for Smith, with critics panning the film. Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun-Times criticized the film and Smith's performance writing, "By the time Will Smith barks [the line, "Dude, you can't go through elf town!"] with 100 percent urgency and sincerity in the mindboggling mess that is "Bright," it's clear we are watching a truly terrible, mountainous pile of genre-blending garbage".

Also in 2017, Smith released the song "Get Lit" a collaboration between him and his former group mate Jazzy Jeff, and launched his own YouTube channel, which has over 6 million subscribers and 294 million total views. Smith performed the official song "Live It Up" alongside American singer Nicky Jam and Kosovar singer Era Istrefi at the closing ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Moscow, Russia. That September, Smith appeared, alongside Bad Bunny, on the Marc Anthony song "Está Rico".

Smith portrayed the Genie (originally voiced by Robin Williams) in the live-action adaptation of Disney's Aladdin, directed by Guy Ritchie. He also participated in the soundtracks by recording singles: "Arabian Nights (2019)", "Friend Like Me", and "Prince Ali". The film was released on May 24, 2019. Aladdin grossed over $1 billion worldwide to become Smith's highest-grossing film, surpassing Independence Day. Smith was also featured on rapper Logic's song "Don't Be Afraid To Be Different" (2019), from his fifth studio album Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

Smith appeared as an assassin who faces off against a younger clone of himself in Ang Lee's Gemini Man, released on October 11, 2019. The film was a box office bomb and received negative reviews from critics. Varietys Peter DeBruge called the film "a high-concept misfire" and wrote: "In practice, it's been a nearly impossible project to get made, passing through the hands of countless actors and falling through multiple times because the technology wasn't there yet. At least, that's been the excuse, although judging by the finished product, it was the script that never lived up to the promise of its premise".

Later that year, Smith had his second starring role in an animated film, in Spies in Disguise, opposite Tom Holland. Smith voiced Lance Sterling, a spy who teams up with the nerdy inventor who creates his gadgets (Holland). In 2020, he reteamed with Martin Lawrence for the third film in their franchise, Bad Boys for Life. In 2019, Smith and Keisuke Honda led a $46 million investment round in esports organization Gen.G. In June 2020, it was announced that Smith would star in Emancipation, directed by Antoine Fuqua, in which he portrays Peter, a runaway slave, who outsmarts hunters and the Louisiana swamp on a journey to the Union Army.

Smith's memoir Will, which was written with Mark Manson, the author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck,* was published on November 9, 2021, and promoted with a tour. The book is a journey of self-knowledge recalling childhood traumas, his relationship with his father, and his experiences with ayahuasca. In the same year, he and his Westbrook Studios company signed a deal with National Geographic.

Smith portrayed Richard Williams, father and coach of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, in the 2021 film King Richard. For his performance, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

On February 7, 2022, National Geographic announced that Smith would star in a series titled Pole to Pole, which will stream on Disney+. The series follows Smith and his film crew as they go on a 26000 mi trek from the South Pole to the North Pole, crossing all of Earth's biomes and spending time in communities along the way. Part of the filming took place during an expedition in the Ecuadorian Amazon which helped discover the northern green anaconda.

2022 Oscars incident

Main article: Chris Rock–Will Smith slapping incident

During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, Smith walked onstage and slapped presenter and comedian Chris Rock who had made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head with a reference to the main protagonist in the 1997 film G.I. Jane. Smith then returned to his seat and yelled at Rock, twice saying "Keep my wife's name out your fucking mouth!" Pinkett Smith had been diagnosed with alopecia areata in 2018 and would later shave her head due to the condition. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) said that Smith was asked to leave the ceremony but he refused.

Later in the night, Smith was named Best Actor for King Richard and apologized to the Academy and the other nominees, but not to Rock, in his acceptance speech. The live audience gave Smith two standing ovations. Smith remained at the ceremony until its conclusion and participated in the celebrations later that evening. Following public backlash, Smith issued a formal apology via a public Instagram post. ABC, AMPAS, and the Screen Actors Guild condemned Smith following the incident, prompting an investigation by the Academy's Board of Governors. Rock declined to press charges against Smith, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. On April 1, 2022, Smith tendered his resignation from the Academy, writing in part:

The AMPAS President David Rubin accepted the resignation in an official statement but said they would continue their investigation. Smith's resignation means he is no longer able to vote on Oscar nominations as a member of the Academy. Commentators have speculated that Smith's resignation from the Academy and other related fallout from the slap would damage his "family brand". On April 8, 2022, the Academy announced its decision to ban Smith from future Oscars galas and associated events for 10 years. Several film projects that Smith had been involved in were put on hold as a result of the controversy. In a statement to CNN, Smith stated: "I accept and respect the Academy's decision". Smith offered an on camera apology on July 29, saying he was "deeply remorseful" for his actions. As a result of the incident, Netflix cancelled production on an action film that was set to star Smith titled Fast and Loose. In December 2022, Emancipation was released to mixed reviews and was a commercial failure. Producer Todd Black partially attributed the failure to Smith's involvement following the Oscar incident.

2023–present: Action films and return to music

In 2023, it was announced that Smith would co-star in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth installment in the Bad Boys film series. The film includes a comedic moment inspired by the Oscars incident. Smith is set to co-star with Michael B. Jordan in a sequel to I Am Legend. The film is in active development. Additionally, Smith is attached to star in the science fiction films Brilliance and Resistor. Smith was attached to star in crime thriller Sugar Bandits, but exited the project in September 2024 due to scheduling conflicts with another undisclosed project; he will remain involved as a producer. The following year, he signed a first look deal with Paramount Pictures through his production company, Westbrook.

In September 2023, it was reported by Vibe magazine that Joyner Lucas and Smith would be working together on a joint album. On May 19, Smith confirmed new music coming in 2024 in an interview with ET and that it is the most personal music he had ever done, with Teddy Swims confirming he recorded music with Will for the upcoming project.

On June 27, 2024, Smith announced on his Instagram that his first solo single in nearly 20 years was coming out the following day, "You Can Make It", saying "Through some of my darkest moments, music has always been there for me - to lift me and help me grow. It's my humble wish that it can do the same for you and bring you all the joy and light you deserve". The song released at midnight that evening, featuring Fridayy and the Sunday Service Choir. On July 24, 2024, it was announced that Smith had signed a new distribution deal with SLANG, a newly formed independent label. On July 26, 2024, Smith released another single "Work of Art", featuring his son Jaden and Russ. On December 12, Smith released another single, "TANTRUM", with Joyner Lucas. In 2025, Smith announced his fifth studio album, Based on a True Story, which was released on March 28, 2025. The album consists of 14 tracks, including five previously released singles and nine new songs. On March 23, 2025, Smith performed at the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League final at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Personal life

Relationships and family

During the late 1980s, Smith confirmed he briefly dated Sandra Denton, better known as Pepa of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa.

Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. Their son Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III was born on November 11, 1992. The two divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single "Just the Two of Us". He also acted in two episodes of the sitcom All of Us, and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the David Blaine: Real or Magic TV special.

Smith married actress Jada Koren Pinkett on December 31, 1997. They met when Pinkett auditioned for a role as Smith's character's girlfriend in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The pair produce films through their joint production company Overbrook Entertainment and Westbrook Inc. Together they have two children: Jaden Smith (born 1998), his co-star in The Pursuit of Happyness and After Earth; and Willow Smith (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in I Am Legend.

Smith and his wife Jada have expressed unconventional practices in their marriage, jokingly calling their commitment "bad marriage for life". Both he and Pinkett Smith have admitted to having extramarital relationships and believing in the freedom to pursue them. Smith has said he wanted a polyamorous relationship with actress Halle Berry and ballerina Misty Copeland but ultimately abandoned the idea after therapy. In October 2023, Pinkett Smith stated that she and Smith had been separated since 2016, though they have no intention to divorce.

In 2018, Smith celebrated his 50th birthday by performing a bungee jump from a helicopter in the Grand Canyon. Smith was insured by Lloyd's of London for $200 million for the jump, which raised money for the charity Global Citizen.

Religious and political views

Smith was raised in a Baptist household and attended a Baptist church and Catholic school. In a 2013 interview, he said he did not identify as religious. In 2015, Smith said in an interview with The Christian Post that his Christian faith, which was instilled in him by his grandmother, helped him to accurately portray Bennet Omalu in Concussion, saying: "She was my spiritual teacher, she was that grandmother at the church, the one having the kids doing the Easter presentations and putting on the Christmas plays and her kids and grandkids had to be first. She was the most spiritually certain person that I had ever met in my entire life. Even to the point that when she was dying she was happy, like she was really excited about going to heaven".

In 2018, Smith performed the Hindu rite of abhisheka of Shiva at Haridwar, India. He also performed an arti of the holy river Ganga. He has said that he feels a deep connection to Hindu spirituality and Indian astrology. Smith and his family also met and spent time with the Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru, stating that he enjoyed the heartfelt conversations between them.

Smith donated $4,600 to the 2008 presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama. In December 2009, Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, to celebrate Obama's winning of the prize. In 2012, Smith said he supported legalizing same-sex marriage. In 2021, Smith announced that production of his upcoming film, Emancipation, was being pulled from the U.S. state of Georgia because of the recent passage of the Election Integrity Act of 2021, which critics viewed as a restrictive voting law, negatively impacting non-white voters. Smith and director Antoine Fuqua released a joint statement: "We cannot in good conscience provide economic support to a government that enacts regressive voting laws that are designed to restrict voter access".

Public image and legacy

Smith has often been noted for achieving groundbreaking success throughout his musical career, and with his work as an actor in television and film. Forbes referred to him as the "biggest movie star of the post-9/11 era". His transition from music to acting has influenced multiple rappers to also become actors, with him being cited as a pioneer for the rappers crossing over into acting by Complex. In 2006, Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world; in 2008, Esquire named him one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century.

Smith's roles as Agent J in Men in Black 3, Richard Williams in King Richard, and Daryl Ward in Bright are among the highest-paid film roles of all time, with him reportedly earning $100 million for Men in Black 3. Smith's film Bright (2017), broke the record at the time for the most-viewed Netflix film ever for its first week. His action thriller drama Emancipation (2022) was sold to Apple Studios for $120 million in June 2020, which made it the largest film festival acquisition deal in film history.

His work as a member of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince made them the first rap act to win a Grammy Award, and the first to win an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video, when the song "Parents Just Don't Understand" won in the inaugural rap categories at both award show ceremonies. XXL has referred to him as "one of the most important rappers of all time". As of 2013, his debut solo album Big Willie Style (1997) is among the best-selling rap albums of all time. Smith launched his acting career by starring in the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; the show's success is considered to be a watershed moment for Hip-Hop and Black television, with some publications referring to it as one of the "Greatest Sitcoms of All Time".

Professor Andrew Horton said, "Smith's genre of comedy, popularized on the sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air translated well into commercial box-office appeal". Author Willie Tolliver noted, "What The Fresh Prince did accomplish was to put Smith and his character Will into an environment of affluence and possibility, thus changing the terms of his own Black identity".

In 2022, Smith became the fifth black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, after Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, and Forest Whitaker. Since winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard and slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards, Smith's public image and legacy has been intensely debated with many saying the event has tainted his perception among many in the entertainment industry and beyond. Ian Young of the BBC opined, "Will Smith went from beloved film favourite to Hollywood villain when he slapped Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars. This incident has turned into a viral meme. He has done permanent damage to his image and career, and what might happen next?".

Smith's reputation as a morally upstanding family man, a prominent film star and legacy in Hollywood have all been put in peril with Greg Braxton of The Los Angeles Times noting, "Smith’s heroic stature inside and outside Black culture, and his carefully constructed persona as the patriarch of a celebrity family, only intensifies the fallout. And his actions have now placed his reputation in jeopardy." adding, "[Smith] turned a night that should have been full of pride into one that can be described only as “infamous.” The New York Times reported Smith's actions would damage his "family brand".

Legal issues

On December 30, 2025, violinist Brian King Joseph filed a lawsuit against Smith and his management company, alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. Joseph claimed in his suit that he was fired from Smith's tour after reporting an intrusion by an unknown person into his Las Vegas hotel room in March 2025, in which he discovered a note signed "Stone F" and other items he interpreted as a sexual threat. The complaint further alleged that Smith "groomed" Joseph for exploitation, with Smith's legal counsel denying these accusations as entirely untrue and unfounded.

Acting credits and accolades

Main article: Will Smith filmography, List of awards and nominations received by Will Smith

Smith has received multiple awards throughout his career, including an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams, the prolific father and coach to championship tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, in the biopic King Richard (2021)a role that also won him a Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild Award in the same category; he also received a producer nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Prior to this award, he was nominated several times for the Academy Award (2; for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness), the Golden Globe Award (5; for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness and Concussion), and the Screen Actors Guild Award (once for The Pursuit of Happyness). In 2005, he received the honorary César Award; that same year, he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical for Fela!; and in 2021, he was nominated as a producer of Cobra Kai for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Aside from acting and behind-the-scenes work on screen and stage, Smith has made ventures into hip hop with the release of several songs, four of which won him Grammy Awardsone for Best Rap Performance (for "Parents Just Don't Understand"), one for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (for "Summertime"), and two for Best Rap Solo Performance (for "Men in Black" and "Gettin' Jiggy wit It"); the former two of which he won as a member of the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. His Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award nominations make him one of few black actors to be nominated for all four major entertainment awards in the U.S.

On March 26, 2025, Smith attended a ceremony where his name was added to red stripes at the bottom of street signs along a block of 59th Street in west Philadelphia.

Discography

Main article: Will Smith discography, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince discography

• Big Willie Style (1997)
• Willennium (1999)
• Born to Reign (2002)
• Lost and Found (2005)
• Based on a True Story (2025)

References

References

1. Huey, Steve. "DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince". [[AllMusic]].
2. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben. (March 17, 2025). "Will Smith announces first album in 20 years, Based on a True Story". [[The Guardian]].
3. (November 13, 2021). "Will Smith: 'I watched my father punch my mother so hard she collapsed'". The Times.
4. "Will Smith - Box Office".
5. "Will Smith Movie Box Office Results".
6. Ide, Wendy. (November 13, 2021). "Will Smith: now Hollywood royalty, the star's rise has been far from painless".
7. Miller, Julie. (June 22, 2016). "Why Will Smith Regrets Wanting to Be the World's "Biggest Movie Star"".
8. "Artists Will Smith".
9. "Will Smith – Turner Classic Movies".
10. Grein, Paul. (March 28, 2022). "30 Milestones in Hip-Hop Awards History: Will Smith, Lauryn Hill & More".
11. (March 29, 2022). "Will Smith: Chris Rock's Oscar Joke about Jada Pinkett Smith not scripted, insider says".
12. (April 8, 2022). "The Academy bans Will Smith for 10 years for Chris Rock slap".
13. "Willard C. Smith, Sr.". Terry Funeral Home.
14. "Will Smith's father Willard Carroll Smith Sr. dies".
15. (November 8, 2016). "Will Smith Loses His Father, Ex-Wife Pays Tribute".
16. (September 25, 2014). "Will Smith's Best Acting Moment".
17. Strauss, Bob. (December 14, 2007). "Will Smith on power, dogs and Cruise". [[Houston Chronicle]].
18. Schuman, Michael. (January 1, 2013). "Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star". Enslow Publishers, Inc..
19. Iannucci, Lisa. (2010). "Will Smith: A Biography". Greenwood Publishing Group.
20. "Will Smith, 1986". MIT Black History.
21. Keegan, Rebecca Winters. (November 29, 2007). "The Legend of Will Smith".
22. "Will Smith".
23. (January 15, 2020). "Here's How Will Smith's Grandmother Influenced His '90s Rap Lyrics".
24. Stated on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]'', 2002
25. "DJ Jazz Jeff Interview Made From Scratch". DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince Fan Site.
26. "PAUL OAKENFOLD BIOGRAPHY".
27. (December 1, 2007). "D.J. Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince".
28. (November 30, 2007). "Will Smith: My Work Ethic Is "Sickening"". CBS.
29. "DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince to reunite?". URLFan.
30. Smith, Will. (December 2, 2007). "60 Minutes". CBS.
31. "Bad Boys (1995)". [[IMDb]].
32. (April 7, 1995). "Bad Boys (1995)". [[Flixster]].
33. "Independence Day".
34. (May 30, 2016). "Men in Black".
35. "Will Smith Full Official Chart History". [[Official Charts Company]].
36. "Billboard 200: Will Smith Chart History".
37. "Gold & Platinum Artist Search "Will Smith"". [[Recording Industry Association of America]].
38. "The Hot 100: Will Smith Chart History".
39. O'Toole, Lesley. "Will Smith: The Total Film Interview", ''Total Film'', February 2009, Issue 151, pp. 120–125, Future Publishing Ltd., London, England.
40. Phares, Heather. "The Will Smith Music Video Collection – Will Smith: Songs, Reviews, Credits". [[AllMusic]].
41. "19 December 1999 – 25 December 1999". [[Official Charts Company]].
42. "07 February 1999 – 12 February 1999". [[Official Charts Company]].
43. "Will Smith". [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]].
44. (December 4, 2015). "The 74th Academy Awards". [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].
45. Ruhlmann, William. "Greatest Hits – Will Smith: Songs, Reviews, Credits". [[AllMusic]].
46. Saney, Daniel. (February 23, 2005). "Will Smith in Guinness Book of Records".
47. Dargis, Manohla. (December 15, 2006). "Climbing Out of the Gutter With a 5-Year-Old in Tow". The New York Times.
48. Holz, Adam R.. "Pursuit of Happiness". Plugged In.
49. "Will Smith Immortalized at Grauman's Chinese Theater". HHWorlds.com.
50. (December 14, 2007). "I Am Legend".
51. "Will Smith: He is a legend".
52. Pandya, Gitesh. (December 16, 2007). "Box Office Guru Wrapup: Will Smith Rescues Industry With Explosive Opening For I Am Legend".
53. "Barbara Walters Gets Up Close with 2008's Most Fascinating People".
54. (March 23, 2008). "Will Smith set to conquer Egypt?". Jam Showbiz.
55. (March 4, 2015). "There May Never Be Another Movie Star As Big As Will Smith".
56. "Hancock (2008)". [[Box Office Mojo]].
57. Hibberd, James. (2025-06-16). "Will Smith Rejected Nolan's 'Inception' Because He Didn't Get the Plot".
58. Anderson, Kyle. (August 19, 2011). "Will Smith making a new album? A producer says yes".
59. Child, Ben. (December 19, 2011). "Men in Black 3 returns Will Smith to the big screen – but doesn't add up". The Guardian.
60. "'Men in Black 3' Director Barry Sonnenfeld Talks Will Smith & Big Heads". screenrant.com.
61. "Will Smith is Not Sure About 'Men in Black 4'; Says '3 Is Enough For Me'". screenrant.com.
62. "MIB 3 (2012)".
63. (May 25, 2012). "Men in Black III (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes.
64. "Box Office Report: 'Men in Black 3' Becomes Highest-Grossing Title in Franchise".
65. "Will Smith: 'A thing got broken in my mind' following After Earth flop". [[The Guardian]].
66. (February 12, 2015). "Will Smith on Kids, His Career, Ferguson, and Failure".
67. (February 22, 2014). "UPDATE: Warner Bros Sets 2015 Release Dates For 'Run All Night', 'Man From U.N.C.L.E.' And 'Focus'".
68. Toro, Gabe. (June 4, 2014). "Will Smith in Talks To Star in Ridley Scott-Produced NFL Concussion Drama".
69. Frances, Laura. (May 30, 2014). "Will Smith Drops Out of 'Brilliance'". Latino Review.
70. Riley, Jenelle. (December 29, 2015). "Why 'Concussion' Changed Will Smith's Life".
71. (December 25, 2015). ""Concussion" movie review".
72. (December 2, 2014). "'Suicide Squad' Cast Revealed: Jared Leto to Play the Joker, Will Smith is Deadshot".
73. Robinson, Will. (December 9, 2016). "Will Smith: Why he chose Suicide Squad over Independence Day: Resurgence".
74. (August 5, 2016). "Suicide Squad Is the Worst of the Worst".
75. (November 10, 2015). "Will Smith's 'Collateral Beauty' Lands Director David Frankel".
76. (December 8, 2016). "Will Smith Opens Up About How 'Collateral Beauty' Helped Him Deal With Dad's Death".
77. Ryan, Patrick. (December 13, 2016). "How 'Collateral Beauty' helped Will Smith say goodbye to his father". USA Today.
78. "'Rogue One' Flying To $152M+ Weekend; 'Collateral Beauty' A Career B.O. Low For Will Smith: PM Update".
79. (December 16, 2016). "COLLATERAL BEAUTY".
80. (December 13, 2016). "'Collateral Beauty': Film Review".
81. Buchanan, Kyle. (July 20, 2017). "Will Smith on His Netflix Film: 'You Almost Can't Make New Movie Stars Anymore'".
82. (March 7, 2022). "Put an orc in it: Will Smith's cop fantasy 'Bright' a Netflix disaster".
83. (August 28, 2017). "Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff's new song, "Get Lit", is tremendously bad".
84. (October 18, 2017). "Will Smith unveils the studio version for 'Get Lit', his incredibly shitty new EDM song".
85. "Will Smith".
86. (May 23, 2018). "Nicky Jam, Will Smith will sing this year's official FIFA 2018 World Cup song". [[NBC News]].
87. "Watch Will Smith return to rap roots with Marc Anthony and Bad Bunny for Está Rico".
88. "'Aladdin' Soundtrack Details – Film Music Reporter".
89. "'Aladdin': Disney Casts Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott".
90. "Will Smith Movie Box Office Results".
91. Fu, Eddie. "Will Smith Drops References To 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' On Logic's "Don't Be Afraid To Be Different"". Genius.
92. Lee, Ashley. (July 6, 2017). "Ang Lee's 'Gemini Man' Gets October 2019 Release". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
93. DeBruge, Peter. (September 26, 2019). "Film Review: Will Smith in 'Gemini Man'".
94. Lang, Brent. (October 9, 2017). "Will Smith, Tom Holland to Star in Animated Movie 'Spies in Disguise' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
95. (April 18, 2019). "Actor Will Smith joins $46m investment into esports organisation Gen.G".
96. (June 15, 2020). "Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua Team on Runaway Slave Thriller 'Emancipation'".
97. Blanchet, Brenton. (June 19, 2021). "Will Smith Shares Title, Cover of His First Book, 'WILL'".
98. (September 24, 2021). "WILL SMITH Announces WILL: AN EVENING OF STORIES WITH FRIENDS at the Savoy Theatre".
99. Mosley, Tonya. (November 10, 2021). "Will Smith says he crafted a joyful image to cover the pain of the past". NPR.
100. Gilman, Greg. (November 20, 2021). "Ayahuasca Helped Will Smith 'Surrender' and More Psychedelic Revelations From Actor's Memoir".
101. (August 18, 2021). "Will Smith's Westbrook Studios Signs First-Look Deal With Nat Geo".
102. (March 28, 2022). "Will Smith Wins Best Actor Oscar for 'King Richard' Following Unexpected Live TV Confrontation".
103. (January 10, 2022). "Golden Globes 2022 winners: The full list as Will Smith, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet and more are honoured at low-key awards". Sky News.
104. Porter, Rick. (February 7, 2022). "Will Smith Will Travel From South Pole to North Pole for National Geographic Series".
105. Fry, Bryan G.. (February 19, 2024). "Scientists shocked to discover new species of green anaconda, the world's biggest snake". The Conversation.
106. Bellamy, Claretta. (January 7, 2022). "How Jada Pinkett Smith is uplifting Black women with alopecia". [[NBC News]].
107. (March 27, 2022). "Watch the uncensored moment Will Smith smacks Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, drops F-bomb". [[The Guardian.
108. ABC7. (March 27, 2022). "Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars after joke at wife Jada Pinkett Smith's expense".
109. (March 27, 2022). "Will Smith appeared to strike Chris Rock on Oscars telecast". [[CNN]].
110. Richards, Kimberley. (December 29, 2021). "Jada Pinkett Smith Shares Update On Her Journey With Alopecia". [[HuffPost]].
111. Stevens, Matt. (March 28, 2022). "Will Smith hits Chris Rock after joke about his wife, Jada.". The New York Times.
112. (March 30, 2022). "Will Smith Refused to Leave Oscars After Slap, Academy Says". The New York Times.
113. Gajewski, Ryan. (March 28, 2022). "Will Smith Tearfully Apologizes to Academy After Chris Rock Oscars Slap".
114. Arkin, Daniel. (March 27, 2022). "Will Smith appeared to hit Chris Rock at the Oscars over joke about Jada Pinkett Smith". [[NBC News]].
115. Whelan, Robbie. (March 27, 2022). "Will Smith Takes to Oscar Stage, Appears to Strike Chris Rock After Joke About Jada Pinkett Smith". [[The Wall Street Journal]].
116. Yevgeny Kuklychev, "Fact Check: Did Will Smith Receive a Standing Ovation at the Oscars?" ''Newsweek'', March 28, 2022, updated March 29, 2022, [https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-will-smith-receive-standing-ovation-oscars-1692481 newsweek.com].
117. (March 28, 2022). "Will Smith Apologizes to Chris Rock for Oscars Slap: 'I Was Out of Line and I Was Wrong'".
118. (March 28, 2022). "Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock for slapping him at the Academy Awards". NBC News.
119. (March 29, 2022). "Film academy governor Whoopi Goldberg: 'Nobody is OK with what happened' with Smith". [[Los Angeles Times]].
120. Yeo, Amanda. (March 28, 2022). "Chris Rock won't press charges against Will Smith for that Oscars slap".
121. (April 2, 2022). "Will Smith resigns from Academy after Oscars slap". Yahoo News.
122. (April 2, 2022). "Here's What Will Smith's Resignation From the Academy Means".
123. (April 2, 2022). "A Slap Could Sting the Smith Family Brand". The New York Times.
124. (April 8, 2022). "Will Smith banned from Oscars for 10 years over slap". BBC News.
125. (April 3, 2022). "Will Smith's Upcoming Film Projects Reportedly Paused in Aftermath of Oscars Slap".
126. (April 8, 2022). "Actor Will Smith banned from attending Oscars for 10 years". [[CNN]].
127. (April 25, 2022). "Ricardo P Lloyd {{!}} Why I am so over the Will Smith Oscar Incident!".
128. (July 29, 2022). "Will Smith Breaks Silence: "Deeply Remorseful" For Oscar Slap". Deadline.
129. Zilko, Christian. (April 2, 2022). "Netflix Halts Development of Will Smith Movie 'Fast and Loose' — Report".
130. Masters, Kim. (April 2, 2022). "Netflix Backs Away From Will Smith Film 'Fast and Loose' (Exclusive)".
131. (2023-08-30). "The Equalizer 3 Producers and Director Antoine Fuqua on Denzel's Enduring Stardom, Not Competing With John Wick, and Emancipation's Oscar Snub".
132. Jackson, Angelique. (2023-01-31). "Will Smith and Martin Lawrence Announce Fourth 'Bad Boys' Movie".
133. Jackson, Angelique. (June 6, 2024). "Will Smith Gets Slapped in 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' — and Here's Why It May Save His Career".
134. Couch, Aaron. (March 4, 2022). "'I Am Legend' Sequel in the Works With Will Smith, Michael B. Jordan".
135. Thomas, Carly. (June 6, 2024). "Michael B. Jordan Is "Excited" to Start Filming 'I Am Legend 2' With Will Smith".
136. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (September 20, 2022). "Paramount Taps 'Ms. Marvel's Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy To Helm Marcus Sakey Novel 'Brilliance'; Will Smith Producing And Eyed To Star".
137. Shanfeld, Ethan. (June 18, 2024). "Will Smith to Star in Sci-Fi Thriller 'Resistor' From Sony Pictures".
138. Gajewski, Ryan. (February 14, 2024). "Will Smith to Star in Crime Thriller 'Sugar Bandits'".
139. Wiseman, Andreas. (September 4, 2024). "Will Smith Exits Role In Big-Budget Action Movie 'Sugar Bandits'".
140. Galuppo, Mia. (September 3, 2025). "Will Smith Sets First-Look Film Deal at Paramount".
141. (September 26, 2023). "Will Smith Returning to Music with Joyner Lucas Joint Album".
142. "Will Smith Reacts to Justin Bieber Having a Baby, Shares His Best Fatherhood Advice (Exclusive)".
143. "Will Smith on 'Ride or Die' Wife Jada, 'Bad Boys 4' & New Music Coming (Exclusive)".
144. (June 2024). "Teddy Swims: "I recently got to record a song with Will Smith – he's the sweetest guy ever"".
145. Smith, Will. (June 27, 2024). "Through some of my darkest moments, music has always been there for me - to lift me and help me grow.".
146. Fekadu, Mesfin. (July 24, 2024). "Will Smith Signs Distribution Deal at New Independent Record Label SLANG (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
147. Zemler, Emily. (2024-07-26). "Will Smith Taps Jaden Smith, Russ for Reflective Single 'Work of Art'".
148. Andrews, Elias. (2024-07-27). "Will Smith, Russ And Jaden Promote Self Belief On "Work Of Art" Single".
149. Pedersen, Erik. (2025-03-15). "Will Smith's First Album In 20 Years Gets Release Date".
150. Mitchell, Gail. (January 30, 2025). "Will Smith Returns With 'Based on a True Story' Album: 'I'm on Fire About This Next Creative Phase'".
151. (March 13, 2025). "Will Smith to Perform at Concacaf Nations League Final at SoFi Stadium on March 23".
152. Holland, Stephanie. (October 30, 2023). "What Really Happened When Will Smith, Pepa Went On a Date Back in the Day?".
153. Smith, Will. (November 11, 2013). "Happy 21st bday Trey".
154. Williams, Jean A.. (March 2007). "Will Smith in Pursuit of Excellence".
155. (January 2, 1998). "Will Smith, Jada Pinkett wed". [[Fairbanks Daily News-Miner]].
156. Jarvey, Natalie. (March 4, 2021). "How Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's Westbrook Media Thrived in a Pandemic".
157. Darrisaw, Michelle. (May 4, 2020). "Why Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's Marriage Is So Enduring". [[O, The Oprah Magazine.
158. Hoffman, Jordan. (July 10, 2020). "Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Chuckle About Their Complicated Marriage".
159. Lowery, Wesley. (September 27, 2021). "Introducing the real Will Smith".
160. Lewis, Hilary. (October 11, 2023). "Jada Pinkett Smith Reveals She and Will Smith Have Lived Separate Lives Since 2016".
161. (September 26, 2018). "Will Smith bungee jumps out of helicopter for 50th birthday". BBC.
162. (October 15, 2018). "Will Smith bungee jump insured up to $200mn via Lloyd's". The Insurance Insider.
163. (November 25, 2015). "Football Lover Will Smith on Playing the Man Who Fought the NFL".
164. (May 2013). "Mr. and Mr. Smith: Will and Jaden Psych Up for After Earth".
165. "Will Smith Touched by God on Set of 'Concussion'". [[The Christian Post]].
166. Kumar, Yogesh. (October 11, 2018). "In Haridwar, Will Smith performed 'Rudra Abhishek' to nullify ill-effects of Saturn".
167. (October 20, 2020). "I have been following Sadhguru for a while: Will Smith".
168. "Will Smith's Federal Campaign Contribution Report". newsmeat.com.
169. "The Nobel Peace Prize Concert". nobelpeaceprize.org.
170. "Will Smith supports gay marriage". Sky News.
171. Sperling, Nicole. (April 12, 2021). "Will Smith's production pulls out of Georgia, citing the state's voting law.". The New York Times.
172. Lisa Respers France. (April 12, 2021). "Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua pull 'Emancipation' production from Georgia". CNN.
173. (March 13, 2022). "Will Smith's 14 Best Movies Ranked".
174. Bonner, Mehera. (March 27, 2022). "Get Acquainted With Will Smith's Full Oscars History".
175. (March 26, 2022). "Hollywood Shuffle: Will Smith's 10 Most Iconic Movie Roles".
176. Mendelson, Scott. "How Will Smith's Assault On Chris Rock Could Hurt His Movie Career".
177. "A Definitive List of Rappers as Actors".
178. Yaniz, Robert Jr. (November 21, 2016). "5 Best Rappers Turned Actors".
179. Schickel, Richard. (May 8, 2006). "The 2006 TIME 100 – TIME".
180. (September 16, 2008). "The 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century".
181. (March 29, 2021). "Jack Sparrow to The Joker: 19 top-paid movie roles in Hollywood".
182. Clark, Travis. (August 19, 2021). "25 highest paid movie roles of all time for actors: list".
183. (January 3, 2018). "Netflix Firms 'Bright' Sequel With Will Smith".
184. "Netflix makes history with Will Smith-starrer Bright".
185. (October 26, 2021). "Will Smith Once Earned $100 Million for ONE Movie and Now His Net Worth Is Astronomical". Yahoo! News.
186. Fields, Kiah. (February 22, 2016). "Best Hip Hop Moments of BHM: Will Smith Wins First Rap Grammy".
187. Steiner, B. J.. (September 6, 2013). "Today In Hip-Hop: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Win The First VMA For Rap".
188. High, Kemet. (September 24, 2020). "Why Will Smith's G.O.A.T. Status Isn't Up for Debate".
189. "The 50 Best Selling Rap Albums of All Time".
190. "The story behind Will Smith's iconic 'hug' scene in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'". The Washington Post.
191. Uschan, Michael V.. (March 13, 2009). "Will Smith". Greenhaven Publishing LLC.
192. Becoats, Kellen. (February 10, 2022). "Sitcom or Not, 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Knew How to Pull Off Drama".
193. (August 12, 2020). "Fresh Prince GOAT".
194. (December 14, 2015). "A Companion to Film Comedy". John Wiley & Sons.
195. Tolliver, Willie. (January 6, 2022). "Deconstructing Will Smith: Race, Masculinity and Global Stardom". McFarland.
196. (April 2022). "What next for Will Smith after Oscars slap? Hollywood divided over the star's future".
197. (June 6, 2024). "Riding and Dying With Will Smith".
198. (February 23, 2023). "Everything Will Smith Has in the Works Post-Slap — from the Confirmed to the Not-So-Sure".
199. Shilliday, Beth. (2025-03-03). "Will Smith Still Dealing With the 'Consequences' of Oscars 'Slap Gate': It's 'Following Him Everywhere'".
200. (2025-06-17). "Will Smith: Oscars slap fallout made me reflect, says star".
201. Madigan, Mary. (2022-03-29). "Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock Has Turned Into A Viral Meme, But Should Brands Be Using It?".
202. (April 2, 2022). "Will Smith: Can his career recover after Oscars slap?".
203. (March 28, 2022). "With the slap, Smith tarnished a night of pride for Black Hollywood — and his legacy".
204. Smart, Jack. (January 3, 2026). "Will Smith Sued by Violinist Brian King Joseph for Sexual Harassment".
205. D'Zurilla, Christie. (January 2, 2025). "Electric violinist sues Will Smith, alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination". Los Angeles Times.
206. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EYth0TkJWQ
207. Stelloh, Tim. (January 1, 2026). "Will Smith sued over allegations he retaliated against violinist who reported sexual harassment". NBC News.
208. Simon, Alexandra. (2025-03-26). "West Philadelphia street renamed "Will Smith Way" in honor of the city's original Fresh Prince".
209. (30 January 2025). "Will Smith Returns With 'Based on a True Story' Album: 'I'm on Fire About This Next Creative Phase'".