Will Smith

Will Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the city’s Wynnefield neighborhood. He attended Overbrook High School.⁠[1]

Performing as the Fresh Prince, he formed DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Rap music preceded his move into television and film.⁠[2]

He and DJ Jazzy Jeff won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance for “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” in the first year that the Grammys included a rap award.⁠[3][1]

He starred in NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a fictional namesake who moves from Philadelphia to relatives’ home in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. The series ran for six seasons.⁠[4]

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Summertime.”⁠[3]

He was married to Sheree Zampino from 1992 to 1995; they have a son, Trey.⁠[5]

In Michael Bay’s Bad Boys, he played Miami detective Mike Lowrey opposite Martin Lawrence as Marcus Burnett.⁠[6]

He appeared in Roland Emmerich’s science-fiction film Independence Day, about humanity’s resistance to an alien invasion.⁠[7]

He played Agent Jay in Men in Black, partnering with Tommy Lee Jones’s Agent Kay to investigate alien activity on Earth.⁠[8]

He married Jada Pinkett Smith; they have two children, Jaden and Willow.⁠[5]

“Men in Black” and “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” won him the 1998 and 1999 Grammys for Best Rap Solo Performance, respectively. The Recording Academy’s artist record lists four wins and eight nominations.⁠[3]

He portrayed boxer Muhammad Ali in the biographical film Ali, which depicts the athlete’s career and personal life.⁠[4]

He was nominated for Best Actor for Ali at the 74th Academy Awards, which honored films released in 2001.⁠[9]

He reunited with Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys II, returning to their roles as Miami detectives.⁠[10]

He starred in Alex Proyas’s I, Robot as Detective Spooner, who investigates the death of a robotics scientist.⁠[11]

In romantic comedy Hitch, he played dating consultant Alex Hitchens alongside Eva Mendes and Kevin James.⁠[12]

He portrayed Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness, with Jaden Smith playing Gardner’s young son. The film draws on Gardner’s experience raising his child while homeless and seeking a career in the securities industry.⁠[13]

He received a second Best Actor Oscar nomination, for The Pursuit of Happyness, at the 79th Academy Awards.⁠[14]

In Francis Lawrence’s I Am Legend, he played Robert Neville, a survivor searching for a cure after a catastrophic plague.⁠[15]

He played the controversial superhero Hancock in Hancock. In Seven Pounds, also released that year, he portrayed Ben Thomas, who seeks to change the lives of seven strangers.⁠[16][17]

He played the Genie in Guy Ritchie’s live-action Aladdin.⁠[18]

He co-founded Westbrook with Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada. Its activities include film and television production, digital content and brands, with businesses including Westbrook Studios and Westbrook Media.⁠[19]

He and Martin Lawrence returned to the Bad Boys franchise in Bad Boys for Life.⁠[20]

He portrayed Richard Williams, father of tennis players Venus and Serena WilliamsSerena WilliamsSerena Williams is a tennis player, entrepreneur, and investor who has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals. She founded Serena Ventures and has taken part in ownership of sports ventures such as Los Angeles Golf Club. In 2022 she announced a shift in focus toward family and business, and in 2026 she returned to professional competition; that same year she explained in an interview that her investment business had moved to the Starfire Ventures brand.Open the full entry, in King Richard and also served as a producer.⁠[4][21]

Penguin Press published Will, his memoir written with Mark Manson, reflecting on childhood, music, film and family life.⁠[22]

He served as an executive producer of Peacock’s Bel-Air, a dramatic reimagining of the premise of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.⁠[23]

He won Best Actor for King Richard at the 94th Academy Awards. As a producer, he also shared its Best Picture nomination with Tim White and Trevor White.⁠[21]

During the same ceremony, Smith went onstage and slapped Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Jada. Smith subsequently resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.⁠[24]

The Academy barred him from its events, including the Oscars, for ten years from that date, while leaving his Best Actor award intact. Smith said he accepted and respected the decision.⁠[24]

He released a video apologizing to Chris Rock and Rock’s family for the slap and acknowledging that his conduct was wrong.⁠[25]

Emancipation, which he starred in and produced, was released on Apple TV+. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, it features Smith as Peter, a man escaping enslavement, in a story inspired by an 1863 photograph.⁠[26]

In a TODAY interview, Jada said they had been separated since 2016 but had not legally divorced. This was her public account of the marriage in 2023.⁠[27]

He starred alongside Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys: Ride or Die and also produced the film, directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.⁠[28]

Philadelphia ceremonially named a stretch of 59th Street near Overbrook High School “Will Smith Way,” with Smith attending the event.⁠[29]

He released Based on a True Story. The edition listed by Apple Music contains 14 tracks with a running time of approximately 37 minutes.⁠[30]

According to organizer Omenaa Foundation, he attended Poland’s TOP CHARITY event at Dictador’s invitation and presented artistic collaborations associated with the brand.⁠[31]

School of Hard Knocks published an interview recorded in Los Angeles about his life and career lessons. The wealth figure in its title is the program’s description, not independent verification of personal net worth. Original interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iWLPlPFdBY (opens in a new window).⁠[32]

Violinist Brian King Joseph sued Smith and Treyball Studio Management, alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation. Smith’s side denied the allegations, saying Joseph was hired per performance, without a tour-wide engagement.⁠[33]

National Geographic premiered Pole to Pole with Will Smith; all seven episodes became available on Disney+ the next day. The series follows his journey across seven continents with scientists, explorers and local guides.⁠[34]

Dictador issued a company announcement naming him Global Artistic Director, with responsibilities involving artistic collaborations and projects including The Game Changer. The announcement described a creative role.⁠[35]

The court found Joseph’s complaint insufficient to support his claims and allowed 30 days to amend it. This procedural ruling was not a final determination of the disputed facts.⁠[36]

A June 7 report stated that Joseph had requested dismissal without prejudice, but processing was delayed by a missing signature. The report did not establish that the court had completed dismissal.⁠[33]

Official website: https://willsmith.com/ (opens in a new window). YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/@WillSmith (opens in a new window). X: https://x.com/WillSmith2real (opens in a new window). His YouTube is an Official Artist Channel; Bezzy’s artist directory also lists this X account.⁠[37][38][39][40]