Willard Carroll "Will" Smith, Jr.[1][2][3] (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood.[4] Smith has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won four Grammy Awards.
In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show ran for nearly six years (1990–96) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks since then. In the mid-1990s, Smith moved from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films. He is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office, and 11 consecutive films gross over $150 million internationally and the only one to have eight consecutive films in which he starred open at the number one spot in the domestic box office tally.[5]
Will Smith is ranked as the most bankable star worldwide by Forbes[6] despite the box-office and critical disappointment of his 2013 film, After Earth,[7] co-starring his son Jaden Smith. 16 of the 20 fiction films he has acted in have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $100 million each, and five took in over $500 million each in global box office receipts. As of 2014, his films have grossed $6.6 billion in global box office.[8] He has received Best Actor Oscar nominations for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.
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- ↑ Note: Reliable sources give Smith's middle name as "Christopher". Smith stated that he and his son, Willard III, have the middle name "Carroll" in an appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show. Smith and his son, Jaden both stated his middle name was "Carroll" in an appearance on ¡Despierta América!
- ↑ Sean Smith (April 9, 2007). "The $4 Billion Man". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/2007/04/15/the-4-billion-man.html. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
- ↑ WEEKEND ESTIMATES: 'Hancock' Delivers $107M 5-Day Opening, Giving Will Smith a Record Eighth Consecutive $100M Grossing Movie!; 'WALL-E' with $33M 3-Day; 'Wanted' Down 60 Percent for $20.6M; 'Kit Kittredge' a Disaster!. Fantasy Moguls (2008-07-03). Retrieved on July 7, 2008.
- ↑ Top Actors and Actresses: Star Currency - Forbes.com. Star-currency.forbes.com. Retrieved on May 20, 2014.
- ↑ Box Office: What's Behind the Disappointing Debut of Will Smith's 'After Earth'? - The Moviefone Blog. News.moviefone.com (2013-06-03). Retrieved on May 20, 2014.
- ↑ Will Smith Movie Box Office Results