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. Smith grew up in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood and was raised Baptist. He has an older 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 contained curse words—she wrote him a note 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 this influenced his decision to avoid 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 the turntablist and producer. Smith and Townes 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. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income. 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. The show was successful and began his acting career. Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world", studying box office successes' common characteristics. In 1989, Smith was arrested in relation to an alleged assault on his record promoter, William Hendricks; the charges were later dismissed.

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.

1998–2012: Leading man status

In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State. The following year, he turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix in favor of Wild Wild West (1999). Despite the disappointment of Wild Wild West, Smith said that he has no regrets about his decision, asserting that Keanu Reeves's performance as Neo was superior to what Smith himself would have achieved, 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.

Smith returned in Bad Boys II (2003), the sequel to Bad Boys (1995). 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.

2013–2022: Career fluctuations and King Richard

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".

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, 2024, Smith confirmed new music coming in 2024 in an interview with Entertainment Times 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

In October 2023, Smith revealed that during the late 1980s, he briefly dated Sandra Denton, better known as Pepa of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Smith was married to Sheree Zampino from May 9, 1992 until their divorce on February 14, 1995. They have one child, Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III (born 1992). Trey appeared in Smith'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 Pinkett on December 31, 1997. They met in 1994 when Pinkett auditioned for a role as the girlfriend of Smith's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The pair produce films through their joint production company Overbrook Entertainment and Westbrook Inc. They have two children: Jaden Smith (born 1998), who stars with Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness and After Earth; and Willow Smith (born 2000), who appears as Smith's daughter in I Am Legend. Both Smith and Pinket Smith have had extramarital relationships and believe in the freedom to pursue them. They have been separated since 2016, but said 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 2013, he said he did not identify as religious. In 2015, he 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 (2015). Smith has said that he feels a deep connection to Hindu spirituality and Indian astrology; he and his family have spent time with the Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru. In 2018, Smith performed the Hindu rite of abhisheka of Shiva in Haridwar, India. He also performed an arti at the Ganges river.

Smith donated $4,600 to the 2008 presidential campaign of 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, he 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 described 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. Bright (2017) set a record at the time for the most-viewed Netflix film ever for its first week. Smith's 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?".

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 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; he said he discovered a note in his room 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

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 Awards—one 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

Big Willie Style (1997)

Willennium (1999)

Born to Reign (2002)

Lost and Found (2005)

Based on a True Story (2025)