Willard Christopher Smith Jr. was born on September 25, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Attending Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, he gained the nickname ‘Prince’ because he was able to charm his way out of trouble.
image via INFphoto.com
With the dream of pursing music, Will would eventually meet Jeffrey A. Townes, who would later because his partner. The two began performing together as "D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince." They grew popular in their early twenties only for Will to arrogantly spend his money, bankrupting him early on in his career.
However, he would not give up. He eventually became friends with Benny Medina, an up and coming producer who thought Will was the perfect character for a new sitcom. Soon enough, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) was born. The show was a big hit, lasting six seasons. It also helped jumpstart Will’s film career as he landed leading roles in Bad Boys (1995) and Independence Day (1996).
Anyway, the following are his ten best films.
[new page = 10. Hancock, 2008]
Will Smith plays a god among men in this film. He has nearly every superpower in the book and is a drunk. He doesn’t know who he is or where he came from. He does a good job in this film. His character provides a lot of comic relief but can be serious at times. For most of the film he is very intense and driven toward happiness.
[new page = 9. Bad Boys 2, 2003]
After landing the role for the action film Bad Boys, the crew eventually got the rights to make a sequel. The sequel was much better than the original with more action and a better screenplay. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have very good chemistry and it seems like they have known each other for a long time. This is one of Smith’s funnier roles too.
[new page = 8. Ali, 2001]
Nominated for an Oscar, this is one of Smith’s most character driven films. He does a great job at playing an arrogant Muhammad Ali. He is fierce throughout the whole film and makes a good transition from self-centered to graceful.
[new page = 7. I am Legend, 2007]
Prior to this film, people thought Tom Hanks was the only man who could occupy the big screen alone nearly throughout a whole film (Cast Away). Smith shows a lot of emotion through the film and is believable as a stranded man while he talks to mannequins. The best scene in this film is also the saddest scene. It comes when he is comforting his dog that is slowly changing into one of the monsters.
[new page = 6. The Pursuit of Happiness, 2006]
This is Will Smith’s most emotional film. Perhaps the fact that he stars in it with his son helped out a bit. The best scene comes when he locks himself and his son in a subway bathroom. He begins comforting his son as police officers start banging on the door.
[new page = 5. Enemy of the State, 1998]
This film is all about the world of spies. Are we all being watched? Will Smith plays a confused and scared lawyer that stumbled upon a bad government secret. His transformation from clueless to ingenious is what makes the film.
[new page = 4. Men in Black, 1997]
Once again Will Smith’s character is the main supply of comic relief as him and Tommy Lee Jones partner up to fight aliens across the country. This could very well be one of Smith’s most popular movies and definitely helped put him on the map. He plays his character very well as a young, arrogant kid who thinks he knows it all.
[new page = 3. Independence Day, 1996]
One of Smith’s biggest blockbuster hits was Independence Day. He is once again fighting an alien menace. He plays a soldier in this film and his transition from talking with his fellow soldier to dealing with authority is spot on. He knows his place but still isn’t afraid to be himself.
[new page = 2. Hitch, 2005]
In this film Smith is nothing but cool, that is, unless he is trying to woo Eva Mendez. He is the date doctor and helps men like Kevin James land the girl of their dreams. The best moment of this film is when Hitch shows his true colors and reveals that he works for love, not booty calls. It just seems like he has everything figured out but the viewer slowly begins to realize that he has nothing figured out.
[new page = 1. The Legend of Bagger Vance, 2000]
Will Smith is a witty caddy in this film. He is the voice of reason and is solely there to help Matt Damon reclaim his life, not to help him win the golf match. He always says the right thing and is very smooth throughout the film. With that said he is also very calm which is much different than most of his other roles. He never raises his voice in the film, but always seems to be saying something clever. All things considered this is his most consistent role and it is very inspiring.