Top Will Smith Roles
From Fresh Prince to Men in Black to Hitch and Muhammad Ali
During the course of his movie career, Will Smith has astonished audiences with his wide range of talent to become one of the greatest actors to step into Hollywood.
When the music industry introduced Will Smith to the world as the Fresh Prince, folks had little idea that it was also the launchpad for a young man who would become one of the most successful entertainers to hit Hollywood. Whether he was making us laugh or blaming the wind for the tears in our eyes with his Oscar-nominated performances, Will Smith proved to the critics that he was more than just a rapper from Philadelphia. In a field where talent is everything, Smith has exhibited time after time that he can master both comedic as well as dramatic roles, a rarity in Hollywood. In anticipation of his latest film, I Am Legend, here’s a list of his best roles to date.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Will Smith, 1990-1996) In West Philadelphia born and raised, on the playgrounds is where he spent most of his days. When the show debuted in September of 1990, people were skeptical about what he could bring to the table. After all, he was just some wacky rapper with about a dozen hits and a Grammy Award winner. He couldn’t be an actor they thought. The sitcom proved to be a stepping-stone for the soon-to-be Hollywood star and the show is still causing laughs from syndication and the DVD.
Six Degrees of Separation (Paul, 1993) Although it didn’t get a lot of attention, Smith also showed his potential as a young actor who possessed a hunger to hit big. His role as a lying, conniving but mentally ill homosexual reached new heights for the novice actor and was an early showcase of his potential.
Bad Boys/Bad Boys II (Det. Mike Lowrey 1995/ 2003) There has been too many times when a sequel to a movie expects high approval amongst the future moviegoers only to bomb. Bad Boys II was not the case. Possibly one of the best duos since Cosby and Poitier, Smith and comedian/actor Martin Lawrence shine on stage and true fans would not hesitate to see a Bad Boys 3 if one came out.
Independence Day(Capt. Steven Hiller, 1996) It was the biggest Blockbuster movie of 1996 and the movie that made Will Smith a genuine movie star. His dynamic performance received rave reviews that any Alien- fighter would and earned him a MTV Movie Award for his lip-lock with actress Vivica A. Fox.
Men in Black/ Men in Black II (Agent J, 1997/ 2002) Much like the creatures he and Mr. Jones were faced with, his comedic performance was out of this world. And for the fans of Will Smith the movie star, they got to see Will Smith the hip hop legend perform the popular themes to both movies.
Enemy of the State (Robert Clayton Dean, 1998) Quite a dramatic role for the funny man, he outshined his co-star Gene Hackman and kept viewers on the edge of their seats. This intense and riveting film will go down in history as one of Smith’s best performances.
Ali (Cassius Clay a.k.a. Muhammad Ali, 2001) Will Smith hit the gym mighty hard for this film and it showed. His likeness to the “greatest of all time” was the first true sign that he had made it in his first Oscar-nominated performance. Viewers also got the opportunity to see his real wife Jada Pinkett-Smith and he share the silver screen in a spicy love scene.
Shark Tale (Oscar, 2004) Today, more and more so-called kids’ movies are appealing to adults as well. Will Smith provides a voice-over for an overly ambitious fish who has dreams of achieving fame and the affections of certain attractive fish voiced by Angelina Jolie. A must see for the kid at heart.
Hitch (Alex “Hitch” Hitchens, 2005) A romantic comedy at its best. Smith plays a professional “love doctor” to help desperate men acquire love from the women of their dreams. Rumors of chemistry beyond the set didn’t take away from Smith and Eva Mendes’ screen sizzling performance.
Pursuit of Happyness (Chris Gardner, 2006) Undoubtedly, Smith’s most touching performance since the start of his career. His second Oscar-nominated role is for his portrayal of Christopher Gardner, a true story about a once homeless man who sought out a better life for him and his son. This film is a definite must-see and a true reflection of the human spirit. This movie was even more memorable because of the debut performance of future star, Jayden Smith, Will’s real life son.
I Am Legend hit theaters December 14th.
