Information AboutWill Smith |
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romantic comedy '' Hitch ''.]] Willard Christopher Smith Jr. (born , Television , and the Music Industry . BIOGRAPHY Will Smith was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Through his cut-up behavior, he had already obtained the nickname "fresh prince" in high school. He is a graduate of Overbrook High School . Smith turned down acceptance and admission to M.I.T. to pursue a career as an emcee. He started as the emcee of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince , with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and Producer . The duo was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime." They gained critical acclaim for winning the first ever Grammy in the Rap category (1988). Smith was a charismatic and energetic performer but he was nearing bankruptcy when in 1990 , 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 helped revitalize his career. Although he made a notable dramatic film debut in '' Six Degrees Of Separation '' (in which he played against type as a gay con man) while still appearing in ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', Smith's film career took off with his role in '' Bad Boys '' ( 1995 ) along with co-star Martin Lawrence . After ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' ended in '' (1996), in which he played a fearless and confident fighter pilot, and '' Men In Black '' (1997), where he played the comic and confident Agent J against Tommy Lee Jones 's deadpan Agent K. Smith's acting in ''Men in Black'' won critical praise. The two films established Smith's commercial reputation as a Bankable Star whose appeal across age, race, and gender lines could "open" a film at the box office. Lead roles in '' Enemy Of The State '', '' Wild Wild West '', '' Ali '', '' Men In Black II '', '' Bad Boys II '' and '' I, Robot '' then followed. His most recent film is 2005 's '' Hitch ''. (Like Smith, ''Hitch'' co-star Kevin James starred in a sitcom named for royalty, '' The King Of Queens ''.) Smith was nominated for an Academy Award For Best Actor for his portrayal of the boxer Muhammad Ali in '' Ali ''. Smith also released a string of hit singles, often associated with his most recent film, throughout the late 1990s . The most notable of these were his #1 hit theme song " Men In Black ," the #1 hit " Gettin' Jiggy Wit It " (which made ''jiggy'' a Catchphrase for a while in 1998), and "Just the Two of Us," an affecting message to his young son. His first two solo albums went Platinum , but his third, on Columbia Records , was a sales disappointment compared to his past efforts, and after a quick Greatest Hits release that was almost not advertised at all, he was dropped by the label. He signed a recording contract with Interscope Records and released the successful ''Lost and Found'' in 2005. The album was propelled solely on the smash hit single, "Switch," which appealed to the mainstream media ala "Summertime." The single stayed atop the charts for months and returned Smith to the forefront of Hip Hop. Also, on February 6 , 2005 he appeared in Super Bowl XXXIX . On July 2 , 2005 , Smith served as host for the Live 8 Concert in his native Philadelphia before an enormous crowd, and later performed a set with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Smith married -based company named after his first son. He has been consistently listed in Fortune Magazine 's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the age of 40. Will Smith has been criticized for his lip service to his home town of Philadelphia , PA. Several of his songs talk about parts of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. While he has spoke over the years about how much he loves the city and how much he wants to give back, none of his proposed ventures in the city of Philadelphia have ever been developed. He has proposed opening a restaurant, several upscale bars, and a community center in Philadelphia which have never seen development. It is rumored that production will begin on ''''. Will Smith is also planned to star in a feature film remake television series of '' It Takes A Thief ''. TRIVIA
DISCOGRAPHY Albums With DJ Jazzy Jeff (and The Fresh Prince)
Solo
Total album sales: 25 million FILMOGRAPHY
Salary History
Total salary gross: $135,000,000 SEE ALSO
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