Will Smith has numerous homes. This includes a residence in Star Island in Miami and a home in Philadelphia. He also has a home in Stockholm, Sweden with his wife Jada Pinkett and their two children.
Background
Smith was born on September 25, 1968 in west Philadelphia. His father Willard worked as a refrigeration engineer. His mother Caroline was a school administrator. When he was 13, his parents parted. In school, Smith earned the moniker “Prince”. He would later change this into Fresh Prince when he embarked on a career as a rapper.
Early Career
Will Smith assumed the name Fresh Prince as he collaborated with his friend Jeffery Townes. They became known as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. They became popular in the late 1980s and 1990s. The duo won a Grammy for Best Rap in the Grammy awards in 1988.
In 1990 he starred in the TV sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Its popularity led to his appearance in the movies. Among his early films were the drama Six Degrees of Separation and the cop film Bad Boys in 1995.
Success
His TV show ended in 1996 and Will Smith embarked on a simultaneous recording and acting career. In 1996 he starred in the sci-fi film Independence Day. The following year he starred in Men in Black.
The two movies were huge box successes and established Smith as a box office star. He followed this up in 1998 with Enemy of the State, a suspense thriller.
This was followed by Wild, Wild West, I Robot and sequels to Bad Boys and Men in Black. Smith also enjoyed a string of hit singles. Most of them were included in the soundtrack of his films. One of the most successful was the theme to Men in Black. His albums (Big Willie Style in 1997 and Willenium in 1999) went platinum several times.
He was also offered the role of Neo in the film the Matrix but he turned it down. He later said that he had no regrets because Keanu Reeves’ portrayal was something he could not have matched.
Recent Works
Will Smith has gotten two Oscar nominations. The first was in 2001 for his portrayal of Muhammad Ali in the film Ali. He got his second Oscar nomination for his role in The Pursuit of happiness. His fourth album called Lost and Found came out in 2005. It was a huge hit thanks to the single Switch.
In 2007, Smith starred in the movie I am Legend, based on the book by Richard Matheson. The film was another smash hit not just in the US but around the world.
He is currently working on a film called the Last Pharaoh. US President Barack Obama has also said that if a movie were to be made about him, he would want Smith to portray him.
When he started working on the Fresh Prince, Will Smith said he wanted to be the biggest box office star in the world. He has certainly achieved that goal, being the only actor to have 8 straight films gross over $100 million.