About Will Smith

In the second half of the eighties, Will Smith became famous with DJ Jazzy Jeff as the musical duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. In 1990 he got the lead role in the sit-com The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, more or less playing himself. This sit-com became a huge success and so did Will Smith. In the episodes handling more serious situations he already showed that he could do more than be funny, and with his performance in the serious drama Six Degrees of Separation it was clear to the world (or at least that part of the world who had seen both this movie and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) that a very talented new star had arrived in Hollywood.

As if showing his comic and dramatic side wasn't enough, he followed by playing the lead role in three very successful action movies: Bad Boys, Independence Day and Men in Black. At the age of thirty the only thing missing seemed to be an Oscar. By playing Muhammed Ali in a movie based on Ali's life, he seemed to have a great shot, but the oscar went to fellow African-American Denzel Washington.

In the years following, Smith focused on action movies, again very successfully. It seems to be just a matter of time until he is offered a suitable dramatic role again, and with an oscar... although with the Academy, you never know for sure.

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