# Will Smith
**Will Smith** (born 1968) is an American actor, producer, and rapper whose full name is Willard Carroll Smith Jr. He began his career as half of the hip hop duo [DJ Jazzy Jeff](https://www.edgepedia.org/dj-jazzy-jeff) & The Fresh Prince, moved to television with the sitcom *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air*, and became one of Hollywood's most bankable film stars before winning the [Academy Award for Best Actor](https://www.edgepedia.org/academy-award-for-best-actor) for *King Richard* (2021).[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) His public image changed sharply in 2022, when he slapped presenter [Chris Rock](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-rock) onstage at the Oscars minutes before accepting the award.[2](https://apnews.com/article/eeb3fb126f88e87e1447254a45b53c97)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Willard Carroll Smith Jr., 1968, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) |
| Grammy record | 4 wins from 8 nominations, from Best Rap Performance (1989) through Best Short Form Music Video (2001)[3](https://www.grammy.com/artists/will-smith/7175/) |
| Television breakthrough | Starred in NBC's *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air*, 1990–1996[4](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/) |
| Academy Award | Best Actor for *King Richard* at the 94th Academy Awards, March 27, 2022[5](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2022) |
| Golden Globes | 6 nominations and 1 win (Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, for *King Richard*, 2022)[4](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/) |
| Oscars incident | Slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 ceremony and was banned from Academy events for 10 years[2](https://apnews.com/article/eeb3fb126f88e87e1447254a45b53c97) • [6](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/will-smiths-on-screen-wife-aunjanue-ellis-taylor-still-stands-by-his-oscars-slap/) |
| Career totals | 97 wins and 189 nominations across award bodies, per IMDb[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000226/awards) |
## Early life and music career
Smith grew up in a middle-class [West Philadelphia](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-philadelphia) neighborhood; his mother, Caroline, worked for the school board and his father, Willard C. Smith, owned a refrigeration company. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School and later Overbrook High School, where his quick tongue earned him the nickname "Prince."[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith)
He began rapping at age 12 and, at 16, met Jeff Townes at a party; the two formed the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with Townes as turntablist and producer.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) Their style was deliberately clean: Smith's lyrics dealt with teenage life, were comic rather than aggressive, and avoided profanity.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/Will-Smith/) After the debut single "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" (1986), the duo signed with Jive and released *Rock the House* (1987) and *He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper* (1988), the first double album in hip hop history and one of the genre's early commercial successes, moving about 2.5 million copies at the time.[9](https://elpais.com/icon/2025-03-21/de-pionero-del-hip-hop-a-rapero-puramente-comercial-la-olvidada-carrera-musical-que-will-smith-intenta-resucitar.html) The single "Parents Just Don't Understand" won the first of the duo's four [Grammy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/grammy-awards), in the Best Rap Performance category for 1989.[3](https://www.grammy.com/artists/will-smith/7175/) Their biggest chart hit, the breezy "Summertime," won another Grammy in 1992.[10](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/will-smith-mn0000963005) • [3](https://www.grammy.com/artists/will-smith/7175/)
## Television and the move to film
**The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.** With music income outrunning his spending, Smith turned to acting. He starred for six seasons, from 1990 to 1996, as a fictionalized version of himself in the NBC sitcom *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air*, and wrote and performed the show's theme song with Townes. The role brought two Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy, in 1993 and 1994.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) • [4](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/)
His first major film role came in *Six Degrees of Separation* (1993), directed by Fred Schepisi, in which he played a young con artist.[4](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/) The turning point came in the mid-1990s with *Bad Boys* (1995) and *Independence Day* (1996), followed by *Men in Black* (1997) with [Tommy Lee Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/tommy-lee-jones), directed by [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://www.edgepedia.org/barry-sonnenfeld), and its two sequels (2002 and 2012).[4](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/) The title song from *Men in Black* won Smith a solo Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1998, and "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" won the same category the next year.[3](https://www.grammy.com/artists/will-smith/7175/)
**The blockbuster run.** From 1995 to 2008 Smith headlined a string of commercial hits, including *Enemy of the State* (1998), *The Legend of Bagger Vance* (2000), *I Am Legend* (2007), *Hitch*, and *Hancock* (2008).[4](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/) • [1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) The Guardian's 2021 profile described him during this period as one of the most bankable film actors on the planet, an image built on a self-described "psychotic" work ethic and meticulous career planning.[11](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/13/will-smith-now-hollywood-royalty-the-stars-rise-has-been-far-from-painless)
## Dramatic turn and awards
Smith's first Academy Award nomination came for his portrayal of [Muhammad Ali](https://www.edgepedia.org/muhammad-ali) in [Michael Mann](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-mann)'s biopic *Ali* (2001); the film underperformed at the box office despite a record-breaking opening day, but the performance earned nominations for both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Actor.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) His second Best Actor nomination followed for *The Pursuit of Happyness* (2006), in which he appeared alongside his real-life son Jaden as [Chris Gardner](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-gardner), a man building a life from scratch.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000226/awards) Later roles included Doctor Bennet Omalu in *Concussion* (2015), Deadshot in *Suicide Squad* (2016), and the lead in Ang Lee's *Gemini Man* (2019).[4](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/)
The Oscar came with *King Richard* (2021), in which he played Richard Williams, father and coach of tennis champions Venus and [Serena Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/serena-williams). Smith won Best Actor at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, and was also a nominated producer of the film, which competed for Best Picture.[5](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2022) In his acceptance speech he thanked the Williams family and cast himself as a defender of family, saying "Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family."[12](https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/03/28/will-smith-oscars-emotional-journey/)
## The 2022 Oscars and its aftermath
During the 2022 ceremony, presenter Chris Rock joked about the shaved head of Smith's wife, [Jada Pinkett Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/jada-pinkett-smith), a symptom of her alopecia. Smith walked onto the stage, slapped Rock, and shouted at him to keep his wife's name out of his mouth; minutes later he was named Best Actor.[6](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/will-smiths-on-screen-wife-aunjanue-ellis-taylor-still-stands-by-his-oscars-slap/) • [2](https://apnews.com/article/eeb3fb126f88e87e1447254a45b53c97) The Academy banned him from its events, including the Oscars, for 10 years.[6](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/will-smiths-on-screen-wife-aunjanue-ellis-taylor-still-stands-by-his-oscars-slap/) Commentators noted that the incident altered how audiences received his screen work: a 2024 *Time* essay argued that watching him onscreen was different afterward, because viewers had seen a side of the performer his breezy persona had long concealed.[13](https://time.com/6986217/will-smith-bad-boys-ride-or-die/)
## Family and personal life
Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992 and they divorced in 1995. He married actress Jada Pinkett Smith on December 31, 1997; they have three children, Trey, Jaden, and Willow.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) • [14](https://elpais.com/gente/2026-07-07/will-smith-y-jada-pinkett-vuelven-a-vivir-juntos-tras-anos-de-idas-y-venidas.html) In her 2023 memoir, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed that she and Smith had been separated and living in different houses since 2016, though never divorced; a 2026 report stated the couple had resumed living together.[14](https://elpais.com/gente/2026-07-07/will-smith-y-jada-pinkett-vuelven-a-vivir-juntos-tras-anos-de-idas-y-venidas.html) Smith and his wife founded the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation, which supports initiatives in arts and education, social empowerment, health and wellness, and sustainability.[15](https://cdn.penguin.co.uk/dam-assets/books/9781529158281/9781529158281-sample.pdf)
## Recent work
After a 20-year hiatus from recording, Smith released his fifth studio album, *Based on a True Story*, on March 28, 2025. The 14-track record opens with "Int. Barbershop — Day," which addresses the 2022 Oscars incident, and features [Big Sean](https://www.edgepedia.org/big-sean), Joyner Lucas, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and his son Jaden.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) He supported the album with his first headlining tour, structured around phases of his life and career, with all 26 shows in Europe.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith) • [16](https://apnews.com/article/acff9d0c743df50da7110d7e4d9f143b) On the film side, production began in Australia on *Supermax*, a thriller from [Amazon MGM Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-mgm-studios) and Miramax.[17](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/will-smith-first-day-supermax-involved-a-bts-fail-shoes-from-jaden)
## The other Will Smith
A second, unrelated Will Smith is a prominent figure in television. William James Smith, born in Winchester, Hampshire, England, is a stand-up comedian, screenwriter, novelist, actor, and producer who, as co-writer and co-producer of the HBO sitcom *Veep*, shared in two [Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/emmy-awards) and two Writers Guild of America Awards, and in 2024 won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the *Slow Horses* episode "Negotiating With Tigers."[18](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/william-will-smith) The two share a name but no professional connection.
## References
1. [Will Smith: Biography, Oscar-Winning Actor, Grammy-Winning Rapper, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/actors/will-smith)
2. [Today in History: March 27, Will Smith slaps Chris Rock during Oscars telecast, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/eeb3fb126f88e87e1447254a45b53c97)
3. [Will Smith Grammy Awards and Nominations, Recording Academy](https://www.grammy.com/artists/will-smith/7175/)
4. [Will Smith, Golden Globes Awards Database](https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/will-smith/)
5. [The 94th Academy Awards (2022), Oscars.org](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2022)
6. [Will Smith's On-Screen Wife Still Stands by His Oscars Slap, The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/will-smiths-on-screen-wife-aunjanue-ellis-taylor-still-stands-by-his-oscars-slap/)
7. [Will Smith – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000226/awards)
8. [Will Smith – Actor, Rapper, Producer, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/Will-Smith/)
9. [De pionero del 'hip hop' a rapero menospreciado y comercial, El País](https://elpais.com/icon/2025-03-21/de-pionero-del-hip-hop-a-rapero-puramente-comercial-la-olvidada-carrera-musical-que-will-smith-intenta-resucitar.html)
10. [Will Smith — Biography, Discography & Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/will-smith-mn0000963005)
11. [Will Smith: now Hollywood royalty, the star's rise has been far from painless, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/13/will-smith-now-hollywood-royalty-the-stars-rise-has-been-far-from-painless)
12. [The climax of Will Smith's radical-vulnerability era, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/03/28/will-smith-oscars-emotional-journey/)
13. [There's Something Different About Will Smith—Or Maybe About Us, Time](https://time.com/6986217/will-smith-bad-boys-ride-or-die/)
14. [Will Smith y Jada Pinkett vuelven a vivir juntos, El País](https://elpais.com/gente/2026-07-07/will-smith-y-jada-pinkett-vuelven-a-vivir-juntos-tras-anos-de-idas-y-venidas.html)
15. [Will, memoir sample, Penguin UK](https://cdn.penguin.co.uk/dam-assets/books/9781529158281/9781529158281-sample.pdf)
16. [Will Smith channels his post-slap introspection into music on 'Based on a True Story', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/acff9d0c743df50da7110d7e4d9f143b)
17. [Will Smith's First Day On His New Movie, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/will-smith-first-day-supermax-involved-a-bts-fail-shoes-from-jaden)
18. [William (Will) Smith, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/william-will-smith)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sm to Su*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license