As the titular fish out of water in the family-friendly sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith was undeniably charming, but his presence didn’t exactly scream out “future biggest movie star in the world”.
But for a remarkable amount of time he ruled the global box office, with one summer blockbuster after another, picking up two Oscar nominations along the way. His star might be somewhat dimmer now, thanks to some ill-advised decisions, but he’s set to shoot back to the top thanks to a role in DC’s latest, Suicide Squad. The critics might not be keen but the fans are hungry for it, with a predicted record opening weekend on the way.
Next up, he’s aiming for more awards glory with a role alongside Keira Knightley and Kate Winslet in Collateral Beauty, before returning to the Bad Boys franchise.
So what have been his greatest roles?
Six Degrees of Separation
One of the criticisms aimed at Smith is that he often seems unable to take anything resembling a chance. But that can’t be said about his breakout film, in which he plays a gay con artist lying and grifting his way into the lives of Donald Sutherland and Stockard Channing’s upper-crust New Yorkers. It’s stagey, but Smith makes us believe in the reality of his damaged character nonetheless.
Men in Black
Although Smith had already showcased his blockbuster charm in Bad Boys and Independence Day, it was his role as a cop turned alien immigration officer in Barry Sonnenfeld’s ingenious sci-fi comedy that turned him into a true star. He was the perfect foil for a grouchy Tommy Lee Jones and even made the obligatory rapped theme tune tolerable.
Ali
Smith’s run of good luck at the box office ran into a few potholes after Wild Wild West bombed and The Legend of Bagger Vance fizzled, but Michael Mann gave the star’s career a fresh start, handing him his biggest role to date. Smith effortlessly rose to the challenge of playing the troubled boxer, scoring an Oscar nomination and revealing previously untapped depths.
The Pursuit of Happyness
Five years later, Smith deviated from the blockbuster formula yet again and picked up another Oscar nomination for playing a father struggling to provide for his son. While the fact-based film might have relied on a manipulative script, Smith ensured emotional engagement without added schmaltz, but should have resisted his next collaboration with director Gabriele Muccino: the drippy drama Seven Pounds.
I Am Legend
While many of the reviews quite fairly focused on the dodgy special effects, they also failed to recognise quite how much Smith brought to the film. As the only man left in New York, dealing with vampires and crushing loneliness, he gave a compelling performance, veering between paranoia and grief while trying to stay alive.
