about will smith biography

Will Smith transitioned from successful rapper to Hollywood A-lister, starring on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air before headlining such films as Independence Day , Men in Black , and Ali .

1968-present

Who Is Will Smith?

Quick facts, music career, movies and tv shows, wife jada pinkett smith and children.

After Will Smith met Jeff Townes at age 16, the duo launched a highly successful rap career as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Smith starred on the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for six seasons, before establishing himself as a Hollywood A-lister with Bad Boys (1995) and Independence Day (1996). He has since headlined such popular films as Men in Black (1997) and Hitch (2005) and earned Oscar nominations for Ali (2001) and The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). Smith also earned acclaim for Concussion (2015), before returning to action fare with Suicide Squad (2016).

FULL NAME: Willard Carroll Smith Jr. BORN: September 25, 1968 BIRTHPLACE: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania SPOUSE: Sheree Zampino (1992-1995) and Jada Pinkett Smith (1997-present; separated) CHILDREN: Trey, Jaden , and Willow ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra

Smith was born Willard Carroll Smith Jr. on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia to mother Caroline, a school board employee, and father Willard C. Smith, a refrigeration company owner. His middle-class upbringing saw him attend the strict Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, despite his family's observation of the Baptist faith. He went on to attend Overbrook High School.

His West Philadelphia neighborhood was a melting pot of cultures where Orthodox Jews co-existed with a large Muslim population. Smith was a good student whose charming personality and quick tongue were renowned for getting him out of trouble, a trait for which he soon gained the nickname "Prince.''

Smith began rapping at age 12, emulating heroes like Grandmaster Flash but tingeing his rhymes with a comedic element that would later become his trademark. At 16 Smith met future collaborator Jeff Townes at a party. The pair became friends, and the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince was born.

As teens, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince began producing music but steered clear of the gangsta rap sound that was emerging from the West Coast by groups like N.W.A. The Fresh Prince rapped about teenage preoccupations in a clean, curse-free style that middle America found safe and entertaining. The pair's first single, "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble," was a hit in 1986. Their 1987 debut album, Rock the House , hit the Billboard Top 200, and made Smith a millionaire before the age of 18. The early success put any thoughts of attending college out of Smith's mind.

Early on, it was reported that Smith had turned down a scholarship to Boston's elite Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but Smith later dispelled the rumor when he told an interviewer: "My mother, who worked for the School Board of Philadelphia, had a friend who was the admissions officer at MIT. I had pretty high SAT scores and they needed Black kids, so I probably could have gotten in. But I had no intention of going to college."

In 1988, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince continued their success with the album He's The DJ , I'm The Rapper . Featuring the radio-friendly singles "Parents Just Don't Understand," "Brand New Funk," and "Nightmare on My Street," the album won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance. It was followed in 1989 by And In This Corner..., which continued the pair's rise to stardom.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Two years later, Smith began his crossover into acting. Drawing on his experiences with fledgling stardom, NBC signed Smith to headline a sitcom about a street-smart kid from Philadelphia who moves in with stuffy relatives in the posh Los Angeles neighborhood of Bel-Air. Playing on his rapper persona, and at times featuring his friend Towne, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a huge success that ran for six seasons.

Meanwhile, Smith and Towne continued producing music, their 1991 album Homebase producing the hits "Summertime" and "Ring My Bell." Their final album together, 1993's Code Red , was notable for "Boom! Shake the Room."

Where the Day Takes You and Six Degrees of Separation

While still making The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Smith began a second crossover into movies. Small roles in the drama Where The Day Takes You (1992) and the comedy Made In America (1993) were followed by a critically acclaimed lead in Six Degrees of Separation (1993). Holding his own alongside Donald Sutherland , Stockard Channing and Ian McKellen , Smith played a street-wise gay hustler who cons his way through elite circles.

Smith's first steps into superstardom came with his next film, Bad Boys (1995). The high-budget cop movie saw him team up with comic Martin Lawrence , breaking away from the Black-cop-white-cop formula that had been so successful for Beverly Hills Cop and the Lethal Weapon series. The two Black leads proved an instant success and Smith — playing the smooth lady killer to Lawrence's clown — was established as leading man material.

Independence Day

Smith next took on the epic sci-fi flick Independence Day (1996), a role that confirmed him as a major player in Hollywood and the go-to guy for summer blockbusters. He played a pilot leading the counterattack against invading alien forces, and his comedic talents effortlessly transformed into the pithy one-liners all action heroes need to be able to drop while dispatching their enemies.

Men in Black and Enemy of the State

Smith fought aliens again in his next blockbuster, the comic sci-fi action film, Men in Black (1997). Playing opposite Tommy Lee Jones , Smith chewed up the screen as the new recruit to Jones' old hand. Smith rapped the theme song, and its inclusion on his 1997 solo album, Big Willie Style, brought the multi-talented actor more success. Another blockbuster followed with the slick conspiracy thriller Enemy of the State (1998), which earned Smith an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture.

Wild Wild West and The Legend of Bagger Vance

The string of hits came to an end in 1999 with Wild Wild West , a sci-fi cowboy Western co-starring Kevin Kline. Despite the film's lackluster box-office performance, the track Smith cut for the film became a hit on his 1999 album, Willennium . The golf movie The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) was his next big film, with Smith playing the caddie to Matt Damon 's out-of-sorts swinger.

Oscar Nomination for Ali

The 2001 biopic Ali , based on boxing legend Muhammad Ali , gave Smith the opportunity to regain his big-screen swagger. His turn as the charismatic boxing great saw Smith put in the performance of his life, training and disciplining himself to extraordinary lengths to do justice to the athleticism — and ego — of the titular character. The film underwhelmed at the box office despite a record-breaking opening day, but Smith's performance was strong enough to garner him his first Academy Award nomination.

Men in Black II , Bad Boys II , and I, Robot

A couple of sequels were next, with Smith reprising his roles in Men In Black II (2002) and Bad Boys II (2003). Neither was a flop, but neither matched the impressive box-office take of its predecessor. Staying with the sci-fi action theme, Smith moved on to I, Robot in 2004. The Isaac Asimov adaptation featured Smith as a futuristic cop investigating a murder by a robot and then battling a robot insurgency. The film performed well, grossing more than $144 million domestically.

Hitch and The Pursuit of Happyness

Smith's smooth-talking charmer persona was put to use in the 2005 romantic comedy Hitch, playing a dating consultant who helps luckless guys with their romantic moves. Smith also penned the theme song and included it on his 2005 album, Lost and Found . Hitch was a massive success, and it was followed in 2006 by another critical and financial hit, The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). Starring alongside his real-life son Jaden , Smith captivated audiences with the story of a single father who has to build a life from scratch. He received his second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance.

I Am Legend

In 2007, Smith starred in I Am Legend , a remake of the Charlton Heston film Omega Man , in which he battled bloodthirsty vampires. The film became a national and international hit.

Hancock , Seven Pounds , and Men in Black 3

Smith then took on the dual role of actor and producer for Hancock (2008), in which he played an alcoholic anti-superhero, and for Seven Pounds (2008), about a man who sets out to change the lives of seven people. He also helped produce two more films released that year, Lakeview Terrace and The Secret Life of Bees .

After a hiatus, Smith returned to the big screen in 2012 with Men in Black 3 , followed by a turn as a military commander in the critically panned M. Night Shyamalan sci-fi flick After Earth , which co-starred Smith's son Jaden. He then made a cameo as Lucifer in the film Winter's Tale (2014).

Focus , Concussion , and Suicide Squad

Smith's next leading role came with the 2015 heist caper Focus , co-starring Margot Robbie . Later in the year, he starred as Dr. Bennet Omalu in the sports drama Concussion , earning a Golden Globe nomination for his role as a doctor fighting to raise awareness about head trauma in NFL players.

In 2016, Smith starred in the DC Comics blockbuster hit Suicide Squad , which became his most successful film since 1996's Independence Day . The same year, he also took on a more somber role as a father who loses his young daughter in the drama Collateral Beauty . Although a follow-up endeavor, Bright (2017), was thoroughly panned by critics, audiences responded more positively to the urban fantasy crime flick.

Aladdin , Gemini Man , and Bad Boys for Life

In February 2019, Smith announced that he would not be returning for the Suicide Squad sequel. Around that time, a commercial during the Grammy Awards revealed him as a wisecracking Genie in Guy Ritchie's live-action adaptation of Disney's Aladdin , which went on to top $1 billion at the global box office. Next up was Ang Lee's Gemini Man , which had Smith pulling double duty — with help from digital technology — as a 50-year-old assassin assigned to kill a 23-year-old version of himself.

The A-lister closed out the year by voicing super agent Lance Sterling in the animated Spies in Disguise , alongside Tom Holland , before opening 2020 with a return to his successful cop-buddy franchise in Bad Boys for Life .

Smith has been married twice. His first marriage, to Sheree Zampino in 1992, lasted only three years but produced a son, Willard Smith III (b. 1992), also known as Trey. He has been married to actress Jada Pinkett Smith since 1997. The couple's son, Jaden , was born in 1998, and their daughter, Willow , was born in 2000.

Smith leans politically liberal and has made donations to the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama . Smith is a fan of chess and video games and is known to take his mother on vacation every year, usually to the Canyon Ranch spa in Tucson, Arizona.

• I want to represent the idea that you really can make what you want ... I believe I can create whatever I want to create.
• I want to do good. I want the world to be better because I was here.
• I have a great time with my life and I want to share it. I love living. I think that's infectious. It's something that you can't fake.
• Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity. Why would you be realistic?
• There's no easy way round it. Your talent is going to fail if you're not skilled.
• I've never really viewed myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is ridiculous, sickening work ethic. While the other guys sleeping, I'm working. While the other guy is eating, I'm working.
• The first step before anybody else in the world believes it is you have to believe it.
• There's no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A.
• Don't chase people. Be yourself, do your own thing and work hard.
• I'm a student of patterns, at heart I'm a physicist.

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Will Smith (born September 25, 1968, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , U.S.) is an American actor and musician whose charisma and quick wit helped him transition from rap music to a successful career in acting . Smith’s notable films include the blockbusters Bad Boys (1995), Independence Day (1996), and Men in Black (1997). For his work in King Richard (2021), he received the Academy Award for best actor .

Smith was given the nickname “Prince Charming” in high school , which he adapted to “Fresh Prince” in order to reflect a more hip-hop sound when he began his musical career. He formed an alliance with schoolmate and deejay Jeffrey Townes, whom he met in 1981. They began recording as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and released their first single, “Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble,” in 1986, later followed by the album Rock the House . In 1988 the group released the groundbreaking single “ Parents Just Don’t Understand,” which went on to win a Grammy Award (the first Grammy ever presented in the rap performance category).

Smith’s act , notable for its wide crossover appeal, was sometimes characterized as “light rap” because of the lack of hard-core lyrics and themes in his compositions . Platinum-certified recordings and accompanying videos subsequently brought him to the attention of television producers. The television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , which began in 1990, was loosely based on Smith’s real-life persona. It ran on NBC for six successful seasons, ending at the star’s request, and during its run Smith garnered two Golden Globe Award nominations and served as an executive producer for the final season.

Buoyed by his small-screen success, Smith expanded into cinema with Where the Day Takes You (1992). His first leading role was in the film version of John Guare ’s successful stage play Six Degrees of Separation (1993). The action comedy-thriller Bad Boys (1995), however, proved to be the turning point in his film career. While the movie was not a critical success, it made more than $100 million worldwide, proving Smith’s star power. In 1996 he starred in that year’s top-grossing movie, Independence Day . He was a hit at the box office again the next year with the science-fiction comedy Men in Black , for which he also recorded the Grammy-winning title song; sequels to the film appeared in 2002 and 2012. Also in 1997 Smith released his first solo album, Big Willie Style , which included the hit “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It,” and he followed it two years later with Willennium .

After starring in the dramatic thriller Enemy of the State (1998), Smith continued to demonstrate his remarkable versatility as an actor, playing an enigmatic golf caddy in The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000); the boxer Muhammad Ali in the biopic Ali (2001), for which he received an Academy Award nomination; a cop from the near future in I, Robot (2004); and a “date doctor” helping a romantically inept man find love in Hitch (2005). The next year he starred in The Pursuit of Happyness , and his performance as a single father who overcomes adversity earned him a second Oscar nomination for best actor. In I Am Legend (2007), Smith appeared as a scientist who is perhaps the last human on Earth following an epidemic . Hancock (2008) featured Smith as a superhero trying to revamp his unpopular image, and in Seven Pounds (2008) he played a man seeking redemption after accidentally killing seven people in a car accident.

Smith later starred—alongside his son Jaden—in the science-fiction epic After Earth (2013), which was based on an idea he conceived. In 2015 Smith portrayed a con artist in the thriller Focus and the doctor who discovered the epidemic of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among NFL players in Concussion . In 2016 he played the assassin Deadshot in the action thriller Suicide Squad and a grieving father in Collateral Beauty . The following year he starred as a police officer in the Netflix action film Bright , which is set in a Los Angeles inhabited by humans and mythical creatures. Smith then was cast as the genie in the family comedy Aladdin (2019). He played two roles in Gemini Man (2019): a retired assassin and his younger clone, the latter a digitally recreated version of Smith in his 20s. Smith’s other credits from 2019 included the animated Spies in Disguise , in which he supplied the voice of a spy who is turned into a pigeon.

Smith then starred in Bad Boys for Life (2020), a sequel to his 1995 breakthrough film. In 2021 Smith took the title role in King Richard , a biopic about the father of tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams. For his performance, Smith received the Oscar for best actor in 2022. However, his win was partly overshadowed by an incident during the ceremony. When comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith (married 1997), Smith took offense. He walked onstage and slapped Rock, then swore at him. Smith subsequently apologized to Rock. Later in 2022 Smith starred in Antoine Fuqua’s Emancipation , a drama set during the American Civil War . Smith played an enslaved man who flees the brutality of a Confederate railroad camp. Two years later he appeared in Bad Boys: Ride or Die .

Smith continued his recording career with the albums Born to Reign (2002) and Lost and Found (2005), but they failed to match the success of his previous releases. In addition, in the early 21st century Smith served as a producer for several films, including some in which he acted, and with his wife he helped create and produce the sitcom All of Us (2003–07). In 2018 he hosted the documentary TV series One Strange Rock , about Earth. Smith’s memoir, Will (written with Mark Manson), was released in 2021.

Will Smith Biography

Birthday: September 25 , 1968 ( Libra )

Born In: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Will Smith is an extremely popular American actor, who began his career as a rap artist, teaming up with turntabler DJ Jazzy Jeff and beat boxer Ready Rock C. He was known to be a bright student hailing from the Philadelphia's 'Overbrook High School', who decided against attending college, so that he could pursue a career in music. He was successful as a singer, and is also a 'Grammy Award' recipient. At the age of 25, this young man ventured in movies, and debuted with the famous movie 'Six Degree of Separation'. From then on, there was no looking back for this talented young star. With blockbuster movies like 'Independence Day', 'I, Robot', 'I Am Legend,' 'Enemy of the State', 'The Pursuit of Happyness,' 'Ali', and 'King Richard,' Will Smith has won several awards and accolades, including an 'Academy Award,' a 'Critics' Choice Movie Award,' a 'British Academy Film Award,' a 'Screen Actors Guild Award,' four 'Grammy Awards' and a 'Golden Globe Award.' His power packed performances show versatility and promise that this star is here to stay. In the opinion of many directors, the actor was like a breath of fresh air and essayed emotional roles with as much ease as he would portray an action hero. Amongst his several brilliant films, ‘Men in Black’ a sci-fi comedy, was one movie that became a roaring hit with moviegoers all over the world. The popularity of the first movie inspired the sequels in the ‘Men in Black’ series, which were lauded by fans and critics alike. 

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Nick Name: The Fresh Prince

Also Known As: Willard Carroll Smith II

Age: 55 Years , 55 Year Old Males

Spouse/Ex-: Jada Pinkett Smith (m. 1997), Sheree Zampino (m. 1992–1995)

father: Willard Christopher Smith Sr.

mother: Caroline Bright

siblings: Ellen Smith, Harry Smith, Pam Smith

children: Jaden Smith , Trey Smith , Willow Smith

Born Country: United States

Actors American Men

Height: 6'2" (188 cm ), 6'2" Males

U.S. State: Pennsylvania

Personality: ENFP

City: Philadelphia

Founder/Co-Founder: Treyball Development Inc., Overbrook Entertainment, New Village Leadership Academy

Humanitarian Work: Established the 'New Village Leadership Academy' elementary school

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Next year, in 1997, Smith was chosen by film director Barry Sonnenfeld, to become a part of the cult movie series of 'Men in Black'. The actor was cast opposite celebrated actor Tommy Lee Jones , and he essayed the legendary role of 'Agent J'. The following year, he worked in the hit movie 'Enemy of the State', alongside veteran Gene Hackman.

In 2015, Will Smith starred in a movie called 'Focus', where he played the male lead opposite Australian actress Margot Robbie. The same year he starred in 'Concussion', co-starring Alec Baldwin, the film earned positive reviews.

Some of his other noteworthy works also inlcude  'Bad Boys For Life,' 'Aladdin,' 'Suicide Squad,' and 'King Richard.'

This star is known for the ‘Men in Black’ franchise of movies. The science fiction movie features Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as two agents of an organization who manage alien activity on earth.

During the 2022 Oscar presentation, the presenter, Chris Rock, made a joke about Will Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, hair loss, which infuriated the King Richard star and he went to the stage and punched the comedian.Smith later took to social media to apologise for the incident. He posted a statement on Instagram saying that his behavior was  " unacceptable and inexcusable " and " Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. " 

In 2022, he earned the 'Academy Award,' 'Screen Actors Guild Award,' 'Golden Globe Award,' 'Critics' Choice Movie Award,' and British Academy Film Award' for Best Actor for his portrayal Richard Williams in 'King Richard.'

The popular actor got married in 1997, to colleague Jada Koren Pinkett , who is best known for the 'Matrix' movie franchise. The two actors have a son, Jaden Christopher Syre and a daughter, Willow Camille Reign.

In 2005, Will Smith actor made it to the ‘Guinness Book of World Records’, for having gone to three movie premieres in one day.

According to 'Fortune Magazine', Smith has been one of the wealthiest young Americans. In 2008, presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama, Smith donated $4,600. He and his wife also organized the 'Nobel Peace Prize Concert', which was held in 2009, in Oslo as a toast to the prize being awarded to Obama.

Will Smith Movies

  (Drama, Biography)

  (Family, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Comedy)

  (Thriller, Drama, Sci-Fi, Horror)

  (Romance, Drama)

  (Thriller, Action, Mystery, Crime)

  (Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Crime, Thriller, Drama)

  (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi)

  (Biography, Sport, Drama)

  (Thriller, Drama, Action, Comedy, Crime)

  (Sci-Fi, Action, Short)

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Will Smith Biography

actor; musician Born: 9/25/1968 Birthplace: Philadelphia

Smith got his start in show business as half of the Grammy Award-winning rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. An auspicious acting debut in television's Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–96) led to an equally successful movie career, including leading roles in the blockbusters Independence Day (1996), Men in Black (1997) and Men in Black II (2002), Enemy of the State (1998), Wild Wild West (1999), The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), Ali (2001), and Hitch (2005). He got critical acclaim for his role in 2006's The Pursuit of Happyness in which his young son costarred. He released his first solo album Big Willie Style in 1997. He is married to actress Jada Pinkett-Smith .

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The Great Performers Issue

Will Smith Is Done Trying to Be Perfect

“Strategizing about being the biggest movie star in the world — that is all completely over. ”

Will Smith Credit... Ruven Afanador for The New York Times

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By David Marchese

• Dec. 9, 2021

Will Smith’s superpower as a performer — as a movie star — has always been his radiating charisma. Who else could have credibly portrayed Muhammad Ali, the most charismatic man ever? In “King Richard,” Smith transmutes that gift into something subtler but just as powerful in his portrayal of Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena. (Smith, as he was eager to acknowledge, was supported in the film by Saniyya Sidney as Venus, Demi Singleton as Serena and Aunjanue Ellis as the girls’ mother and Williams’s wife at the time, Oracene Price.) Richard Williams, as embodied by Smith, is a man who has been physically bowed but not beaten. He has a limp from a racist attack as a child; his carriage is tense, a little unsure, as if always on alert for a sucker punch. He’s someone who has spent time beneath the underdog. And yet when it comes to Williams’s daughters and his dreams for them of tennis greatness, Smith invests his character with his trademark on-screen self-assurance. That Smith, who is 53 and who this autumn published a searching memoir, “Will,” was able to express those disparate traits so effectively is something he attributes to the work, precipitated by that book, that he has lately put into himself. “I wouldn’t have been able to play Richard Williams in this way,” Smith says, “before I had examined my life and understood so many aspects of my childhood and how that affected the decisions I made as a parent.”

There’s a key scene in “King Richard” in which Richard Williams talks about getting beaten up by a gang of white men as a child and seeing his father run away rather than help him. Not wanting to repeat that act of cowardice is ostensibly what drove his behavior toward his daughters. In your book, you write about seeing your dad hit your mom and how the cowardice that you felt for not intervening subsequently drove your own behaviors. When it came time to play Richard Williams, had you made any links between those situations? Absolutely. As an actor, you’re trying to find the aspects of the character that you most innately understand. So I could relate to Richard Williams similarly as I related to my father. I could relate to both their senses of disrespect. They felt unsupported and disrespected, and that was central for both of them. I started finding all those parallels, and also what happened is I got better as an actor during that time. I was organizing my memoir while I was working on “King Richard.” These two things have gone together. My ability as an actor expanded in the last 18 months. It’s one of the most exponential jumps in emotional comprehension that I’ve ever had.

Good acting can be such an intangible thing. What are you looking at as evidence of improvement? At the core, acting is what can you comprehend emotionally. And when you comprehend it emotionally, do you understand it enough to feel it and create interesting behavior around it? So something like Richard Williams’s walk: Now, you can mimic someone’s walk and look authentic. It’s a completely different thing when you know why the person is hunching over versus the stand-up-comedian version of it just mimicking it. Understanding that was the leap that happened: When you know why Richard Williams’s left leg hurts, what happened with the spike that got driven through it, that, as an actor, is the 90 percent of the iceberg that’s below the surface. When you’ve programmed it deeply, those things have corresponding vibrations for the audience that they don’t even realize.

What does your walk say about you? Ha! I guess if you were to psychoanalyze my walk from eight years ago, it’d be two things: My walk is really fast, and it’s high. I’m trying to create a joyful persona, and it’s because a long time ago I realized how you enter a space is going to determine how the space reacts to you. So my walk is joyful, but it’s also somewhat performative and pre-emptive. It’s like, I don’t want somebody to feel like they have to punch me in my face. I want to walk into a room and get as many friends as quickly as possible.

You said “eight years ago.” Does your walk say something different now? At this point in my life, I’m comfortable in my body. I’m OK with things not being perfect. I don’t have to look right. My mind isn’t drifting to what people are thinking when I walk in anymore. It’s much less performative and conscious.

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Will Smith: Biography, Success Story, American Actor

Will Smith is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Will Smith’s biography reads like a script for success, illustrating the remarkable journey of a talented individual from Philadelphia to the pinnacle of Hollywood stardom. His magnetic personality and musical prowess first captured the world’s attention, while his transition to acting solidified his status as a versatile and bankable star.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Willard Carroll Smith II, born September 25, 1968, is a celebrated actor, rapper, and film producer with an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA, and four Grammys to his name. His movies have grossed over $9.3 billion globally by 2024, affirming his status as a top Hollywood star.

Smith’s career took off on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990-1996, earning him two Golden Globe nominations. He was part of the hip-hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff, achieving fame with hits like “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” His solo albums, including Big Willie Style and Millennium , produced chart-toppers “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” and “Wild Wild West”.

He starred in major films like Bad Boys , Men in Black , Ali , and The Pursuit of Happyness , showcasing his range across genres. King Richard (2021) won him an Oscar for Best Actor. A notable moment in his career was at the 2022 Oscars when he slapped Chris Rock over a joke about his wife, leading to Smith’s resignation from the Academy and a ten-year ban from its events.

Born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, Willard Carroll Smith II is the son of Caroline Bright, a school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith Sr., a US Air Force veteran and refrigeration engineer, with Caroline being a Carnegie Mellon University graduate.

Raised in the Wynnefield area of West Philadelphia within a Baptist household, Smith is a middle child with an older sister, Pamela, and younger twins, Harry and Ellen. His early education included attending Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic school, followed by Overbrook High School. At the age of 13, his parents separated and eventually divorced by the year 2000.

Smith’s musical venture began at the tender age of 12. An interesting turn in his early career came when his grandmother, Gigi, discovered a notebook filled with his lyrics, notably peppered with profanity. She left him a note that profoundly impacted him.

“Dear Willard, truly intelligent people do not have to use words like this to express themselves. Please show the world that you’re as smart as we think you are.” Gigi

This advice led Smith to decide against using curse words in his music, aiming to showcase his intelligence through his lyrics.

1985–1992: Early Career

Will Smith’s career in entertainment began in the mid-1980s when he formed the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince with his childhood friend Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes. The two unexpectedly teamed up in 1985 when Smith stepped in as Townes’ hype man at a local house party, marking the start of their successful collaboration.

Their musical journey took off with the release of their first single, “Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble,” in 1986, humorously narrating teenage misadventures. This track, sampling the theme from I Dream of Jeannie, became a hit and established Smith’s style of storytelling in rap without resorting to profanity. Their debut album, Rock the House , landed in 1987 under Jive Records, and they won their first Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1989 with “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” Their track “Summertime,” released in 1991, became a massive hit, securing them a second Grammy and peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite Smith’s venture into solo music and acting, he and Townes have maintained their friendship and collaborative spirit.

However, Smith’s early fame came with financial challenges. By 1988 and 1989, lavish spending and insufficient tax payments led the IRS to assess a $2.8 million tax debt against him, seizing many of his possessions. During this financially difficult time, in 1990, NBC offered him a chance to star in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , a sitcom that would launch his acting career and help him overcome his financial woes. With ambitions of becoming “ the biggest movie star in the world ,” Smith carefully studied the elements of box office success. Amidst his rising career, in 1989, he faced legal issues with an arrest related to an alleged assault on his record promoter, William Hendricks, though the charges were later dropped.

1993–1997: First Breakthrough

Will Smith’s early standout roles included Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and Bad Boys (1995) with Martin Lawrence, the latter of which grossed $141.4 million worldwide despite mixed reviews. He achieved blockbuster success with Independence Day in 1996, which became the second highest-grossing film at the time and boosted his status as a top box office draw.

In 1997, Smith starred alongside Tommy Lee Jones in Men in Black , a massive hit that grossed over $589.3 million globally and was praised for its humor and the leads’ chemistry. That same year, Smith launched his solo music career with the chart-topping single “Men in Black” from his debut album Big Willie Style , which went on to be certified nine times platinum. The album also featured “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It,” which became Smith’s first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit in 1998.

1998–2007: Leading Actor in Hollywood

Between 1998 and 2007, Will Smith became an A-list star, with roles in Enemy of the State and as the lead in Wild Wild West in 1999, a film he chose over The Matrix . Despite later calling it a mistake, Smith’s music career flourished with hits like “Wild Wild West” from his double platinum album Millennium .

In 2001, Smith’s portrayal of Muhammad Ali in Ali earned him an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. He returned to music in 2002 with Born to Reign , featuring “Black Suits Comin’ (Nod Ya Head)” from Men in Black II , and released his Greatest Hits album.

Bad Boys II in 2003 and I, Robot and Shark Tale in 2004 all performed well at the box office. His 2005 album Lost and Found included the hit “Switch.” That year, he also set a Guinness World Record for attending three premieres in one day. In 2006, Smith and his son Jaden received acclaim for their roles in The Pursuit of Happyness .

In December 2007, Smith made his mark at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and starred in I Am Legend , a record-breaking December release in the U.S. By 2008, Barbara Walters recognized him as one of America’s top ten most fascinating people.

2008–2019: Decade of Hits and Misses

Between 2008 and 2019, Will Smith’s career featured a mix of blockbusters and films that didn’t resonate as well with audiences or critics. In 2008, he was developing The Last Pharaoh and starred in Hancock , a superhero movie that earned significant box office success, with a worldwide gross of over $624 million. In 2011, Smith announced his return to the music studio to work on his fifth album.

Smith reprised his role as Agent J in Men in Black 3 in 2012, marking his first leading role in four years and stating it might be his last in the franchise despite the film’s success, grossing over $624 million globally. In 2013, he appeared in After Earth with his son Jaden, a film that underperformed and was critically panned, leading Smith to take a brief hiatus from acting.

In 2015, Smith starred alongside Margot Robbie in Focus and then in Concussion , where he portrayed Dr. Bennet Omalu, a role that earned him critical praise. In 2016, he chose Suicide Squad over Independence Day: Resurgence , a decision that led to a box office hit despite negative reviews. Collateral Beauty released the same year, marked a personal and professional low for Smith, coinciding with his father’s death.

Bright , released on Netflix in 2017, faced criticism but was notable for being the streaming service’s most expensive film then. Smith also ventured into music with the release of “Get Lit” and performed the official 2018 FIFA World Cup song “Live It Up.”

In 2019, Smith played the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin , a role that contributed to the film grossing over $1 billion, making it Smith’s highest-grossing film. He also appeared in Gemini Man , a commercial failure and critically panned, and voiced a character in Spies in Disguise . He closed the decade with a return to the Bad Boys franchise in Bad Boys for Life and led a significant investment in the esports organization Gen.G. In 2020, he was set to star in Emancipation , directed by Antoine Fuqua, playing Peter, a runaway slave.

2020–present: Releasing Memoir and Academy Award

Since 2020, Will Smith has expanded his horizons into writing and challenging acting roles. He released a memoir, Will , on November 9, 2021, co-authored with Mark Manson of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F ck* fame, exploring his life’s trials and insights. That year, his production company also partnered with National Geographic.

Smith’s role as Richard Williams in King Richard (2021) earned him prestigious awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor. In 2022, he embarked on an epic journey for the National Geographic series Pole to Pole , streaming on Disney+. The show tracks Smith’s 26,000-mile adventure across the globe, including a notable expedition in the Ecuadorian Amazon that led to the discovery of the northern green anaconda. Notably, during filming in the Ecuadorian Amazon, the expedition contributed to the discovery of the northern green anaconda.

Chris Rock–Will Smith Slapping Incident

During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, Will Smith confronted Chris Rock on stage after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, related to her alopecia areata diagnosis in 2018. Smith slapped Rock and told him to stop mentioning his wife. Despite being asked to leave by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), Smith stayed and later won Best Actor for King Richard , apologizing to the Academy and nominees in his speech but not to Rock. The incident led to widespread criticism, and Smith issued a formal apology on Instagram.

After the event, Smith resigned from the Academy on April 1, 2022, expressing regret for overshadowing the ceremony. AMPAS accepted his resignation but continued their investigation, ultimately banning Smith from Oscars events for 10 years on April 8, 2022. The controversy affected Smith’s career, delaying several of his projects. Smith later publicly apologized for his actions, expressing deep remorse.

Personal Life

Family and relationships.

Will Smith’s family and relationships have made headlines alongside his career. He married Sheree Zampino in 1992, with whom he has a son, Willard “Trey” Smith III, but they divorced in 1995. Smith then married Jada Koren Pinkett on December 31, 1997, after she auditioned for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air . Together, they have two children, Jaden and Willow Smith, and run film production companies Overbrook Entertainment and Westbrook Inc.

The couple is known for their unconventional marriage, openly discussing extramarital relationships, and a period where Smith considered polyamory, the practice of having multiple romantic relationships with the consent and knowledge of all parties involved. Despite separating in 2016, Smith and Pinkett have chosen not to divorce, embodying their unique take on marital commitment.

As of 2024, Will Smith’s net worth is estimated to be $350 million, while Jada Pinkett Smith’s is $50 million, bringing their combined net worth to $400 million.

Will Smith and his brother Harry co-own Treyball Development Inc., a company in Beverly Hills named after Smith's eldest son, Trey. The Smith family resides in Los Angeles. In 2018, to celebrate his 50th birthday and raise funds for the charitable organization Global Citizen, Smith undertook a daring bungee jump from a helicopter over the Grand Canyon. This high-risk feat was insured by Lloyd's of London for a whopping $200 million.

From Faith to Advocacy: Religious and Political Views

Will Smith, raised in a Baptist family with a Catholic education, has evolved in his spiritual and religious beliefs. In 2013, he stated that he doesn’t consider himself religious. Yet his grandmother’s Christian faith significantly influenced his role in Concussion . Smith has explored Hindu spirituality, participating in rituals in India in 2018 and expressing a connection to the practices and astrology.

Politically, Smith supported Barack Obama ‘s campaign in 2008 and has advocated for same-sex marriage since 2012. In 2021, he and Antoine Fuqua moved their film Emancipation production from Georgia to protest the state’s restrictive voting laws, highlighting their stand for voter rights and against discrimination.

Personality Traits

Will Smith is known for a range of distinctive personality traits that have contributed to his success and popularity both on and off screen:

• Charismatic : Smith’s captivating presence is marked by his remarkable charisma, which shines through every performance and personal interaction and mesmerizes audiences around the globe.
• Versatile : Demonstrating his multifaceted talent, Smith easily transitions between comedy, drama, and action in his acting, music, and producing career.
• Hardworking : His rise from a rapper to one of Hollywood’s A-listers highlights his strong work ethic and dedication to his craft.
• Optimistic : Smith often speaks about the importance of positivity and self-belief, embodying an optimistic outlook on life that has guided him through various challenges.
• Adventurous : From bungee jumping out of a helicopter over the Grand Canyon to exploring different cultures and spiritual practices, Smith embraces adventure and new experiences.
• Humorous : Known for his quick wit and sense of humor, Smith brings a light-heartedness to his roles and public appearances, endearing him to fans and colleagues alike.
• Reflective : In interviews and his memoir, Smith shares insights into his personal growth, struggles, and the lessons he’s learned, showing a willingness to introspect and evolve.
• Innovative : Always on the cutting edge, Smith has utilized social media and other platforms to connect with audiences in unique ways, reflecting his adaptability and forward-thinking approach.
• Empathetic : Smith often discusses the importance of understanding and connecting with others, and he shows empathy in his personal life and through his philanthropic efforts.
• Influential : As a trendsetter in entertainment and beyond, Smith’s choices and actions have significantly inspired others to pursue their dreams and break barriers.

These traits have contributed to Will Smith’s enduring career, making him a role model and influential entertainment industry figure.

Will Smith’s career spans music, TV, and film, earning him accolades and influencing a generation. Recognized by several publications as one of his generation’s greatest actors and dubbed the “biggest movie star of the post-9/11 era” by Forbes , Smith’s shift from music to acting has inspired many rappers to follow in his footsteps. Complex highlights him as a pioneer in this crossover. In 2006, Time magazine listed him among the 100 most influential people globally, and in 2008, Esquire named him one of the 21st century’s 75 most influential figures.

• In music, his album Big Willie Style is a top-selling rap classic. As part of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, he won the first Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards for a rap act with “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”
• On TV, his role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is hailed for blending comedy with hip-hop, making it a landmark series in Black television. Critics note the show’s impact on black identity and cultural representation.
• In film, Smith’s debut led to becoming a box office titan, with a streak of $100-million hits and groundbreaking roles in Bright and Men in Black 3 . Emancipation set a record with its $120 million deal, and in 2022, Smith won an Academy Award for Best Actor, marking a milestone in his distinguished career.

Awards and Achievements

Will Smith has earned numerous awards and nominations for his music, television, and film work, reflecting his exceptional talent and versatility. Here’s a brief overview of his major accolades throughout his career:

• Best Actor for King Richard (2021, Won)
• Nominations for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness
• Nominations for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Ali , The Pursuit of Happyness , and Concussion
• Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for King Richard (2021, Won)
• Nomination for The Pursuit of Happyness
• Honorary Award (2005, Won)
• Best Musical for Fela! (Nomination)
• Outstanding Comedy Series for Cobra Kai (2021, Nomination as producer)
• Best Rap Performance for “Parents Just Don’t Understand” (Won)
• Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Summertime” (Won)
• Best Rap Solo Performance for “Men in Black” and “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” (Won)

Smith’s recognition across the most prestigious awards in entertainment – the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and Tonys – underscores his significant impact on the industry and culture at large. As he continues to explore new roles and challenges, Smith’s legacy as a pioneering and influential figure in the entertainment industry is undeniable.

Will Smith’s biography is one of determination, hard work, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. He has achieved groundbreaking success in film, television, and music, inspiring millions of people worldwide. His life story serves as a reminder to never give up and always strive for greatness, even in the face of adversity. As he continues to take on new challenges, Smith’s success story remains a source of motivation and illustrates the power of dreaming big.

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Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, film producer and pop rapper. He has enjoyed success in music, television and film. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor on the planet. Smith has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won multiple Grammy Awards. In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show ran for nearly six years (1990–1996) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks since then. In the mid-1990s, Smith transitioned from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films that received broad box office success. In fact, he is the only actor in history to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office as well as being the only actor to have eight consecutive films in which he starred open at the #1 spot in the domestic box office tally. Fourteen of the 19 fiction films he has acted in have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $100 million, and 4 of them took in over $500 million in global box office receipts. His most financially successful films have been Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Independence Day, Men in Black, Men in Black II, I, Robot, The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend, Hancock, Wild Wild West, Enemy of the State, Shark Tale, Hitch, and Seven Pounds. He also earned critical praise for his performances in Six Degrees of Separation, Ali, and The Pursuit of Happyness, receiving Best Actor Oscar nominations for the latter two. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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Introduction

Willard Carroll Smith, Jr., was born on September 25, 1968. He grew up in a middle-class neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When he began his musical career, he used the stage name “Fresh Prince.” It was a revised version of his school nickname, “Prince Charming.” He thought this new name fit with his hip-hop music.

In 1981 Smith formed a friendship with schoolmate Jeffrey Townes. They began recording music as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. They released their first single, “Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble,” in 1986. In 1988 their song, “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” won a Grammy Award. It was the first Grammy ever given in the rap performance category.

Smith’s first leading role in a film was for Six Degrees of Separation (1993). He starred in the hit movie Independence Day in 1996. He was a hit at the box office again the next year with the science-fiction comedy Men in Black. Smith also recorded the title song for the film. The song won a Grammy Award. He has acted in a wide variety of movies since then. He was nominated for a best actor Academy Award twice—for the title role in Ali (2001) and for his part in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).

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Will Smith (I)

IMDbPro Starmeter Top 500 45

• Contact info
• 97 wins & 186 nominations total

Will Smith Through the Years

Photos 1651

• Producer (1994-1996)
• 1995–1996 • 24 eps

• Robert Neville

• Capt. James West
• executive producer, producer
• executive producer
• 10 episodes
• In Development
• Pre-production
• In Production

• 55 episodes

• producer (p.g.a)

• producer (p.g.a.)

• Nicky Barnes

• Mike Lowrey

• Richard Williams

• Lt. Mike Lowrey

• Lance (voice)

• Henry Brogan

• Special Appearance in 'The Jawaani Song' and 'Radha Teri Chunri''

• created by ...
• 81 episodes
• In-development projects at IMDbPro

Personal details

• The Fresh Prince
• 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
• September 25 , 1968
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• Spouses Jada Pinkett Smith December 31, 1997 - present (separated, 2 children)
• Children Jaden Smith
• Parents Caroline Bright
• Relatives Pam Smith (Sibling)
• Other works Appeared in Diana King 's music video, "Shy guy".
• 1 Biographical Movie
• 3 Print Biographies
• 1 Portrayal
• 26 Interviews
• 49 Articles
• 15 Pictorials
• 51 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia He has solved Rubik's cubes in both The Alma Matter (1993) and The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) . This is a real talent of his; he has shown on live TV that he can solve a Rubik's Cube in under 55 seconds.
• Quotes [on his first season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) ] "I was trying so hard. I would memorize the entire script, then I'd be lipping everybody's lines while they were talking. When I watch those episodes, it's disgusting. My performances were horrible."
• Trademarks Often plays a policeman or an agent
• Fresh Prince
• Salaries Emancipation ( 2022 ) $35,000,000

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Will Smith – Biography, Facts & Life Story

His Social Media Profiles

Height, weight & physical stats.

Willard Carroll Smith ll commonly known as Will Smith was born on 25 th September 1968. He is an American actor and a Rapper. His mother Caroline was a Philadelphia school board and administrator and father, a US Air Force veteran.  He got his education from Overbrook High School. He didn’t attend the college because he wanted to rap and due to this, he didn’t go to Massachusetts Institute If Technology.

Will Smith started his career as a rapper.  He was the MC of the Hip Hop Duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. He started this with his friend Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes as producer and turntablist. Later on,  they decided to make it a trio and got together with Clarence Holmes who worked as the beatboxer of the group. Soon his band got recognition and he became known for storytelling raps, battle rhymes and his exceptional raping.  His albums with DJ Jazzy Jeff include Rock the house (1987), He’s the DJ, I’m the rapper (1988), And in this corner (1989), Homebase (1991) and Code Red (1993). His solo albums include Big Willie Style (1997), Willennium (1999), Born to Reign (2002) and Lost and Found (2005).

Will Smith didn’t just confine himself to rapping but also started acting.  His first ever film was Where the Day Takes You (1992). He was starred opposite Martin Lawrence in the action film Bad Boys (1995).His first solo character was in the movie Men in Black (1997) in which he worked alongside   Tommy Lee Jones, Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub . His most famous movie is the Pursuit of Happyness (2006) in which he worked with Jaden and Thandie Newton . His other movies include Independence Day (1996), The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), Hitch (2005), Focus (2015), Aladdin (2019) and many more.

Check out exclusive ➡ facts about Will Smith .

Will Smith Education

Qualification: Archbishop John Carroll High School

School: Overbrook High School Julia R. Masterman School

Will Smith Career

Profession: Actor

Known For: Famous for starring in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air tv show

Film debut: Where the Day Takes You (1992)

Net Worth: $250 Million Approx

Family & Relatives

Father: Willard Carroll Smith, Sr.

Mother: Caroline Bright

Brother: Harry Smith

Sister: Ellen Smith, Pam Smith

Marital Status: Married

Married: Jada Pinkett Smith His wife Jada Pinkett Smith

No. of Children: 3

Son: Jaden Smith

Daughter: Willow Smith

Facts You Never Knew About Will Smith

• His zodiac sign is Virgo.
• Will Smith has won two Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards.
• He has been ranked as the most bankable star worldwide by Forbes.  
• He is the only actor whose movies has consecutively grosser over $100 million in the box office.
• He was raised as a Baptist.
• His group received the first Grammy Award for Parents just don’t understand in 1989.
• Summertime (1991) was ranked at number 4 on Billboard Hot 100 when it was released.
• Smith was financially weak when he got the chance to be started Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
• His movie Bad Boys (1995) grosses over $75,600,000 overseas.
• His 3 rd single from “Gettin’ Jiggy wit it “, was listed number one in the Billboard hot 100.
• Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992 and got divorced in 1995.
• He has a son from Sheree Zampino named Willard Carroll Trey Smith all.
• He got married to Jada Koren Pinkett in 1997.
• He has two children from second wife, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith and Willow Camille Reign Smith.
• His son in Pursuit of Happiness is his real son.
• He has attended a Catholic School.
• He has given $1.3 million to charities.
• He has also performed Aarti of the holy river Ganga.

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Who is Will Smith?

Will Smith is an American actor, born on 25 September, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.

How old is Will Smith?

Will Smith is 55 years old as of September 2024.

How tall is Will Smith?

Will Smith is 6 feet 1 inches (1.87 m).

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Will Smith #16

• 5' 10"/195

2024 Regular Season

Career Regular Season

Will Smith Bio

• Fullname: William Dills Smith
• Nickname: Smitty
• Born: 3/28/1995 in Louisville, KY
• Draft: 2016, Los Angeles Dodgers, Round: 1, Overall Pick: 32
• College: Louisville
• Debut: 5/28/2019

Backstop played in 126 games for the Boys in Blue, finishing the season slashing .261/.359/.438 with a .797 OPS … launched 21 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs and 76 home runs while scoring a career-high 80 runs...Voted into his first All-Star game after slashing .279/.396/.494 with a .890 OPS in the first half of the season … became the third catcher to have a stolen base in an All-Star Game (Iván Rodríguez, 1998 and Tony Peña, 1982) and the first Dodger to have a stolen base in an All-Star Game since Orlando Hudson in 2009...Led all qualified NL catchers in walk rate (11.4%) and finished with the second-lowest strikeout rate (16.1%), the second-most RBI (76) and the third-most home runs (19)...Caught seven out of 63 runners stealing for a 10% caught stealing rate and only allowed two passed balls...ties for his lowest in a full season (two in 2019)...Amassed a .996 fielding percentage, committing only four errors in 973 total chances in 959.0 innings … had 32 assists in 111 games (106 starts)...Appeared in all three NLDS games against Arizona, clubbing a .417 average (5-for-12) with a double, a triple and two RBI ... started all three contests behind the dish...Was a member of Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, slashing .200/.333/.600 in three games with a double, a home run and an RBI...Launched a season-high four RBI on Opening Day against Arizona, finishing the night 3-for-4 with one run and one double … had his best offensive month in May, slashing .318/.434/.529 with a .963 OPS with three doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI … missed almost two weeks in April with a concussion … hit .303 (43- for-102) with runners in scoring position with eight doubles, four home runs and 54 RBI...smashed a .268 average off of righties compared to .240 off lefties,

Hard-hitting catcher completed one of his best offensive years in the Majors, tabbing career-highs in games (107), hits (132), doubles (26), triples (three) and RBI (87)…was one shy of tying career-high in home runs (24)...Spent 109 games behind the dish, committing just three errors in 956.1 innings…was part of six double plays and 32 assists...Totaled a .260/.343/.465/.808 in 137 games…tallied a career-high 53 extra-base hits in 578 plate appearances...Set milestones in many categories, including roping homers in back-to-back games (Sept. 4-5 vs. SD), securing his fifth career walk-off hit (July 8 vs. CHC) and tying a career-high with four hits for the third time (July 15 at LAA)...One of five MLB catchers with 85 or more RBI in a year the last 10 seasons…joining Salvador Perez (2017), Gary Sanchez (2017), Brian McCann (2015) and Buster Posey (2014)...Strung together a nine-game hit streak from July 28 – Aug. 6, going 15-for-36 with four doubles, two homers and 12 RBI...Started all four Postseason games during the NLDS vs. San Diego, batting .188 (3-for-16) with two doubles and two RBI…started three of four games behind the plate...Was an incredibly dependable hitter in bases loaded situations, slashing .545/.545/.727 and a 1.272 OPS…totaled 10 RBI over 10 games in that situation Had his best offensive month in June, slashing .295/.340/.568 in 24 games with five doubles, seven home runs and 14 RBI…his 87 RBI ranked third on the team and 56 walks tied for fourth most on the Dodgers…liked hitting on the road, averaging .275 (73-for-265) with 15 doubles, 14 home runs and 44 RBI…hit well against left-handed pitching, slashing .300/.391/.517/.908 in 70 games vs. .247/.327/.448/.775 in 132 games against right-handed pitching…named as a member of Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.

Backstop slashed .258/.365/.495 with a .860 OPS in 130 games, tallying career highs in multiple offensive categories: runs (71), hits (107), doubles (19), triples (2), home runs (25) and RBI (76)... Ranked third on the Dodgers in home runs (25), third in RBI (76), seventh in hits (107), seventh in doubles (19), tied for fifth in triples (2) and fifth in runs (71)... Tied his career-high in hits Sept. 7, going 4-for-4 at St. Louis with a home run and RBI with two runs…also had two five-game hit streaks, occurring from Aug. 24-30 and from Aug. 24-30…also had two streaks of three straight games with a home run (Aug. 13-15, Aug. 24-27)... Started 111 games (117 total) behind the dish, committing six errors in 1150 total chances for a .995 fielding percentage…also registered 43 assists and 3.14 catcher’s ERA... Led the National League as a catcher in putouts (1,101) and runners caught stealing (24)…also ranked amongst the NL best in games played (117, 3rd) and putouts (1,102, 4th)... Ranked second in the National League in HBP (18, 2nd)…appeared at first base (1 G) and third base (1 G) for the first time in his Major League career…roped two doubles on April 2 at Colorado, going 3-for-4 on the night with two runs and two RBI…clocked four RBI on July 16 at Colorado, going 2-for-4 with a double…performed well offensively both at home and on the road, registering a .253/.383/.527 and .263/.351/.469 slash line respectively…produced a .354 average (17-for-48) with four home runs in eight games and 10 RBI against Arizona, similarly averaging .395 (17-for-43) with four home runs and 16 RBI against Colorado…strengthened his numbers after the All-Star break, improving from a .252 (58-for-230) average with 10 home runs and 32 RBI before the Midsummer Classic to a .266 average (49-for-184) with 15 home runs and 44 RBI.

Made great strides in his sophomore season, hitting .289/.401/.579 with eight homeruns…matched his 2019 total with nine doubles...Was on the 10-day injured list from Aug. 15-23 with neck inflammation...Showed greater discipline with 20 walks and 22 strikeouts...Hit .348 (23-for-66) with six doubles, four homers and 14 RBI over 18 September games… posted a 1.048 OPS in September (7th, NL)...Each of his eight home runs came against right-handed pitchers…20-of-23 career long balls have been against righties...Started 17 of 18 postseason games…during Game 3 of the NLDS, went 5-for-6 with 2 doubles and 3 singles, becoming the 9th player (1st catcher) with a 5-hit game in the postseason…the 5 hits were also a Dodger postseason record, and the most by any batter in the postseason...tied the Los Angeles franchise record for walks in a game, becoming the 12th player to walk three times in a Postseason game and first since Yasmani Grandal did so on October 7, 2018 vs. Atlanta.

Completed his first Major League season roping nine doubles, 15 homers and 42 RBI at a .253/.337/.57 1 clip across 54 games….tied for 15th in homers among all rookies (10th in the NL) and ranked among the top NL rookies in runs (30, 20th) and RBI (T-14th)...Connected for a single in his first Major League at-bat during his May 28 debut vs. the Mets…ended the night going 2-for-4 with a double and became one of six Dodgers this century with at least two hits in a big-league debut, joining Rob Segedin, Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig, Russell Martin and Jason Repko...Became the first Dodger player and second MLB backstop to hit 10-plus homers through his first 25 games, joining the Yankees’ Gary Sanchez...Tied Cody Bellinger (‘ 17) and Matt Kemp (’06) for most homers through a rookie’s first 14 games (6 HR)…on Aug. 1, notched a franchise-best 19 RBI within his first 14 contest to surpass Cody Bellinger (17 RBI/14 G, ’17) in the mark…made Major League history after launching a walk-off, pinch-hit home run on June 23 to complete the trifecta of three consecutive walk-off wins via home runs by rookies Matt Beaty (June 21) and Alex Verdugo (June 22)…launched his first career walk-off homer on June 1 vs. Philadelphia…recorded a career-high three-hit, six-RBI day on July 27…became the first Dodger rookie to collect six or more RBI in a game since James Loney drove in nine on Sept. 28, 2006…amassed a nine-game hit streak from Aug. 7-21, going 11-for-30 with a pair of doubles, six homers and 12 RBI while tallying a .367/.459/1.033 slashline…during the streak, reached a franchise record for most RBI and homers through 23 career games (26RBI/9HR) on Aug. 13…tied for fourth among rookies with eight homers and 19 RBI during August…24 of his 43 hits went for extra bases…non-roster invitee during Spring Training…tallied 62 games across four stints with Triple-A Oklahoma City and slashed .268/.381/.603 with 11 doubles, a pair of triples, 20 homers and 54 RBI…finished third on the team in homers, fifth in RBI and ninth in doubles…turned in a 1.000 fielding percentage over 403.0 innings behind the plate in 46 games (45 starts)…finished atop all rookie backstops (min. 400 innings) in the category…made the Postseason roster and appeared in four of five NLDS games…tallied a hit and drew a trio of walks in 16 plate appearances.

Started his season with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, appearing in 73 total games and hitting .264 with 48 runs, 14 doubles, 19 homers and 53 RBI...Assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Aug. 1 where he appeared in 25 games for the OKC Dodgers...Finished his minor league season with career-highs in home runs (20), RBI (59), doubles (18) and runs (57)...Played in 49 games at catcher bet ween Tulsa and Oklahoma City…registered a career-high 43 games at third base…totaled 402.1 innings behind the plate with .995 fielding percentage (2 E/402.1 INN).

Earned Mid-Season All-Star honors with Rancho Cucamonga and All-Prospect Team recognition in the Arizona Fall League...Saw action in 72 games at Advanced-A Rancho Cucamonga, slashing .232/.355/.4 48 with 15 doubles, three triples, 11 homers and 43 RBI…made a one-game appearance for Double-A Tulsa...Ranked fourth in home runs (11) at Rancho while playing in 51 fewer games than the next Quake in the category...Caught 474.0 innings and nabbed 30 of 63 on the base paths over 56 games en route to a .991 fielding percentage…notched career highs in innings (474.0), total chances (554), putouts (483) and caught stealing (30).

Made stops at Short-Season Ogden (7G) and Single-A Great Lakes (23G) before ascending to Advanced-A Rancho Cucamonga for 25 games in his rookie season...Wrapped his year slashing .246/.355/.329 with five doubles, four home runs, 24 RBI over 55 total games... Defensively, accumulated a .994 fielding percentage with 4 4 assists and 296 putouts with two errors over 342 total chances…threw out 25 potential base stealers in 60 attempts.

• Status: Active
• Next LAD Game: 09-11 vs CHC

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'Grinding' Smith breaks out with big night, showcasing Dodgers' depth

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