Biography

Willard Carroll Smith Jr., an American actor and rapper, was born on September 25, 1968. In April 2007, he was hailed as "the most powerful actor in Hollywood" by Newsweek. Throughout his career, Smith has been recognized for his talent with nominations for five Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards. He has also won four Grammy Awards. Initially, Smith gained some fame in the late 1980s as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. However, his popularity skyrocketed in 1990 when he starred in the NBC television show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which aired for six seasons until 1996. After the series concluded, Smith successfully transitioned from television to film, starring in a number of blockbuster hits. His box office records are impressive: he is the only actor with eight consecutive films grossing over $100 million domestically, eleven consecutive films grossing over $150 million internationally, and eight consecutive films in which he starred opening at the number one spot in the domestic box office. Forbes has ranked Smith as the most bankable star worldwide. By 2014, 17 of the 21 films he led had earned over $100 million globally, with five earning over $500 million each. As of 2016, his films had grossed $7.5 billion worldwide. Nominations for Best Actor at the Academy Awards were received for his performances as boxer Muhammad Ali in Ali (2001) and stockbroker Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).