Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Will Smith

In 2005, “Hitch” set a box office record for the biggest romantic comedy opening at the time. While that record has since been topped, Smith would set another milestone with “Hitch.” To promote the film, Smith visited three red carpet events in 12 hours, setting a Guinness World Record. This feat is only made more impressive considering that Smith traveled from ​​Manchester, to London, to Birmingham. We can see why Smith didn’t have time for any costume changes, wearing a casual camel coat, leather hat, and jeans to each event. In 2009, Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan broke Smith’s record with seven public appearances in 12 hours, traveling 1,800 km. As far as Hollywood stars go, though, Smith may still be the one to beat.

Before becoming a bankable actor, Smith was one half of the hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Hitting it big early on, Smith went on an excessive spending spree. As sales declined, Smith neglected to pay his taxes. Even after the IRS repossessed his luxurious purchases, Smith remained $2.8 million in debt. Taking his then-girlfriend’s advice, Smith appeared on “The Arsenio Hall Show” where he met producer Benny Medina, who was developing a semi-autobiographical TV show. Although Smith had no previous acting experience, he grew more interested in the project following a party at Quincy Jones’. Ironically, as his character was living it up as the Fresh Prince, Smith was giving 70% of his paycheck to the IRS for three seasons.

Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince’s early success extended to the Grammys where they won Best Rap Performance for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” In addition to being the first Grammy for Smith and Jazzy Jeff, it was the first time that the Grammys presented this particular category. Yet, the Grammys decided not to feature the category on the 1989 telecast. The duo thus decided to boycott the Grammys that year with Smith calling the rap category’s omission “a slap in the face.” With fellow nominees Salt-N-Pepa and LL Cool J joining the protest, the Grammys televised the category the following year. Jazzy Jeff accepted the duo’s second Grammy for “Summertime” in 1992 while Smith picked up his third Grammy in 1998 for “Men in Black.”

In a Season 3 “Fresh Prince” episode, Will wins over the Princeton recruiter by solving a Rubik’s Cube in mere seconds. While that scene was significantly edited, Smith wanted to truly master the cube while shooting “The Pursuit of Happyness” almost thirteen years later. Rather than use a hand double, Smith sought out speedcuber champions Tyson Mao, Toby Mao, and Lars Petrus for guidance. As Chris Gardner, Smith solves the puzzle in a roughly two-minute scene, impressing a potential employer. Smith demonstrated everything he learned on a live French talk show, solving a cube in 55 seconds. Given Smith’s passion for math and chess, it’s not surprising that he could wrap his brain around the challenging cube. Perhaps he is Princeton material after all.

As mentioned before, Benny Medina invited Smith to Quincy Jones’ house party in December 1989. While there, Jones presented Smith with a script for a Morris Day pilot that never got off the ground. NBC president Brandon Tartikoff and his successor, Warren Littlefield, were also in attendance. When Jones asked him to audition in front of everyone on the spot, Smith felt that he needed more time to prepare. Taking Smith into his library, Jones essentially told him that meetings always get rescheduled, but everyone needed to green-light the show was already in his living room. Recognizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Smith asked for just ten minutes. The initial contract was drawn up in a limo that night and the pilot was shot three months later.

Before meeting Will at a “Fresh Prince” audition, Jada Pinkett Smith was friends with another famous rapper. Jada went to Baltimore School for the Arts with the legendary Tupac Shakur. While they reportedly never became intimate, the two developed a close bond. Tupac wrote poems about Jada, who described him as “one of [her] best friends” and “like a brother.” In his memoir, Smith admitted that he endured “raging jealousy” over Jada’s relationship with Tupac. Smith experienced “a twisted kind of victory” when Jada started spending more time with him over Tupac. Looking back, though, Smith regretted being too “insecure” to befriend the late rapper. When Smith accepted his third Grammy in 1998, he dedicated it to Tupac and another recently deceased legend, Biggie Smalls.

As upbeat as Smith can appear, his life has been riddled with emotional turmoil. Around age nine, Smith witnessed his father beating his mother. Smith was understandably too young and scared to do anything, but he nonetheless grew up feeling like a “coward.” Not long before his father died from cancer in 2016, Smith considered shoving him down the stairs, believing that he could get away with murder. What made these feelings of vengeance especially difficult is that Smith still loved and admired his father. At age 13, Smith also contemplated taking his own life after his mother left. Through his memoir and docuseries, “Best Shape of My Life,” Smith has opened up about his childhood trauma, exploring the link between mental and physical health.

Following “Fresh Prince” Season 3, actress Janet Hubert exited with Daphne Maxwell Reid taking over the Aunt Viv role. In a 1993 interview, Smith stated, “Janet Hubert wanted the show to be The Aunt Viv of Bel-Air Show.” On a separate occasion, Alfonso Ribeiro called Hubert “crazy.” Based on comments like this, many assumed that Hubert was fired. In reality, Hubert left because the crew planned to cut her salary. On top of raising a new baby and dealing with a cruel, unemployed husband, Hollywood turned its back on Hubert. Although Hubert stated in 2011 that she would never reunite with Smith, the two had a one on one almost a decade later. Smith apologized for not being more sensitive to Hubert’s situation, seemingly reconciling.

Smith has always been a box office draw, but he proved virtually unstoppable from 2002 to 2008. During that period, he became the only actor to star in eight consecutive films that grossed over $100 million domestically. “Men in Black II,” “Bad Boys II,” “I, Robot,” and “Hancock” were all released in July, contributing to his nickname. With “Shark Tale,” “Hitch,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” and “I Am Legend,” Mr. July proved that his star power wasn’t limited to summer. Smith did make a cameo as himself in the financial dud “Jersey Girl” during this time, but every movie he headlined was a guaranteed hit. Smith’s streak officially ended with “Seven Pounds,” although even that film crossed the $100 million mark worldwide.

For all his success, Smith has missed out on some high-profile pictures. Smith could’ve made his film debut in “Boyz n the Hood,” but because of his “Fresh Prince” commitments, Cuba Gooding Jr. got the role. Rather than play Neo in “The Matrix,” Smith infamously signed on for “Wild Wild West.” Smith also rejected the titular role in “Django Unchained,” feeling that Dr. Schultz was truly the lead. Smith has stated that he doesn’t want to do movies about slavery, saying that he’d rather “be a superhero.” Ironically, Smith was considered to play the Man of Steel in “Superman Returns,” but he turned that part down, fearing backlash. Smith eventually played a DC character in “Suicide Squad,” which he chose over “Independence Day: Resurgence.”