HE dominated the nineties and noughties with a string of chart hits and Hollywood blockbusters.
Collecting four Grammy Awards from eight nominations and an Oscar for his role in King Richard along the way.
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But in recent years Will Smith, 56, has been struggling to get his spark back after being outcast by Tinsel Town following the 2022 Oscars.
In case you’ve been living under a rock and somehow avoided the fateful night, Will saw red and slapped comedian host Chris Rock live on stage for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
His actions were indefensible – even if it did turn into one of the must-see moments of the year.
Will later issued a grovelling apology insisting his behaviour was “unacceptable” and he was “deeply remorseful”.
But the damage was done and within a flash Will became a pariah – with the shallow world of Hollywood turning their back on him.
When I spoke to Will at the premier of Aladdin, in which he plays the Genie, back in 2019 he was on top of the world.
He told me: “I’m working a lot smarter, instead of harder and I’m having a beautiful time.”
But fast forward a few years and things are very different.
Previously a box office powerhouse thanks to the likes of Men in Black, iRobot and I Am Legend, Will’s latest work has been hit and miss too.
Big-budget slavery movie Emancipation, for which he was reportedly paid £28million and also produced, was only rolled out to select cinemas before becoming available on Apple TV.
Will Smith snaps at wife Jada Pinkett in previously unseen video as they discuss their marriage counselling
On top of that, the Smiths’ production company Westbrook has reportedly been forced to lay off half its staff.
Before the fallout from the Oscars debacle, the couple had been close to selling Westbrook for over the billion mark.
Meanwhile, Jada went on US TV to openly talked about her fling with son Jaden’s pal August Alsina before admitting she and Will were a couple in name only – has also damaged his supercool image.
Jada told The Sunday Times in 2023: “We hadn’t called each other husband and wife since 2016.”
I’m working a lot smarter, instead of harder and I’m having a beautiful time
Will on his career
And insiders says the couple only remain married because divorce would hit the bank balance hard.
They said: “At this point the talk is that it’s more of a business arrangement than an emotional connection.
“The two companies they’re attached to serve as a vehicle for most of their money-making endeavours and it would most likely need to be split up or totally revamped if they were to put a formal end to the marriage.
“That is just not something that they have wanted to do.
“For logistical purposes it’s been more convenient for them to keep the status quo and do their own things in different places for the better part of five years.”
But Will was said to be hurt by Jada’s reaction to the Oscars slap, which came after Rock’s cruel joke about her alopecia.
At the time, Jada, 53, said: “People thought I gave Will a look and ‘made’ him do it. But let me start with this: Nobody can make Will Smith do anything, and surely not me.”
Movie hopes
With the Oscar scandal and box office struggles, many commentators were quick to assume the once lauded Fresh Prince of Bell Air was over.
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However, last year’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die met with surprise praise from critics – proving Will may be down but not out.
In recent months, he has been keen to revive plans for his movie projects, including a possible sequel to 2007 hit I Am Legend and a remake of the 1987 Christmas classic Planes, Trains And Automobiles.
And if you ask me, there’s nothing more Hollywood loves than a comeback story.
Though admittedly in today’s age of cancel culture they also love a global pile on…just look at the current situation with Katy Perry.
Earlier this month Will released his first album in 20 years.
Tackling his fall from grace head on, Based On A True Story directly references everything from the breakdown of his marriage to his Oscars slap.
Int. Barbershop Day opens with: “Will Smith is cancelled” before going into a back and forth about the star’s life and mistakes.
This is the comeback arc in real time.
A source
“Will Smith used to be cool” it continues before adding: “He still the s***, he can fit your whole house in his pool.”
I have to praise Will for not hiding away from the global debate about his life and trying to turn it into art.
Many celebs simply bury their head in the sand after scandal, but Will went the other way – to the extreme.
The only problem? No one seemed to be listening.
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The album sold just 268 copies in its first week in the UK.
It won’t have helped that Will did next to no press for his new record.
Many people I’ve spoken to didn’t even know he had one out.
A pal of the star told The Sun: “Sure, the first album didn’t top charts but this was never meant to be a one-and-done moment.
“It was a soft launch, the first chapter in a trilogy that’s as much about growth as it is about music.
“With a nearly sold-out UK tour and two more albums on the way, Will Smith isn’t chasing validation, he’s building something bigger.
“This is the comeback arc in real time.”
Another added: “This project was not about topping charts. It’s about putting his truth into the world on his own terms. Will knows this isn’t an overnight fix, it’s legacy work now.”
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While pals are always going to have Will’s back, there is still time to turn his career around.
In the age of songs going viral on TikTok and streaming, all it takes is for one track to catch on and boom – you’re back to being loved.
While some of Will’s videos are cringeworthy – though aren’t all TikToks if we really think about it – it’s not like his followers have deserted him.
His page boasts a staggering 79.8M followers with over 652.7m likes.
This summer he will embark on his first ever headline tour.
While not quite sold out, all dates are now at low availability – with promoters no doubt breathing a sigh of relief.
A trip to Ibiza is also on the cards.
The singer is the face of newly revamped superclub UNVRS – a brand new venue capable of hosting 15,000 revellers.
There is no shying away from it. It’s been a seriously rough couple of years for Will, I think even he would admit that.
But a few months is a long time in showbiz and, who knows, by the end of summer Will could be the golden boy once more.
Just keep his wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.
Will Smith’s biggest hits
- The Fresh Prince of Bel Air [Theme From Nbc’s the Fresh Prince of Bel Air]
- Summertime
- Just Cruisin’
- Men in Black
- Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It
- Miami
- Freakin’ It
- Will 2k
- Wild Wild West
- Just the Two of Us
