Mt. Rushmore- Will Smith
Is it okay to like Will Smith again? While I don’t condone his actions at the 94th Academy Awards, I felt as though there has been a bit of an over reaction. I think Smith will soon recirculate because I felt like before this, he was one of the most well liked celebrities. Well I’m going to do his Mt. Rushmore, so deal with that. He has a ton of honorable mentions including Muhammad Ali in ‘Ali,’ Capt. Steve Hiller in ‘Independence Day,’ Det. Sgt. Mike Lowrey in ‘Bad Boys,’ Det. Del Spooner in ‘I, Robot,’ Dr. Robert Neville in ‘I Am Legend,’ John Hancock in ‘Hancock,’ Oscar in ‘Shark Tale,’ & his Oscar-winning role as Richard Williams in ‘King Richard.’ I know some of you reading that list are so confused what roles would’ve made it instead & all I can tell you is to keep reading.
Agent J in ‘Men in Black’- A role he played in all three films of a trilogy, this was one of Smith’s first leading roles. He plays the young, new, cool guy on the force that serves a foil to his partner, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones). I can think of very few actors who looked cooler fighting aliens than Smith in one of his most revisited roles.
Chris Gardner in ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’- Smith’s most emotional performance, hands down, comes in his role as a financially struggling father who will do whatever it takes to provide for his son. I’ve watched this film several times & have cried every time, though I have yet to rewatch it as a father myself which I feel will make it even more emotional.
Alex Hitchens in ‘Hitch’- This is probably my most controversial pick. The thing Will Smith does best is charm, & this is easily his most charming role. As a man whose job is love, he finds love himself & just goes through so much character growth through the film. He’s so cool & charismatic that it just makes me want to hang out with Hitch.
Will Smith in ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’- I feel like this should be obvious. Beginning his acting career, Smith played a fictionalized version of himself in one of the 90s most popular TV shows. He brings the fun, charm, & emotion that all his other roles have over six seasons of television. Supported by great characters like Uncle Phil (James Avery) & Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro), this show is what made Smith a star & is still a bright spot in his career.
