Which film does Will Smith rate as the best he has made in his Hollywood career?
Will Smith had a long career in Hollywood, starring in films that became favorites among film fans. But which of your photos does he rate the most? On a talk show appearance HotSmith was asked to name his four most career-defining performances.
Smith ranks his standout films
“I think the best single film I’ve ever made is The Pursuit of Happiness […],” Smith said. “Right behind that is the first Men in Black – [for its] direction, cinematography and music. I think one of the most fun things I’ve ever had making a movie was Bad Boys It is Aladdin – like, just the most fun.
“But in terms of the best films and the best performances, if I had to put four of them in a time capsule, they would be: The Pursuit of Happinessthe first Men in Blackhe would be I’m a legend and probably King Richard.”
Smith’s controversial Oscar win for King Richard
In 2022, Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard – but this achievement was overshadowed by the actor’s involvement in one of the most infamous moments in Oscar history. After the ceremony’s host, Chris Rock, made a joke about the alopecia suffered by Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, the 55-year-old got on stage and slapped Rock in the face.
Shortly afterwards, as the audience continued to process what they had just seen, Smith was announced as Best Actor. He received the statuette for playing Richard Williams, father of tennis stars Venus and Serena, in a biographical film that chronicles Williams’ role in his daughters’ sporting rise.
“Art imitates life”
Upon receiving his Oscar, a tearful Smith apologized to the Academy and his colleagues. He gave a strange acceptance speech in which he drew parallels between Richard Williams’ life and the Rock incident. “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,” said Smith, adding: “Art imitates life – I look like the crazy dad, as they said about Richard Williams.”
Smith also said: “To do what we do, you need to be able to take abuse. You have to be able to make people talk crazy about you. In this business, you have to be able to have people disrespect you, and you have to smile, and you have to pretend like everything is okay.”
A few days later, Smith publicly apologized to Rock. His attack on the comedian prompted the Academy to issue the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor with a decade-long ban of all body events, including the Oscars. He won’t be able to attend the Oscars again until 2032 at the earliest.
