Willard Smith, better known as will Smith, is a golden Globe and double Oscar nominee and has cemented himself as a leading an and one of the biggest box office draws.He started as an MC with Jeff Townes, aka Jazzy Jeff, who he met at a party and turntablist and producer Ready Rock C.They achieved critical acclaim for winning the first ever Grammy in the Rap category in 1988. Their most recognised records were Summertime and Parents Just Don’t Understand.In 1996 NBC signed Will up to star in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, which launched his acting career.In 1995, while still in Bel Air he starred with Martin Lawrence in Michael Bay’s Bad Boys.Just a year later Bel air came to an end. Smith juggled a successful solo career and a movie career.

His biggest role of the nineties came in alien invasion movie Independence Day, which went on to gross eight hundred million and 1997’s Men in Black, he played Agent J alongside Agent K’s Tommy Lee Jones and his popularity was cemented.

He did two sequels Men in Black II and re-teamed with Martin Lawrence for Bad Boys II that both did well at the box office.

He then stepped into romantic comedy as Alex ‘Hitch’ Hitchens, a professional date doctor; it went on to be the tenth highest grossing movie of 2005.

But in 2001 he took on a more serious role in Ali, the biopic of legendary boxer Mohammed Ali.

For his performance he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar becoming only the second hip hop artist to receive an Oscar nomination.

He received a second Oscar nomination for his role in The Pursuit of Happiness.

The Pursuit of Happiness is a drama based on the true story of Chris Gardener, who went from rags to riches. Smith’s son Jaden played the role of Gardener’s son Christopher in the film.

His latest film I Am Legend has taken the U.S. box office by storm securing the biggest December box office opening in U.S. history.

Smith stares as Robert Neville, the sole survivor in New York City after a man made virus swept the world.

He will next be seen in Hancock as a superhero who falls out of favour with the public. The film also stars Charlize Theron and is released in summer.

I Am Legend is released 26th December.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

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