American actor and rapper Will Smith is basically a household name worldwide. The star has bagged an array of awards in his day, and as of 2023, his films have grossed over $9.3 billion globally. Before he reached such great heights, the star was the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. This little venture was a collaboration between him and his childhood friend Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes, a turntablist and producer.
However, his first major role came in 1993 in the movie Six Degrees of Separation. Another game-changer for him was the 1995 action movie Bad Boys, in which he starred opposite Martin Lawrence. Since then, it’s been one role to another that has eventually established him as a Hollywood leading man. With all this in mind, here are ten interesting facts about him.
10. He Is A SpeedCuber
In the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, there’s a scene where Smith’s character solves a Rubik’s cube in a short amount of time. Needless to say, fans were curious if he could actually hold up his own against a Rubik’s cube. Apparently, he did learn to solve the puzzle just for that scene from the world blindfolded Rubik’s Cube-solving champion and creator of the World Cube Association. With a little bit of practice, he was able to nail it in just fifty-five seconds.
9. He Went ‘Full Ghetto Hyena’ After His Breakup With Melanie Parker
This one is a little PG-rated, but apparently, the star became quite promiscuous after breaking up with one of his first girlfriends. Her name is Melanie Parker, and everything went down in flames when he found out that she cheated on him.
Naturally, he broke up with her, but the betrayal consumed him. In his own words, he went “… full ghetto hyena.” In his biography, he stated that he slept with so many women that he “developed a psychosomatic reaction to having an orgasm.”
8. Will Smith’s Catchphrase: A Popular Meme
Smith isn’t just a famous actor, rapper, writer, and producer, he’s also a trendsetter. He is renowned for his catchy phrase, “Aw, hell no”. For the most part, he has incorporated this phrase in almost all his movies. In fact, the phrase has become a popular meme used to show disbelief or refusal.
7. He Was A Millionaire Before His 18th Birthday
Smith’s career kicked off quite early in his life, more specifically, he was just 16. He collaborated with Jeff Townes, also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff. Together, they laid the foundation of their album Rock The House with the debut single, Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble. Needless to say, it was a hit, and the album reached number 83 on the Billboard Top 200. Altogether, the star was a millionaire before his eighteenth birthday.
6. Will Smith Was Named Among the 50 Most Beautiful People
People Magazine has some pretty prestigious lists, and Smith was featured on one of them back in 1998. They honored the star by including his name in the”50 Most Beautiful People” list. At the end of the day, it was a remarkable recognition of his stardom.
5. He’s The First Rapper To Be Nominated For An Academy Award
There’s no doubt that Will Smith has made history in the entertainment industry. His nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the film “Ali” was a significant milestone because he was a rapper at the time. It definitely helped pave the way for other artists to be recognized for their acting abilities, regardless of their background or genre.
4. He’s Been The Same Height Since He Was 13
By all standards, Will Smith is undoubtedly a tall man at 6’2″. Here’s the interesting part, he’s been that tall since he was 13 years old. For a 54-year-old, 6’2″ is quite a normal height. But to already tower that high in his early teens that’s definitely something remarkable.
3. He’s A Guinness World Record Holder
Sometimes celebrities don’t have the luxury of turning their lives off. While this is mostly an inconvenience, Smith spun it into gold. During the promotion of the romantic comedy Hitch in 2005, Smith traveled across England and made three separate appearances in Manchester, Birmingham, and London within a 12-hour span.
He was dressed in a casual camel coat, jeans, and a leather cap and was greeted by thousands of fans at each event. This achievement earned him a Guinness World Record for the most public appearances by a film star in 12 hours. It’s a testament to his dedication to his work and his fans.
2. His Marriage With Jada Pinkett Started As An Affair
He is not very proud of this fact and calls it “the ultimate failure” of his adult life. No doubt, he knows that he wronged his wife by cheating on her with Jada Pinkett. But his feelings at the time were something he could not ignore. Smith met Jada when she auditioned to play his girlfriend on The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. Although she didn’t get the role, Smith used the opportunity to approach her, and the rest is history.
1. Will Smith Has Made History
The star’s career has no doubt inspired awe in more areas than one. At the moment, he’s the only actor to have eight consecutive films grossing over $100 million at the domestic box office. In addition, he has eleven consecutive films grossing over 150 million dollars worldwide.
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