Will Smith is a talented musician and actor who, during his career, managed to star in a large number of films of different genres. At first, he appeared only in comedy films. But lately, the artist prefers to act in more dramatic films.
The filmography of the actor includes many different films. Among them are ten iconic films in which Will Smith played his best roles.
Independence Day (1996)
Will Smith managed nine consecutive films that grossed more than $100 million at the box office. One of the most successful films on this list is Independence Day. The film was released in wide release in 1996 and immediately became the leader in the box office. He managed to raise over $815 million.
The film tells the story of a young ironic gouging who had to save the world from an alien invasion. Many critics believe that it was after this film that Will Smith was often called for the main roles in action films.
I am legend (2007)
I Am Legend is a film based on the book of the famous American writer Richard Matheson. In this film, Smith really managed to demonstrate his acting skills. The film takes place in an unusual post-apocalyptic world in which only one person survived – Robert Neville. He was played by Will Smith.
“I Am Legend” details the life of the last human survivor on earth. During the daytime, he explores the cities in search of food, and at night he hides from the bloodthirsty zombies that come out to hunt. A lot of time is devoted not only to the survival of the protagonist, but also to his struggle with loneliness.
Seven pounds (2008)
“Seven Lives” is a film by the popular director Gabriele Muccino. It is worth noting that this is not the first time he has collaborated with Smith. Prior to that, they worked together on the film “The Pursuit of Happyness.” Muccino liked Will’s acting and therefore he invited him to the main role in his new film.
The plot of the film tells the story of a young guy Tim Thomas. He gets into a serious car accident that kills his wife. The protagonist blames himself for the death of his beloved and therefore wants to atone for his guilt. To do this, he decided to help seven strangers. Helping others, he does not even think about the fact that this will radically change his life.
Hancock (2008)
The film was shot according to the original script by Vince Gillian, who worked on the creation of the famous television series Breaking Bad. The plot tells about an atypical superhero played by Will Smith.
Despite the fact that Hancock is a superhero who regularly saves the inhabitants of the city from evil, he cannot be called a role model. The fact is that he swears a lot, often drinks and is rude to strangers. It is because of this that the film received an 18+ rating. But this did not affect the success of the picture. The film managed to gross over $600 million.
Bad Boys
Bad Boys is one of the first serious films by Will Smith. This is a real old-school action movie of the mid-90s. The film is shot in the spirit of a typical action comedy. It has a lot of self-irony, sparkling humor and action.
The film tells the story of two young Miami detectives. They were assigned to investigate a serious case involving the theft of a large amount of drugs from a local police warehouse. Their further career depends on this investigation. If they can’t find the drugs, their police station will be closed.
Enemy of the State (1998)
This is a dramatic thriller filmed by famous British film director Tony Scott. The film keeps the viewer in suspense from the beginning to the appearance of the final credits on the screen.
The film tells about political intrigues, during which one of the famous politicians was killed. The moment of the murder was captured on video. It accidentally fell into the hands of a young lawyer, played by Smith. Now the life of the protagonist is in danger and he will have to do everything not to die at the hands of the special services who began to hunt for him.
Aladdin (2019)
In 2019, a film was released in which Will Smith had to play a rather unusual role. We are talking about the film “Aladdin”, in which the actor got the role of Genie. There were a lot of concerns about this film. But in the end they didn’t work out. The new film about Aladdin was liked by both film critics and ordinary viewers. Box office receipts amounted to more than $ 1 billion, which indicates the commercial success of the film. People who like good jokes, funny songs and dances should definitely check out this film.
Men in Black (1997)
Many people learned about Will Smith precisely because of this film. After its release, the popularity of the actor began to grow rapidly around the world. This is not surprising, since Smith did an excellent job with the role of a secret agent.
The comedy “Men in Black” tells about two employees of a special forces unit engaged in the search for the capture of aliens who illegally fell to earth. The film combines elements of thriller, comedy and fantasy action. The film proved to be a commercial success, grossing over $550 million.
The Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
This is the TV series that made Smith really famous. He appeared on TV screens from 1990 to 1996.
“The Prince of Bel-Air” is a typical American comedy series of the first half of the 90s. He describes the daily life of young people living in sunny California. Smith’s hero is a young and cheerful guy who constantly gets into trouble and funny situations. If you want to get acquainted with the early works and comedic roles of the actor, it is better to start with this television series.
Ali (2001)
In 2001, the film Ali, directed by Michael Mann, was released. The director thought for a long time who to take on the main role. As a result, he invited Will Smith. It is worth noting that this is one of the main roles in the career of an actor, because he had to reincarnate as Mohammed Ali himself. The actor did an excellent job. For this role, he was nominated for an Oscar in 2002.
The film tells about key events in the life of a boxer. It describes not only his fights, but also what happened outside the ring. Particular attention is paid to how Ali came to Islam and his friendship with Malcolm X. This film is a must-see not only for fans of Will Smith’s work, but also for fans of the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.
The Pursuit of Happyness
The picture tells about Chris Gardner and his difficult path, his elusive pursuit of happiness. Left with his son, he makes a variety of attempts to find at least some minimal income, barely making ends meet, occasionally selling intricate medical devices, which he once believed to make a fortune. In desperation, Chris gets a job, the so-called probation into a brokerage firm with no pay and a low chance of getting a paid job.
However, the path to a dream is complicated by the constant problems of a simple everyday existence and raising a son. His son, while still very young, is already beginning to be well aware of all the cruelty of real life. Ignoring the seeming hopelessness, he steadfastly overcomes all the blows of fate. The film tells about the insane pursuit of finding happiness, about how difficult it is to find it even in the modern world.
Concussion
Highly trained medical examiner, Dr. Bennett Omalu, investigates the cause of death of former Pittsburgh Steelworkers center Mike Webster. He reveals a severe brain injury, which appeared as a result of repeated blows to the head. Dr. Omalu publishes a conclusion on the results of his research, but the leadership of the National Football League, in order to avoid scandals and provocations, removes it from print.
Within a few years, three more former football players die, with the same symptoms as Webster. Omalu can’t stand aside, so he convinces the new NFL chairman, for the safety of the players, to let him share his findings…
King Richard
Richard Williams is the father of world-famous tennis stars Sirena and Venus. He knew nothing about professional training, but he tried to give his daughters everything. Sometimes it got to the point that neighbors turned to social services with complaints about child abuse. The main character of the movie “King Richard” was sure that his little girls would conquer the whole world in the future, becoming the first rackets of the world.
He overcame huge obstacles, trained his little ones as best he could, confidently moved towards his goal step by step, without worrying that his efforts might not be appreciated. Compton did not have the necessary conditions for normal training, but the head of the family hatched an ingenious plan that allowed future athletes to storm the sports arena like a hurricane and achieve real success. What path did the Williams family have to overcome on the way to cherished success and world recognition?