Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 1968, Willard Carroll Smith Jr also known as Will Smith is an American musician and actor whose charm and wit made his transition from rap music to acting a successful profession.
Among his numerous awards, he has won four Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a BAFTA Award. His movies have brought in over $9.3 billion worldwide up to 2023, making him one of Hollywood’s most successful stars.
Quick Info
| FULL NAME | Willard Carroll Smith Jr |
| NICKNAME | Will Smith |
| BORN | September 25, 1968 |
| BIRTHPLACE | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| AGE | 55 years old(2023) |
| NATIONALITY | American |
| PROFESSION | Actor, Film Producer, and Rapper |
| HEIGHT | 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) |
| NET WORTH | $350 Million |
| SALARY | $40 to 80 Million |
How was Will Smith Early Life?
The Wynnefield neighborhood of West Philadelphia raised him as a Baptist. Harry and Ellen are his younger siblings, and Pamela is his older sister. He attended Overbrook High School and Our Lady of Lourdes, a Philadelphia-based private Catholic elementary school. His parents got divorced in the early 2000s, having split up when he was 13.
Russell Simmons signed them to a deal at Def Jam Records in 1986 when they became known. Released in 1987, “Rock the House” was their debut album. The album became a gold record. Released in 1988, “He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper” was their second album. More than three million copies were sold during its peak of popularity. Together, the two would put out five albums.
Will won the first-ever Grammy for the newly formed Rap category in 1988.
Who are Will Smith’s parents?
His parents were Willard Carroll Smith Sr., a refrigeration engineer and veteran of the US Air Force, and Caroline (née Bright), a school board administrator. His mom graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. Will Smith has experienced his father’s violent temper often. The actor revealed in his self-titled 2021 memoir, Will, that his late father frequently turned to alcoholism and violence, which was typically aimed at him and his mother.
How many children Will Smith have?
Will Smith has three children and following in his footsteps, all have pursued careers in the entertainment sector. The eldest child is Trey Smith whom he shares with his ex-wife Sheree Zampino. He has two children: Jaden Smith, his other son, and Willow Smith, his daughter, whom he shares with his separated wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Jada revealed in her memoir “Worthy” that she and Will married in 1997 and divorced in 2016.
Will Smith Career
Smith began his career as a musician, releasing five studio albums between 1984 and 1994. He achieved commercial success with hit singles such as “Parents Just Don’t Understand”, “A Nightmare on My Street”, “Summertime“, “Ring My Bell”, and “Boom! Shake the Room” as part of a hip-hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Later, he made his acting debut in the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), portraying a fictionalized version of himself. This is how he first gained recognition.
Will Smith released several solo albums, including Big Willie Style (1997), Willennium (1999), Born to Reign (2002), and Lost and Found (2005), from which the US number-one singles “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” and “Wild Wild West” has taken. He has won four Grammy Awards for his rap performances.
Smith was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Richard Williams in the biographical sports drama King Richard (2021). Shortly before winning the 2022 Oscars, Smith received criticism for slapping presenter Chris Rock at the ceremony after Rock cracked an unexpected joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. After that, Smith quit the Academy and was banned from joining their events for ten years.
How much is Will Smith worth?
For many years, Will Smith has been one of the most popular and well-liked celebrities in the world. He is an actor, film producer, and rapper, with a net worth of $350 million. Will Smith earns a minimum of $40 million annually from his various ventures, and in some years, he has earned as much as $80 million. For example, from June 2019 to June 2020, Will earned $45 million from his various ventures, primarily from film salaries.
In the 2000s, Will made between $20 and $30 million a picture at the peak of his career. He has received massive pay from Netflix for a single film in recent years. It has been reported that he received $20 million for the Netflix film “Bright” in 2017 and $35 million for its follow-up. He made $60 million (as well as an awkward Academy Award) with bonuses for his performance in “King Richard“.
He also makes some money from his social media account as he is a superstar of social media. Will has over 64 million Instagram followers, 9.8 million YouTube subscribers, and 72.8 million TikTok followers as of his last update.
