From the bad guys to the winning family – King Richard, let’s (re)discover roles dedicated primarily to action and emotion for Will Smith, who started on television with Willie the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and then completely exploded into cinema.
After being in the center Slapsgate during the 2022 Oscars and doing your thing return with Emancipation on Apple TV+, even creating a limited-time offer with a certain number of free months of subscription to the platform to promote the film, Will Smith remains one of the most character actors and a favorite of the millennial generation, having grown up with him. Willie the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 90s, where, among other things, he met his future wife Jada. Having become synonymous with both action and genre cinema, often science fiction, as well as stories that focus on the emotional side of the story, Will Smith has lived through the decades, interpreting and shaping many iconic characters that are still talked about today after jumping from a small screen to big. Let’s try to follow them on this excursion with them. 11 best films of the Philadelphia actor.
1. Bad Boys (1995)
Let’s start with the first and most important chapter of the now Bad Boys trilogy, directed by Michael Bay and starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as two Miami narcotics detectives, Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. Excellent movie “Buddy Cop”whose name is taken from the song of the same name by the group Inner Circle, which was such a success that it had two sequels, Bad Boys 2 (2003)e Bad boys for life (2020), as well as a female television adaptation, Best of Los Angeles (2019-2020). It all starts with $100 million in heroin seized by the mafia and stolen by the police on suspicion of moles within the department. The pair of main characters have only five days to find out the truth and return what was stolen.
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2. Independence Day (1996)
From corrupt police to alien invasion, it’s a snap. Roland Emmerich directs Will Smith in this emblematic film of the genre, in which the anniversary of American independence, a very emotional anniversary in the United States, coincides with a nearly successful alien invasion of Earth that… episodes that went down in the history of disaster films continues to destroy various symbolic monuments of the United States on both coasts: among them the Empire State Building in New York, the Library Tower in Los Angeles and even the White House, the presidential residence, in Washington. The advertising campaign also turned out to be epoch-making. has been used for Independence Day since the 30th Super Bowl, the most watched event on American television, which has always been used as a launching pad for highly anticipated series and films with the most expensive and lucrative advertising space.
3. Men in Black (1997)
Another type of alien invasion is described in Men in Black by Barry Sonnenfeld. An adaptation of Lowell Cunningham’s comic book saga of the same name, or a revival of the spy story with comic and adventurous tones, the idea that the people of the title exist among us, often present in conspiracy theories about UFOs and Area 51. The organization is secret not only from citizens, but also from the government – through flash – which controls the immigration of aliens to Earth. Smith stars in yet another buddy movie, this time opposite Tommy Lee Jones, which spawned two sequels: Men in Black II (2002)e Men in Black 3 (2012), as well as a spin-off Men in Black: International (2019) and remains greatest commercial success of the science fiction genre.
4. Ali (2001)
Will Smith has worked with a variety of prestigious directors over the course of his long and varied career. One of these, of course, is Michael Mann, who, in the person of Ali, set an important task for the actor – to reincarnate the pseudonym of the famous American boxer Cassius Clay Jr. Muhammad Ali. An intense and unanimously appreciated biographical film, also in the sports field, so much so that it does justice to the protagonist. first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Smith will reunite with Mann (and fellow actor Jamie Foxx) in The key to beauty a few years later.
5. I, Robot (2004)
Another sci-fi film highly praised by fans of the genre, Alex Proyas’ I, Robot is inspired by none other than the master of sci-fi. Isaac Asimov and his anthology of the same name, moving away from it and reimagining it when it comes to its robotic concept. The books describe three laws of robotics, which in the film adaptation regulate the relationship between people and robots. The main character is Smith as Detective Del Spooner, who must investigate the mysterious and suspicious suicide of a scientist in a futuristic world where androids are practically an everyday household appliance.
6. Hitch – He Really Understands Women (2005)
Smith’s career spans beyond action and sci-fi, which also spans romantic comedies like Hitch, but he truly understands the women in which the actor plays the lead. This matchmaker, Alex Hitchens, aka Hitch or also “Dr. Trailer”, who helps awkward and insecure men win the women they are in love with. It’s a shame that his wiles fail just as he falls in love with the social news reporter he plays Eva Mendes.
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7. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
In Will Smith’s complete filmography there are also extremely emotional works, as we said in the introduction, like this one. A film that allowed him to collaborate with foreign directors like ours. Gabriele Muccino and received a second Oscar nomination for Best Actor. It centers on the story of a father and son (played by Smith’s real-life son, Jaden), inspired by the life of Chris Gardner. millionaire entrepreneur turned poor, forced to raise his son Christopher on the streets. The title “The Pursuit of Happiness” this time refers to the Declaration of Independence, in which Thomas Jefferson spoke about the unalienable rights of man: the protection of life, the preservation of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Fun facts: the real Gardner makes a cameo appearance, crossing the street in a suit and tie.
8. I Am Legend (2007)
Francis Lawrence directs Smith in I Am Legend, the third film adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel of the same name. Last Man on Earth Sidney Salkov and Ubaldo Ragona e 1975: White Eyes on Planet Earth Boris Sagal. The main character is Robert Neville. the only survivor of a terrible pandemic that began three years earlier and was caused by the measles virus., which has been genetically modified to treat cancer. Result? A degeneration similar to that caused by anger that has turned humanity into zombies that cannot stand sunlight. In this film, actor Philly had the opportunity to star alongside his youngest daughter, Willow Smith.
9. After Earth (2013)
Among the directors Smith has worked with is M. Night Shyamalan, who will once again play father and son alongside his son Jaden. After Earth there will be another one dystopian disaster movie in an actor’s career in which, due to countless disasters, humanity is forced to leave Earth and migrate to a new planet far from the solar system: Nova Prime. Here though alien civilization wants to destroy humanity with the help of monsters that sense fear pheromones. General Cypher Rage wants to train a group of Rangers, and will also do so with his surviving son China (played by Jaden Smith).
10. The Pledge of Beauty (2016)
Between Will Smith’s best films We insert a film about the meaning of life directed by David Frankel with a cast led by an actor. Advertising executive Howard Inlet is depressed and suicidal after the tragic death of his daughter. To save the company he founded and sell it, three of his friends and business partners hire a trio of actors to meet Howard, portraying “Love”, “Time” and “Death”, three concepts he addressed in letters. overcoming from despair. The key to beauty is an alternative Christmas carol that offers quite a few surprises.
11. The Conquering Family – King Richard (2021)
We end with the film that brought Will Smith an Oscarafter three nominations, same year slamming door. Reynaldo Marcus Green directs The Winning Family: King Richard, another biopic in the actor’s career, again of its kind, following the lives of two tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams through the life of their father and coach Richard. A tough and problematic personality, inextricably uniting sport and family. The role, which also earned Smith a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics’ Choice Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor.