ABOUT WILL SMITH

Remember that guy in high school? The one who was voted most popular, had the prettiest girlfriend, and threw the best parties--all, it seemed, without effort? Well, that guy grew up and became Will Smith. But first he became the Fresh Prince. While still in his teens, Smith and a buddy from Philadelphia teamed up to become MTV stars and Grammy winners as the bubblegum-rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince ("Parents Just Don't Understand"). His irrepressible charisma won Smith a spot in the fortunately named sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which ran for six years. While still working on the show, Smith reclaimed his real name and busted out of the small box, winning a dramatic big-screen role--as a con artist who charms his way into a wealthy couple's home in Six Degrees of Separation. Surprise--the guy could act, too. After several years of big-screen work, the erstwhile Prince has ascended to a more regal position in Hollywood: King of the Fourth of July Blockbuster. Now twenty-eight, Smith is currently starring opposite Tommy Lee Jones in the sci-fi comedy Men in Black, playing a wisecracking federal agent. The hero's role may not seem natural for a guy who jokes that he should play the lead in a live-action version of Dumbo, but his quick wit has given him his own niche among action stars. It comes as little surprise that he names Eddie Murphy as a major career influence, and even less that he performs an expert impersonation of the actor-comedian. Funny, energetic, and attentive during a recent interview in Beverly Hills, Smith made the secret of his success very clear. You can envy his success--and his stunning girlfriend, actress Jada Pinkett--all you want, but he's impossible not to like.

Biography


Nickname: Fresh Prince As a child, Will constantly charmed his way out of trouble, so his teachers nicknamed him The Prince. When he got a little older, he added Fresh to it.


Date of Birth: September 25, 1968 Born in Philadelphia, Sun in Libra, Moon in Scorpio, currently 28 years old.


Height: 6' 2"


Family: Will Smith was the second of four children of Caroline, a school board worker, and Willard Smith Sr., owner of a refrigeration company and later an engineer. He grew up in middle class West Philadelphia and graduated from Overbrook High School. Rapping since he was twelve years old, when he met Jeff Townes at a party they soon began performing together as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. When the duo took off in popularity, Will made, and spent, a lot of money on a house, cars and jewelry. But Will was looking for something new when, in 1989, he met Benny Medina, who had an idea for a sitcom based on his life in Beverly Hills. Will loved the idea as did NBC which put on the "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". The plot was simple - Will basically played himself; a street-smart West Philly kid transplanted to Beverly Hills. The series lasted 6 years. During that time, he ventured into movies, where the critics took note of him in Six Degrees of Seperation (1993). With the success that came with the action picture Bad Boys (1995), Will's movie career was set. His latest movie is the blockbuster Independence Day (1996) where he plays the alien-asskicker Marine Corps Captain Steven Hiller.


Ex-spouse: Sheree Zampino (May 1992 - 1995)


Girlfriend: Jada Pinkett


Other: His son, Willard Smith III, nicknamed 'Trey' was born in 1992. Will's brother Harry and sister Ellen are twins. He appeared in the music video and sang lead vocals on the song "Voices That Care." Notable Guest Appearance: "Blossom" (1991), as himself.