Will Smith at 58: The life path of the actor who became a millionaire at 18 and was left without work after the "Oscar" scandal

Will Smith is 58 years old: The life path of the actor who became a millionaire at 18 and was left without work following the "Oscars" scandal

Actor Will Smith turned 58 today, September 25. He is known as a talented, handsome, hardworking actor who is beloved among women.

Will Smith's childhood was spent in Philadelphia, a historically and culturally rich city. Here, Americans, Irish, Asians, and African Americans lived side by side. It was in this place that 12-year-old Will developed an interest in rap, and he headed to Los Angeles, one of the major centers of show business.

His entry into the music world was prompted by his acquaintance with young rapper Jeff Townes. The friends worked in nightclubs at night and wrote songs during the day. Townes and Smith's determination and their clean, profanity-free rap style brought them to the peak of popularity.

Will earned his first million dollars and won a Grammy Award at just 18 years old. With this money, Smith bought a large house in Philadelphia, several luxury cars, and jewelry. He spent hundreds of dollars on parties, expensive clothes, and banquets, but unexpectedly, the duet's popularity began to decline, his money ran out, and his house and cars were confiscated due to debts.

Will searched for other ways to make money, and fate gave him a second chance. In 1990, he met Quincy Jones and starred in the famous TV series "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." In the film, Smith practically portrayed himself. A lively and restless guy from West Philadelphia comes to his wealthy relatives in Bel-Air and experiences various adventures.

Although Will Smith did not study in the field of arts, American audiences recognized his acting skills. With the earnings from the series, he paid off all his debts and made new acquaintances in Hollywood.

In 1995, the character of the handsome and serious police officer Mike Lowrey in the movie "Bad Boys" became his first serious role in his acting career. His performance in "Men in Black" further increased Will's popularity. In this sci-fi comedy, Smith starred alongside famous Hollywood actor Tommy Lee Jones. The soundtrack he sang for the movie "Men in Black" took high positions in the music charts and won an MTV Video Music Award.

"I don't consider myself a particularly talented actor, I achieve success because of the strange and crazy people around me. Because when others sleep, I work; even when they eat, I work," Will Smith said in one of his interviews.

This approach yielded results. Will became the first Hollywood actor to have nine consecutive films gross over $100 million each. He was nominated for an Academy Award twice: for his role as Muhammad Ali in the film "Ali" (2001) and for his portrayal of Chris Gardner in "The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006). In 2022, he won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams in the film "King Richard." He has been nominated for a Golden Globe six times and won the award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for "King Richard" in 2022. He was also honored with a BAFTA Award in 2022 for the same role.

Will Smith married actress and designer Sheree Zampino in 1992 and divorced three years later. His ex-wife deprived Smith of custody of their son Trey. Later, Will gained the right to see his son.

The actor spoke about his post-divorce depression to his long-time friend, actress Jada Pinkett. They met at the casting for "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Over time, their friendship grew more serious, and they married on December 31, 1997. They have two children. Their son Jaden and daughter Willow have also chosen the path of music and acting.

In Hollywood, Will and Jada's marriage was viewed as a long-lasting, strong family. However, in 2023, the actress revealed that she and her husband had not lived together for a long time. Today, although the couple's status is "complicated," they still spend a lot of time together.

At the 2022 Academy Awards, host Chris Rock made a joke about the hairstyle of Jada, who suffers from alopecia—hair loss. Will took this joke as an insult to his former spouse and slapped Chris in the face. Following this incident, Smith received no offers for a year.

The actor surprised his fans once again in 2025. He released a new studio album after a nearly 20-year hiatus. The album, titled "Based on a True Story," was presented in March 2025 and featured collaborations with DJ Jazzy Jeff, Jaden Smith, Big Sean, and other artists.

This was Smith's first full-length music album since his 2005 album "Lost and Found." In some of the songs, the actor speaks about his life in recent years, his mistakes, and the changes he has undergone. The album rose to number two on the Billboard 200 chart.

In 2025, Smith also continued his performances on the big stage. He performed at the CONCACAF Nations League final, showing that he does not limit his musical career to the studio alone.