What is going on with Will Smith?

Not that much anymore, but it was still a thing in the mid-90's.

 

They could co-headline with Marky Mark. Fortunately, Walhberg's acting career seems to have progressed pretty well.

 

I hear that Mark hates when anyone brings up Good Vibrations or his rap career in general.

 

That's a pity because I still see him and think "Marky Mark" 25 years later.

 

That's why he doesn't want you to think about that.

 

Smith had been pretty idle since 2008 - pre-2015, he only had 2 lead roles, and I'm not even sure "how lead" he was in "After Earth". Didn't see it, but I got the impression his kid had the main role.

Smith also did small roles - basically cameos - in "Anchorman 2" and "Winter's Tale", but otherwise, between 2008 and 2015, he stayed away from screens...

 

Jaden Smith gets first billing in After Earth, and the film was a vehicle mostly for him to try and capitalize on the success of Karate Kid. From what I've read, though, it sounds like the original concept would've made for a potentially compelling drama. Papa Smith is all about that franchise box office money.

Aside from the money, I think part of his current status has to be ego from being the biggest box office draw in the world for a stretch. He already has his Oscar nomination, so maybe he feels like he wants his legacy to be a rash of huge entertaining hits. Nothing wrong with that in theory, I suppose. Though maybe the reality is that one can do that for only so long.

 

Yeah, I knew Jaden was top-billed - I'm just not sure how much screentime Will occupies. Is he a strong second-lead? Is he a small supporting role? That's what I wanted to know!

And based on "Seven Pounds" and "Karate Kid", I think Jaden has talent. Dunno if he was good in "AE", but I liked him in those other movies.

It seems fashionable to dismiss him as the product of nepotism but I don't agree...

 

I didn't see After Earth. It felt exploitative to me for a star like that to want to get his kid into the same business and not let him simply be a kid with his own interests and career.

 

He was also in Rock of Ages as an aging rock star and I hear he's quite excellent in the role, so I think he may still have want to stretch his legs if the right role comes along. I read an interesting article a while back about how his "meltdown" was a main cause for Cruise going into action-hero-mode, as he wanted to cater to that image of himself. I really hope he and Smith branch out more often as I think they're both capable of doing great work in the right roles.

 

Well, his concept for After Earth was a huge sci-fi franchise that spawned comics, video games, more movies, toys, etc.

 

Some actors are made for the action type roles - Harrison made some classics. Frantic is one of my faves.

 

Will has the ability to make things funny that really shouldn't be very funny.

There's a scene in Independence Day where a big, tentacled (is that a word?) alien emerges from a crashed spaceship and tries to attack Will.

Will rears back and punches the alien, knocking it unconscious and yells "Welcome to Earth!". It makes me laugh just thinking about it. I think it's his delivery that makes it work.

 

That's a great scene - he also makes a crack about having to drag his alien ass across the desert or something like that.

He's also always very entertaining when he's on Letterman,which he recently was.

 

He certainly missed a GREAT opportunity >>>

"Will Smith turned down the title role in Oscar-winning epic Django Unchained because director Quentin Tarantino didn't offer him "the lead".
The Men in Black superstar was initially rumoured to be in talks to play slave Django when production on the project got underway in 2011, but the role eventually went to Jamie Foxx.
Smith has now confirmed he was offered the part, but rejected it over concerns Christoph Waltz's bounty hunter character was the better role.
He tells Entertaiment Weekly, "Django wasn't the lead, so it was like, I need to be the lead. The other character was the lead!... I was like, 'No, Quentin, please, I need to kill the bad guy!'"
Waltz went on to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Dr King Schultz, but Smith insists he is not bitter about missing out on a part in the film.
He adds, "I thought (the movie) was brilliant. Just not for me."

Source:
http://www.3news.co.nz/entertainmen...own-django-unchained-2013032610#axzz3TURfB7Zg

 

He also turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix to do Wild Wild West.

 

IMHO, the only true dud was "Wild Wild West". "Bad Boys" was bad but bad in the way most modern action flicks are. I liked "Hitch" and the rest of the movies on your list.

Different strokes for different folks.

 

So he's getting divorced?

 

AW HELL NAW!

I'm reasonably sure he's very much in love with his wife, and vice-versa.

 

Looks like it was just a rag rumor. Sorry.

 

MIB - Great series
I am legend - excellent
Independence Day - gets air time each and every independence day so people must be watching
Bad Boys - very popular. I wasn't a fan, but it made quite a bit of money
Wild wild west - interesting and funny (although i don't know if it did well)

You my friend just love to argue