Where did Will Smith get his start?

Where did Will Smith get his start?

Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes as turntablist and producer.

Did Will Smith grow up without a father?

“I had always been interested in shows with fathers, because I grew up with a single parent,” he said. In the episode, Will’s father shows up unexpectedly after a 14-year absence. [He] wouldn’t give me a damn inch,” said Smith in a 2018 interview with podcast Rap Radar.

How did Will Smith get his last name?

As previously shared, Smith’s character is named Will Smith. In real life, the Ali actor’s real name is Willard Carroll Smith. The Oscar nominee got his name from his father, Willard Smith, Sr. Following his father’s death in November 2016, he said he felt free to be himself moving forward, per Rap Radar Podcast.

Is Will Smith part Native American?

Will Smith Smith is of both African American and Native American heritage.

Why did Will Smith play himself in Fresh Prince?

Smith agreed with Alfonso and when the time came to naming his character, he specifically requested that he play a fictionalized version of himself. This move proved to be one of the smartest Smith had ever made because exactly as Alfonso predicted, the show took off and Will Smith became a household name.

Why did Will Smith do Fresh Prince?

Will Smith starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air primarily because he needed a paycheck. After a guest spot on The Arsenio Hall Show introduced him to Benny Medina, the real-life inspiration for Fresh Prince, multifaceted producer Quincey Jones gave Smith the chance to audition for a new sitcom on NBC.

Where was Will Smith born and when was he born?

Willard Christopher Smith, Jr. was born on September 25, 1968, to Willard C. Smith, Sr., the proprietor of a refrigeration company, and Caroline, a member of the ‘School Board of Philadelphia’, in Pennsylvania.

Where did Will Smith grow up in Philadelphia?

Smith was born in West Philadelphia, the son of Caroline (Bright), a Philadelphia school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith, Sr., a refrigeration engineer. He grew up in West Philadelphia’s Wynnefield neighborhood, and was raised Baptist. He has three siblings, sister Pamela, who is four years older,…

Who is Will Smith from the Fresh Prince?

Will Smith. Written By: Alternative Titles: Fresh Prince, Willard Carroll Smith, Jr. Will Smith, byname of Willard Carroll Smith, Jr., (born September 25, 1968, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.), American actor and musician whose charisma, clean-cut good looks, and quick wit helped him transition from rap music to a successful career in acting.

Where did Will Smith go to elementary school?

He grew up in West Philadelphia’s Wynnefield neighborhood, and was raised Baptist. He has three siblings, sister Pamela, who is four years older, and twins Harry and Ellen, who are three years younger. Smith attended Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic elementary school in Philadelphia.