He grew up in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood, and was raised Baptist. Air Force veteran and refrigeration engineer. Smith was born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Caroline ( née Bright), a Philadelphia school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith Sr., a U.S.
In 2013, Forbes named Smith the most bankable star in the world. He is the only actor to have starred in eight consecutive films which grossed over $100 million in the United States box office, eleven consecutive films which grossed over $150 million internationally, and eight consecutive films which opened at the number one spot in the US box office tally.
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After the series ended, Smith transitioned from television to film and went on to star in numerous blockbuster films, including Independence Day (1996) and Men in Black (1997). In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he began starring in the NBC television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which ran for six seasons until 1996. Smith has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, and has won four Grammy Awards.ĭuring the late 1980s, he achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name the Fresh Prince. (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer.