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1. Will Smith In ‘Focus’

Will Smith Source:Getty

There is no denying Will Smith is an exceptional actor. From his early days as the goofy teenager on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” to his more recent roles as a con artist in the film “Focus,” it’s apparent that Smith’s ability to play versatile roles in films is uncanny. While we obviously can’t pick just one role, here is a list of some of the greatest Will Smith acting roles of all time!

2. Six Degrees of Separation

After becoming a well-established rap star and starring on the “The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air” for three years, Will Smith, then 25 years old, opted to play in the film, “Six Degrees of Separation,” which was his first major movie role. Due to his exceptional performance in the film, this movie is listed as one of Smith’s best due to his lengthy monologue and charm throughout the film.

3. Men in Black

There are two personalities to Will Smith, the serious actor and the comedian, and in “Men in Black” we got both. Smith, alongside Tommy Lee Jones, plays a hilarious agent who’s working to save the world from an alien invasion. In fact, Smith and Jones’ chemistry on screen is impeccable and it was hard to imagine one without the other during the run of the movie.

4. The Pursuit of Happyness

“The Pursuit of Happyness” is yet another emotional film where Smith completely takes on the persona of his character, proving that he can do no wrong on screen. This time, Smith was joined by his youngest son, Jaden Smith and it became apparent that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Smith delivered a genuine and heartfelt performance, earning him a Best Actor Oscar Nomination.

5. Bad Boys

“Bad Boys” was Smith’s first step into the world of the big budget Hollywood action movies. While this film wasn’t much different from the usual cop/action films of it’s time, the chemistry between Smith and his comedian counterpart, Martin Lawrence, was what really set this movie apart from it’s competitors and not to mention, made it utterly hilarious and highly entertaining.

6. I, Robot

By the time “I, Robot” went into production, Will Smith had built-up an impressive resume so it was a no brainer that he was chosen as the lead in this film. The movie received favorable reviews, mostly for the the writing, visual effects, and of course, the acting, and was nominated for the 2004 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

7. Enemy of the State

After Independence Day and Men in Black, we became accustomed to Smith saving the world from aliens. This film, however, was more dramatic and a less action packed role for the budding actor. It was apparent by this time that Smith could tackle any project put in front of him, so when “Enemy of the State” was released, it was yet another box office hit, reestablishing Smith among the greats.

8. Seven Pounds

Probably one of our favorite Will Smith movies, “Seven Pounds” is the story of a man who embarks on a journey and ends up changing the lives of seven strangers. This film put Smith in one of the most emotional roles of his career, and despite negative reviews from critics, it went on to become a box office success!

9. Hitch

When we think of Will Smith, a romantic comedy is probably the last thing on our minds. An actor who’s known for playing in humorous and action films isn’t the first person you think of when putting a romantic movie together. However, as we’ve learned, Smith nails every role he’s in and “Hitch” is no different. As usual, Smith delivered an emotional and humorous performance, making us love him even more.

10. I Am Legend

A classic horror novel was adapted into the movie, “I Am Legend” and starred none other than Smith as the last surviving man in a world. In the film, Smith works to develop a cure for a virus originally created to cure cancer while defending himself against the mutants created by the virus. Although Smith is the only speaking character for most of the film, it opened to the largest ever box office of the year.

For 2024’s iteration of MadameNoire and HelloBeautiful’s annual series Women to Know, we knew we wanted to celebrate the people who help make the joys of film and television possible. To create art is to create magic. This year, we spotlight Hollywood Executive’s changing the face of cinema.