The road to becoming a star in Hollywood has a lot of ups and downs. No one had as meteoric of a rise as Will Smith. The rapper-turned Academy Award-nominated actor has had his fair share of blockbusters. He ruled the box office in the 1990s and has delivered hits through today. He was once the biggest star on the planet and could open a movie in any country around the world.

While still being incredibly famous, Smith has taken a turn toward more serious roles as of late, with the upcoming King Richard as another tour de force feather in his cap. 


When asked about what his best films he's ever made, the actor told GQ, “For the best, I think it is a tie between the first Men in Black and The Pursuit of Happyness. For different reasons, those are the two almost perfect movies.” 

Smith was nominated for Best Actor for The Pursuit of Happyness. His performance as a father trying to get by opened a whole new world of dramatic roles to him.

And his turn as Agent Jay in Men in Black helped create an all-time blockbuster that cemented him as a Hollywood icon. It's fitting that Barry Sonnenfeld's direction in that movie took Smith to new heights. And that's because Sonnenfeld and Smith may have flown too close to the sun, following up MiB with Wild Wild West—which Smith called his worst movie. 

Smith said, “Wild Wild West is just a thorn in my side. To see myself with chaps. […] I don’t like it.”

Wild_wild_west_bad'Wild Wild West'Credit: Warner Bros.

It's nice to see an actor owning his successes and failures. Clearly, Smith understands taking risks and capitalizing is both important for the longevity of his career and for the quality of movies within Hollywood. 

Did you see Wild Wild West? What do you remember about the film?

And what are some of your favorite Will Smith roles? Let us know in the comments.