Award-winning actor Will Smith was born on September 25, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the most successful and famous stars in modern American entertainment history, he has been nominated for Academy Awards and Golden Globes, and has won Grammy Awards for his work as a hip-hop artist. As he attended Overbrook High School in West Philadelphia, he began collaborating with Jeff Townes (a.k.a. D.J. Jazzy Jeff) in producing hip-hop and rap music, coining the moniker The Fresh Prince. He later went on to star in a number of blockbuster films, notably Independence Day, Men in Black, and I, Robot.
Will Smith is portrayed by namesake actor Will Smith in the classic television comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. A native of West Philadelphia, he got into trouble when during a game of basketball, the ball bounced off the hoop and hit a local gangster named Omar in the head. After Omar beat up Will, Will’s mother insisted that he move away for safety and go live with their richer relatives in the posh community of Bel-Air. Will is an easygoing womanizer and schemer, and his fun-loving personality contrasts sharply with his authoritarian Uncle Phil. However, he also eventually grows up to be more responsible, and becomes greatly fond of the adoptive Banks family.
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