History of Will Smith in Timeline
Will Smith is a highly successful American actor, rapper, and film producer. He has garnered significant recognition, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and four Grammy Awards. Smith's films have collectively grossed over $9.5 billion worldwide as of 2025, solidifying his position as one of Hollywood's most commercially successful and bankable stars. He has achieved critical and commercial success across both music and film.
September 25, 1968: Will Smith's Birth
On September 25, 1968, Willard Carroll Smith II, who is known as Will Smith, was born. He later became an American actor, rapper, and film producer.
1985: Hip Hop Duo Recognition
In 1985, Will Smith first gained recognition as part of a hip hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
1985: Forming DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
In 1985, Will Smith, then known as the MC of the hip-hop duo, met Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes, and they later formed DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
1986: Duo Brought to Jive Records and Russell Simmons
In 1986, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were brought to the attention of Jive Records and Russell Simmons.
1986: Release of First Single
In 1986, Word Records released DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's first single, "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble".
March 1987: Rock the House Album Debut
In March 1987, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's first album, Rock the House, debuted on Jive Records.
1988: Financial Issues Begin
Around 1988, Will Smith began spending money freely and underpaying income taxes, leading to later financial problems.
1988: Release of "Parents Just Don't Understand"
In 1988, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince released "Parents Just Don't Understand".
1989: First Grammy Award
In 1989, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince received the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for "Parents Just Don't Understand".
1989: Tax Debt and Arrest
In 1989, The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income and In 1989, Smith was arrested in relation to an alleged assault on his record promoter.
1990: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Debut
In 1990, Will Smith began his acting career starring in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
1991: Release of Summertime
In 1991, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince released "Summertime", which earned the group their second Grammy.
November 11, 1992: Birth of son Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III
On November 11, 1992, Will Smith's son, Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III, was born.
1992: Debut Film Role in Where the Day Takes You
After starring in his debut film Where the Day Takes You in 1992, Will Smith quickly became one of Hollywood's most successful stars.
1993: Golden Globe Nomination
In 1993, Will Smith was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
1993: Role in Six Degrees of Separation
In 1993, Will Smith's first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation.
1994: End of Hip Hop Duo Singles
From 1985 to 1994, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff released five Billboard Hot 100-top 20 singles.
1994: Second Golden Globe Nomination
In 1994, Will Smith was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
1995: Starring in Bad Boys
In 1995, Will Smith achieved wider fame as a leading man for the action film Bad Boys.
1995: Divorced Sheree Zampino
In 1995, Will Smith divorced Sheree Zampino.
1996: End of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
In 1996, Will Smith ended his role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
1996: Role in Independence Day
In 1996, Will Smith starred in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day.
1997: Solo Music Career Begins
During the summer of 1997, Will Smith also began his solo music career with the release of "Men in Black", the theme song for the film.
1997: Starring in Men in Black
In 1997, Will Smith achieved wider fame as a leading man for the science fiction comedy Men in Black.
1997: Big Willie Style Album Release
In 1997, Will Smith released his solo album Big Willie Style.
1997: Release of Big Willie Style
In 1997, Will Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style was released, later becoming one of the best-selling rap albums of all time.
December 31, 1997: Married Jada Koren Pinkett
On December 31, 1997, Will Smith married actress Jada Koren Pinkett.
1998: Trey appeared in music video
In 1998, Trey Smith appeared in his father's music video for the single "Just the Two of Us".
1998: Starring in Enemy of the State
In 1998, Will Smith starred in the thriller Enemy of the State.
1998: Birth of son Jaden Christopher Syre Smith
In 1998, Will Smith's son, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith was born.
1998: "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" Reached Number One
In 1998, the third single from the album, "Gettin' Jiggy wit It", became Will Smith's first Billboard Hot 100 number one.
1999: Willennium Album Release
In 1999, Will Smith released the solo album Willennium.
1999: Turning Down The Matrix
In 1999, Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix in favor of Wild Wild West.
1999: Release of Wild Wild West and Willennium Album
In 1999, Will Smith's second album was again supported by the release of a film theme song as the lead single: "Wild Wild West". The album, Willennium, reached number five on the Billboard 200.
2000: Parents' Divorce
Around the year 2000, Will Smith's parents divorced.
2000: Birth of daughter Willow Camille Reign Smith
In 2000, Will Smith's daughter Willow Camille Reign Smith was born.
2001: Portrayal of Muhammad Ali
In 2001, Will Smith portrayed heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali in the biopic Ali and was nominated for an Academy Award.
2001: Academy Award Nomination for Ali
In 2001, Will Smith received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Muhammad Ali in Ali.
2002: Born to Reign Album Release
In 2002, Will Smith released the solo album Born to Reign.
2002: Musical Comeback with Born to Reign
In 2002, following a four-year musical hiatus, Will Smith returned with his third album Born to Reign.
2003: Return for Bad Boys II
In 2003, Will Smith returned for Bad Boys II, the sequel to the 1995 film Bad Boys.
2004: Starring in I, Robot and Shark Tale
In 2004, Will Smith starred in I, Robot and Shark Tale.
2005: Honorary César Award and Tony Nomination
In 2005, Will Smith received the honorary César Award; that same year, he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical for Fela!.
2005: Lost and Found Album Release
In 2005, Will Smith released the solo album Lost and Found.
2005: Release of Lost and Found Album
In 2005, Will Smith's latest album Lost and Found was released and Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending three premieres in a 24-hour time span.
2006: Starring in The Pursuit of Happyness
In 2006, Will Smith and his son Jaden played father and son in the biographical drama The Pursuit of Happyness.
2006: Academy Award Nomination for The Pursuit of Happyness
In 2006, Will Smith received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness.
2006: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2006, Will Smith was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.
December 10, 2007: Honored at Grauman's Chinese Theatre
On December 10, 2007, Will Smith was honored at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, leaving an imprint of his hands and feet.
December 14, 2007: Release of I Am Legend
On December 14, 2007, Will Smith starred in the film I Am Legend.
2007: Starring in I Am Legend
In 2007, Will Smith starred in I Am Legend.
December 1, 2008: Named One of America's Most Fascinating People
On December 1, 2008, Will Smith was selected as one of America's top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special.
December 4, 2008: Barbara Walters ABC Special Airs
On December 4, 2008, Will Smith was selected as one of America's top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special that aired on December 4, 2008.
2008: Donation to Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign
In 2008, Will Smith donated $4,600 to the presidential campaign of Barack Obama.
2008: Starring in Hancock and Seven Pounds
In 2008, Will Smith starred in Hancock and Seven Pounds.
2008: Named One of Esquire's 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century
In 2008, Will Smith was named one of Esquire's 75 most influential people of the 21st century.
2008: Developing The Last Pharaoh and Starring in Hancock
In 2008, Will Smith was reported to be developing a film entitled The Last Pharaoh and Smith later starred in the superhero movie Hancock.
December 11, 2009: Hosting Nobel Peace Prize Concert
On December 11, 2009, Will Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, to celebrate Barack Obama's winning of the prize.
August 19, 2011: Working on Fifth Studio Album
On August 19, 2011, it was announced that Will Smith returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to work on his fifth studio album.
May 25, 2012: Men in Black 3 Opened
On May 25, 2012, Will Smith reprised his role as Agent J with Men in Black 3, his first major starring role in four years.
2012: Highest Paid Movie Role for Men in Black 3
In 2012, Will Smith earned the highest-paid movie role of all time for his role as Agent J in Men in Black 3, reportedly earning $100 million.
2012: Support for Same-Sex Marriage Legalization
In 2012, Will Smith publicly stated his support for the legalization of same-sex marriage.
2013: Recognition of Big Willie Style Album Sales
As of 2013, Will Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style (1997) is among the best-selling rap albums of all time.
2013: Starring in After Earth
In 2013, Will Smith starred in After Earth with his son Jaden.
2013: Did not identify as religious
In a 2013 interview, Will Smith said he did not identify as religious.
February 27, 2015: Release of Focus
On February 27, 2015, Will Smith starred opposite Margot Robbie in the romance drama Focus, released.
2015: Spoke about Christian Faith
In 2015, Will Smith said that his Christian faith helped him portray Bennet Omalu in Concussion.
2016: Starred in Suicide Squad and Collateral Beauty, Father's Death
In 2016, Will Smith played Deadshot in Suicide Squad, which was a financial success but received negative reviews. He also starred in Collateral Beauty. During filming, his father was diagnosed with and died of cancer in 2016, bringing him closer to his father through the role's themes of religion and the afterlife. Collateral Beauty received negative reviews and had the lowest box office opening of his career.
2016: Starring in Suicide Squad
In 2016, Will Smith starred in Suicide Squad.
2016: Separated from Jada Pinkett Smith
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been separated since 2016, though they have no intention to divorce.
December 22, 2017: Bright release on Netflix
On December 22, 2017, Will Smith's film Bright was released on Netflix. It was the most expensive film for Netflix to date and another critical disappointment for Smith.
2017: Released "Get Lit" and launched YouTube channel
In 2017, Will Smith released the song "Get Lit" with Jazzy Jeff and launched his YouTube channel.
2017: Starring in Bright and Breaking Netflix Records
In 2017, Will Smith starred as Daryl in the movie Bright, which broke the record at the time for the most-viewed Netflix film ever for its first week.
2018: Jada Pinkett Smith diagnosed with alopecia
In 2018, Jada Pinkett Smith was diagnosed with alopecia areata.
2018: Bungee Jump from Helicopter in Grand Canyon
In 2018, Will Smith celebrated his 50th birthday by performing a bungee jump from a helicopter in the Grand Canyon, raising money for the charity Global Citizen.
2018: Hindu rite of abhisheka of Shiva at Haridwar, India
In 2018, Will Smith performed the Hindu rite of abhisheka of Shiva at Haridwar, India.
May 24, 2019: Aladdin release
On May 24, 2019, the live-action adaptation of Disney's Aladdin, starring Will Smith as The Genie, was released. It became Smith's highest-grossing film, surpassing Independence Day, grossing over $1 billion worldwide.
July 2019: YouTube channel success
As of July 2019, Will Smith's YouTube channel had over 6 million subscribers and 294 million total views.
October 11, 2019: Gemini Man release
On October 11, 2019, Will Smith's film Gemini Man was released. The film was a box office bomb and received negative reviews from critics.
2019: Investment in esports organization Gen.G
In 2019, Will Smith and Keisuke Honda led a $46 million investment round in esports organization Gen.G.
2019: Starring in Aladdin and Spies in Disguise
In 2019, Will Smith starred in Aladdin and Spies in Disguise.
June 2020: Sale of Emancipation to Apple Studios
In June 2020, Will Smith's film Emancipation (2022) was sold to Apple Studios for $120 million, making it the largest film festival acquisition deal in film history.
June 2020: Announced to star in Emancipation
In June 2020, it was announced that Will Smith would star in Emancipation, directed by Antoine Fuqua.
November 9, 2021: Publication of memoir "Will"
On November 9, 2021, Will Smith's memoir Will, co-written with Mark Manson, was published and promoted with a tour.
2021: Pulling Film Production from Georgia
In 2021, Will Smith announced that the production of his film, "Emancipation", was being pulled from Georgia due to the Election Integrity Act, which he viewed as a restrictive voting law.
2021: Starred in King Richard, received multiple awards
In 2021, Will Smith portrayed Richard Williams in King Richard, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.
2021: Awards for King Richard
In 2021, Will Smith received multiple awards for his role in King Richard, including an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild Award.
February 7, 2022: Announced to star in Pole to Pole
On February 7, 2022, National Geographic announced that Will Smith would star in a series titled Pole to Pole, which will stream on Disney+.
March 27, 2022: Slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards
On March 27, 2022, during the 94th Academy Awards, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Smith then yelled at Rock, and later that night, won Best Actor for King Richard, apologizing to the Academy but not to Rock in his acceptance speech.
April 1, 2022: Resigned from the Academy
On April 1, 2022, Will Smith tendered his resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following the incident at the Oscars.
April 8, 2022: Banned from Oscars for 10 years
On April 8, 2022, the Academy announced its decision to ban Will Smith from future Oscars galas and associated events for 10 years.
December 2022: Emancipation released
In December 2022, Emancipation was released to mixed reviews and was a commercial failure, partially attributed to Smith's involvement following the Oscar incident.
2022: Slapping Incident at the Academy Awards
At the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony, Will Smith slapped and shouted at presenter Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife. He later resigned from the Academy and was banned from attending events for ten years.
2022: Academy Award Win for Best Actor
In 2022, Will Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor, becoming the fifth Black actor to achieve this honor.
September 2023: Joint album with Joyner Lucas reported
In September 2023, it was reported that Joyner Lucas and Will Smith would be working together on a joint album.
October 2023: Pinkett Smith Reveals Separation Since 2016
In October 2023, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed that she and Will Smith had been separated since 2016, though they have no intention to divorce.
2023: Announced to co-star in Bad Boys: Ride or Die
In 2023, it was announced that Will Smith would co-star in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth installment in the Bad Boys film series.
June 27, 2024: Announced New Single
On June 27, 2024, Will Smith announced his first solo single in nearly 20 years, "You Can Make It", was coming out the following day.
July 24, 2024: Signed Distribution Deal with SLANG
On July 24, 2024, it was announced that Will Smith had signed a new distribution deal with SLANG, a newly formed independent label.
July 26, 2024: Released Single "Work of Art"
On July 26, 2024, Will Smith released another single "Work of Art", featuring his son Jaden and Russ.
September 2024: Exited Sugar Bandits
In September 2024, Will Smith exited the crime thriller Sugar Bandits due to scheduling conflicts but remained involved as a producer.
2024: Confirmed New Music Coming
In 2024, Will Smith confirmed new music coming in an interview and that it is the most personal music he had ever done.
January 30, 2025: Announced Studio Album "Based on a True Story"
On January 30, 2025, Will Smith announced his next studio album, now titled Based on a True Story would be out in March.
2025: Box Office Success
As of 2025, Will Smith's films have grossed over $9.5 billion globally, solidifying his status as one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.
