History of Will Smith in Timeline
Will Smith is a highly successful American actor, rapper, and film producer. He has received numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and four Grammys. Smith's films have collectively earned over $10 billion globally, solidifying his status as one of Hollywood's most commercially successful actors.
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.
1995: Divorce from Sheree Zampino
In 1995, Will Smith divorced Sheree Zampino.
1997: "Big Willie Style" Release
As of 2013, Will Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style (1997) is among the best-selling rap albums of all time.
1997: Film reference by Chris Rock
During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, Chris Rock made a joke referencing the 1997 film G.I. Jane about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head.
December 31, 1997: Marriage to Jada Koren Pinkett
On December 31, 1997, Will Smith married actress Jada Koren Pinkett.
1998: Trey's appearance in Will Smith's music video
In 1998, Trey appeared in his father's music video for the single "Just the Two of Us".
1998: Birth of Jaden Smith
In 1998, Will Smith's son Jaden Smith was born.
2000: Birth of Willow Smith
In 2000, Will Smith's daughter Willow Smith was born.
2005: Honorary César Award and Tony Nomination
In 2005, Will Smith received the honorary César Award and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical for Fela!.
2006: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2006, Time named Will Smith one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
2008: Named One of Esquire's 75 Most Influential People
In 2008, Esquire named Will Smith one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century.
2008: Donation to Barack Obama's Campaign
In 2008, Will Smith donated $4,600 to the presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama.
December 2009: Nobel Peace Prize Concert Host
In December 2009, Will Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, celebrating Obama's winning of the prize.
2012: Support for Same-Sex Marriage
In 2012, Will Smith voiced his support for legalizing same-sex marriage.
2013: "Big Willie Style" Success
As of 2013, Will Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style (1997) is among the best-selling rap albums of all time.
2013: Religious Identity
In a 2013 interview, Will Smith stated that he did not identify as religious.
February 27, 2015: Release of Focus
On February 27, 2015, the romance drama Focus, starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie, was released. Smith played Nicky Spurgeon, a veteran con artist.
2015: Christian Faith and Bennet Omalu
In 2015, Will Smith said in an interview with The Christian Post that his Christian faith, instilled in him by his grandmother, helped him portray Bennet Omalu in Concussion.
2016: Starring in Suicide Squad and Collateral Beauty
In 2016, Will Smith played Deadshot in Suicide Squad, a film that received negative reviews despite its financial success. Later that year, he also starred in Collateral Beauty, playing an advertising executive dealing with depression.
2016: Death of Will Smith's Father
In 2016, Will Smith's father passed away from cancer shortly after Smith signed onto a film. Smith's role preparation brought him closer to his father before his death.
2016: Separation 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: Release of Bright on Netflix
On December 22, 2017, Bright, starring Will Smith, was released on Netflix. Despite being Netflix's most expensive film to date, it received negative reviews from critics.
2017: Release of "Get Lit" and Launch of YouTube Channel
In 2017, Will Smith released the song "Get Lit" with Jazzy Jeff and launched his own YouTube channel.
2017: "Bright" Record
Will Smith's film Bright (2017), broke the record at the time for the most-viewed Netflix film ever for its first week.
2018: Diagnosis of Alopecia Areata
In 2018, Jada Pinkett Smith was diagnosed with alopecia areata, which contributed to the events of March 27, 2022.
2018: 50th Birthday Bungee Jump
In 2018, Will Smith celebrated his 50th birthday by performing a bungee jump from a helicopter in the Grand Canyon. The jump was insured by Lloyd's of London for $200 million and raised money for the charity Global Citizen.
2018: Hindu Rites in India
In 2018, Will Smith performed the Hindu rite of abhisheka of Shiva at Haridwar, India and an arti of the river Ganga. He expressed a deep connection to Hindu spirituality and Indian astrology and spent time with Sadhguru.
May 24, 2019: Release of Aladdin and Feature on Logic's Song
On May 24, 2019, the live-action adaptation of Disney's Aladdin, starring Will Smith as the Genie, was released. Also in 2019, Smith was featured on Logic's song "Don't Be Afraid To Be Different".
July 2019: YouTube Channel Growth
As of July 2019, Will Smith's YouTube channel had over 6 million subscribers and 294 million total views.
October 11, 2019: Release of Gemini Man
On October 11, 2019, Gemini Man, starring Will Smith, was released. The film was a box office failure and received negative reviews.
2019: Starring in Spies in Disguise and Investment in Gen.G
In 2019, Will Smith voiced Lance Sterling in the animated film Spies in Disguise and invested in esports organization Gen.G.
June 2020: "Emancipation" Deal
In June 2020, Will Smith's action thriller drama Emancipation (2022) was sold to Apple Studios for $120 million, making it the largest film festival acquisition deal in film history.
June 2020: Announcement of Starring Role in Emancipation
In June 2020, it was announced that Will Smith would star in Emancipation, a film about a runaway slave.
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 "Emancipation" Production from Georgia
In 2021, Will Smith announced that production of his film, Emancipation, was being pulled from Georgia due to the Election Integrity Act of 2021. Smith and director Antoine Fuqua released a statement against the restrictive voting laws.
2021: Portrayal of Richard Williams and Awards
In 2021, Will Smith portrayed Richard Williams in the film King Richard, winning several awards for his performance.
2021: Awards for King Richard
In 2021, Will Smith received multiple awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actor, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard. He also received a producer nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
2021: Emmy Nomination for Cobra Kai
In 2021, Will Smith was nominated as a producer of Cobra Kai for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
February 7, 2022: Announcement of Pole to Pole Series
On February 7, 2022, National Geographic announced that Will Smith would star in the series Pole to Pole, streaming on Disney+.
March 27, 2022: Slapping Chris Rock at the Academy Awards
During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. This caused significant controversy.
April 1, 2022: Resignation from the Academy
On April 1, 2022, Will Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following the slapping incident at the Oscars.
April 8, 2022: Academy's Decision to Ban Smith from Events
On April 8, 2022, the Academy announced its decision to ban Will Smith from future Oscars galas and associated events for 10 years following the slapping incident.
December 2022: Release and Reception of Emancipation
In December 2022, Emancipation was released to mixed reviews and was a commercial failure, partly attributed to the controversy surrounding Will Smith.
2022: Academy Award Win and Chris Rock Incident
In 2022, Will Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard and slapped Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards, leading to intense debate about his public image and legacy. The incident impacted his perception and career.
2022: Sale of Emancipation
Will Smith's action thriller drama Emancipation (2022) was sold to Apple Studios for $120 million in June 2020, which made it the largest film festival acquisition deal in film history.
September 2023: Collaboration with Joyner Lucas on Joint Album
In September 2023, it was reported that Will Smith and Joyner Lucas would be working together on a joint album.
October 2023: Pinkett Smith reveals separation from Will Smith since 2016
In October 2023, Jada Pinkett Smith publicly revealed that she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016, though they remain committed to their family.
2023: Announcement of Bad Boys: Ride or Die and I Am Legend sequel
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, and a sequel to I Am Legend.
June 27, 2024: Announcement of New Solo Single "You Can Make It"
On June 27, 2024, Will Smith announced his first solo single in nearly 20 years, "You Can Make It", which was released the following day.
July 24, 2024: Signing 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: Release of Single "Work of Art"
On July 26, 2024, Will Smith released the single "Work of Art", featuring his son Jaden and Russ.
September 2024: Departure from Sugar Bandits
In September 2024, Will Smith exited the project Sugar Bandits due to scheduling conflicts but remained as a producer.
2024: Confirmation of New Music Coming
In 2024, Will Smith confirmed new music was coming, stating it's his most personal music, with Teddy Swims confirming he recorded music with Will for the upcoming project.
March 2025: Hotel Intrusion
In March 2025, Brian King Joseph reported an intrusion by an unknown person into his Las Vegas hotel room, in which he discovered a note signed "Stone F" and other items he interpreted as a sexual threat.
March 23, 2025: Performance at the CONCACAF Nations League final
On March 23, 2025, Will Smith performed at the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League final at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
March 26, 2025: Street Sign Ceremony in Philadelphia
On March 26, 2025, Will Smith attended a ceremony where his name was added to red stripes at the bottom of street signs along a block of 59th Street in west Philadelphia.
March 28, 2025: Release of "Based on a True Story" album
In 2025, Will Smith announced his fifth studio album, Based on a True Story, which was released on March 28, 2025. The album consists of 14 tracks, including five previously released singles and nine new songs.
December 30, 2025: Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Filed
On December 30, 2025, violinist Brian King Joseph filed a lawsuit against Will Smith and his management company, alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation after reporting a hotel intrusion in March 2025. Smith's counsel denied these accusations.
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