Early Life
Smith grew up in West Philadelphia and began rapping as a teenager, forming the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, which won the first Grammy Award for rap performance in 1989.
Career
He starred in NBC's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), then in blockbusters including Bad Boys, Independence Day, Men in Black, Ali (which earned him an Oscar nomination) and The Pursuit of Happyness. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard (2021).
Legacy
At the same ceremony in March 2022, Smith struck the presenter Chris Rock on stage; the Academy responded by banning him from its events for ten years. He later returned to films including Emancipation (2022) and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024).
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24