Actor Will Smith’s career is currently in turmoil after the male slap incident he did to Chris Rock during the Academy awards ceremony.
He was suspended from participating in any ceremony organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whether live or virtual for 10 years starting April 8, 2022 after announcing his resignation.
Having apologized, his career as a real actor was put to the test. Some of the agreed films were announced to be canceled due to his involvement.
Is Smith’s career as an actor in Hollywood about to end? We don’t know.
What we know, Smith as an actor has a prolific list of films and his top five films are proof of this perception.
1. Independence Day
We were torn between whether to put this movie or ‘I Am Legend’ on our list, but we chose ‘Independence Day.
Watch Independence Day Movie Trailer
This film brought great changes not only to Smith’s career but also boosted the development of special effects technology in films in Hollywood and reinvigorated the science fiction genre.
During its release, Independence Day or better known as ID4 created a phenomenon, worked on in a large scope that included a series of novels, a radio show, a video game and a series of figures.
The promotional campaign succeeded in placing ID4 as the highest-grossing film of 1996.
Smith plays a pilot who aspires to become an astronaut.
Teamed up with a researcher, played by actor Jeff Goldblum – the two must put aside their differences to save the earth after the presence of aliens in a giant plane that covers the sky.
The selection of Smith as the main actor of this film was initially opposed by the producers involved, due to the color of his skin.
Only after the film’s director Roland Emmerich managed to convince them that Smith was the best candidate to replace their initial choice of actor Ethan Hawke; then Smith was offered the role.
2. Enemy of the State
After the success of the comedy action film ‘Men in Black’ where Smith created a phenomenon not only as a successful comedy actor but also a chart-topping rapper, he returned with a dramatic role in the political film ‘Enemy of the States.’
Watch Enemy of the States Movie Trailer
Smith plays a lawyer who accidentally becomes involved in a conspiracy involving a United States government agency, where he is blamed – becoming the scapegoat of the movement.
To save himself, his character gets the help of an experienced veteran spy played by Gene Hackman; the only individual capable of uncovering what happened and clearing Smith’s name.
A box office hit, Smith’s performance in the film and his pairing with Gene Hackman were praised by critics.
3. King Richard
For many film critics, they see Smith’s career as somewhat lacking in consistency in his acting and often participating in low-quality projects.
Watch King Richard Movie Trailer
But no one can deny Smith’s appearance in ‘King Richard’ as a character study for acting on an extraordinary level.
Smith plays Richard Williams, the father of American tennis twins Venus and Serena – who is willing to do anything for his two children’s professional tennis careers.
Living in an area known for its high crime rate, the Williams family’s efforts despite the difficult situation finally paid off after the talent they tried to hone began to lead to success after success until both became world number 1 players.
Smith’s performance in the film was widely praised, earning him the first Academy Award for best actor in Smith’s long career.
Unfortunately, before the winner was announced, we already knew what happened between him and Chris Rock which clearly marred what should have been Smith’s happy day.
4. Six Degrees of Separation
If Will Smith’s film career is the talk of the town, it’s rare for Six Degrees of Separation to be mentioned by movie fans, unless he really is a movie fan.
Watch Six Degrees of Separation Movie Trailer
This film is a reference film for most directors, introducing them to Smith’s true talent as a serious actor.
Released in 1993, this film, adapted from a theatrical play of the same title, casts Smith as a young man whose caliber and charisma dazzle anyone who knows him.
His knowledge of art and history and his ability to express famous verses in writing melt anyone who listens.
But finally, his secrets are revealed one by one, revealing who he really is. Uniquely, this film is like its theatrical original storyline – not really answering all our questions.
Appearing when Smith was popular in the TV drama series Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Smith’s ability to play different characters was praised by critics.i
This film proves that the acting talent that Smith has is not really weak, it deserves to be worked on to become a superior actor in Hollywood.
5. Ali
The film ‘Ali’, which tells the story of world boxing legend Muhammad Ali, was criticized for its poor plot line.
Watch Ali Movie Trailer
However, Will Smith’s performance in this film was welcomed by the majority of critics especially when it comes to his dedication to making the iconic character a success.
Smith spent almost two years preparing himself to play the role of Muhammad Ali, delving into his life and studying Islam.
The hardest thing is to train himself in boxing. Not surprisingly thanks to his efforts, Smith was nominated in the best actor category of the Academy award in 2002 although he failed to win it.
Despite this ‘Ali’ failed miserably in terms of collection resulting in a loss of over $100 million.
Its release date falling close to the second film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy is said to be the main cause of this film’s failure.
But that failure did not stop ‘Ali’ from being Will Smith’s most beloved film, throughout his career in the Hollywood film industry.
Other recommended movies: I Am Legend, I-Robot, Pursuit of Happyness, Bad Boys, Men in Black, Hancock
Avoid :
Wild Wild West, After Earth