WILL SMITH TALKS CAREER AND FAMILY
Actor Will Smith is living the dream as an entertainer and father. As an actor, he has earned much recognition for his work in the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Men in Black series. As a father, Smith has been privileged to watch two of his three children enter the entertainment industry. Will recently sat down with The Palm Beach Post to talk about his success.
On his career and recent refinements.
“The adjustment I am making in my career right now is about the clarity of what we are saying with the movie. There has to be an idea, there has to be some message or statement. With Men in Black 3, we connected to the destructive nature of secrets. That idea, whether you get that or not, is what we are displaying. It’s about how a relationship can get repaired and go to another level through the exposure of a secret. I love producing. I am loving doing that. I think that is my most natural space in the business. I just love producing or editing and that’s where I thrive.”
Fathering tween stars.
“The most difficult part of the whole thing is emotional management. To have them connect to the artistry of what they create rather than connecting to the success or the adoration. Jada and I have been talking a lot about pulling back during teenage years because they are very formative. In the middle of the Justin Bieber tour [Willow] saw a Russian ballerina or something and she was riveted. She wanted to go home and take ballet and it was like, ‘No, honey, you have seven more tour dates.’ But now she is way gone on ballet. So it’s the difficulty of letting the business go and let them develop in the way that is more natural for them.”
Mentoring Jaden.
“Jaden has a little bit of a predatory look in his eye. He is so coming for me. I tell him all the time, ‘Son, I am going to teach you everything that I know and if you work hard, you can be the second biggest movie star in the world.’”
Willow’s haircut.
“We let Willow cut her hair. When you have a little girl, it’s like how can you teach her that you’re in control of her body? If I teach her that I’m in charge of whether or not she can touch her hair, she’s going to replace me with some other man when she goes out in the world. She can’t cut my hair but that’s her hair. She has got to have command of her body. So when she goes out into the world, she’s going out with a command that is hers. She is used to making those decisions herself. We try to keep giving them those decisions until they can hold the full weight of their lives.”
Below are more pictures of Will and family arriving at Incheon International Airport on Sunday(May 6th).
Photos: Korea Portal/Chosun
10 Comments to “WILL SMITH TALKS CAREER AND FAMILY”
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I did this with my daughter to some extent. I let her cut off her hair when she was just 12yrs old. I was like it just hair and it can grow back if she chooses. At 9 I let her get her ear pierced a 2nd time. At 13 she wanted to switch schools and skip a class by starting the new school and I let her even choose the school she transferred to. She is 18 right now and on the last 6mths of a degree in Human resource management (ABE Certification),
I would do it all over again the same way. And just like Will and Jada I had so many detractors who predicted her early pregnancy and boy troubles. I even had one who predicted that she would even run away.
I was opposed to Willows hair being cut that way and dyed that way but after listening to his explanation I get it. I like that they are working on her esteem and self image so early. Its so important in girls!
She’s 11 she doesn’t have command of nothing at that age! She’s to do whatever her parents tell or ask her to do! So u telling her at 10 she can’t cut her hair or dress a certain way will replace u with someone else makes me Misunderstood second guess ur parenting skills IJS!
ITS MORE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU ARE IN THE INDUSTRY. YOU HAVE TO LET YOUR CHILDREN FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE CONTROL OVER THEMSELVES. I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WILL. AS LONG AS YOUR CHILD IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HARM THEMSELVES THEN I SAY, GO FOR IT. PLUS, ITS JUST HAIR. PEOPLE GET CAUGHT UP ON HAIR. WILLOW IS GORGEOUS AND IM GLAD SHE FEELS CONFIDENT WITH NO HAIR. HOW MANY OF YOU CAN SAY THE SAME ABOUT YOURSELF?
Nice pictures.
Great dad!
This is so powerful. He and Jada are truly incredible models of human citizenship and black progressiveness. Thank you for posting this.
They look like homeless, hobo’s on the street, the way they are dressed…Ugh!
And why does that matter to you…
WELL GUESS WHAT, THEY ARE MILLIONAIRES. THEY CAN LOOK HOWEVER THEY WANT! THEY ARE BLACK AND SUCCESSFUL AND NO ONE CAN STOP THEM!