African Celebrities: Will Smith

Willard Carroll Smith, Jr., popularly known as Will Smith is an American comedic and dramatic actor, producer and rapper. Will Smith has enjoyed success in television, film and music.

Will Smith was born on September 25, 1968 in West Philadelphia. His mother, Caroline Bright, was a school administrator who worked for the Philadelphia school board, and his father, Willard Carroll Smith, Sr., was a refrigeration engineer. His parents separated when he was thirteen, but did not actually divorce until around 2000.

In the late 1980s, Will Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name "The Fresh Prince". In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". The show ran for nearly six years (1990 - 1996) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks since then. In the mid 1990s, Will Smith moved from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films. He has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won four Grammy Awards.

Will Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. They had one son, Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III on November 11, 1992, and divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single "Just the Two of Us".

Will Smith married actress Jada Koren Pinkett in 1997. Together they have two children; Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born 1998), his co-star in "The Pursuit of Happyness" and Willow Camille Reign Smith (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in " I Am Legend".

Will Smith is also a philanthropist. He gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007. Will Smith and his wife have also founded a private elementary school in Calabasas, California, the New Village Leadership Academy. Along with his brother, Harry Smith, Will Smith owns Treyball Development Inc. a Beverly Hills-based Company named after his first son.