Will Smith
In 1990, the rapper known as the Fresh Prince became a television star when NBC's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on September 10. The hit sitcom turned Will Smith into a household name and launched a film career that made him one of the biggest box-office draws of the era.
The Fresh Prince
Willard Smith began as a Grammy-winning rapper in Philadelphia. NBC built a sitcom around his persona in 1990, turning the Fresh Prince into a television star.
Box-Office King
Smith parlayed TV fame into film, anchoring summer hits like Independence Day and Men in Black. By the late 1990s he was among Hollywood's most bankable stars.
Dramatic Heights
He earned Oscar nominations for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness before winning Best Actor for King Richard in 2022. He has also continued releasing music.
Career Timeline
- 1968Born in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1985Begins recording with DJ Jazzy Jeff
- 1990The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premieres on NBC
- 1995Action hit Bad Boys with Martin Lawrence
- 1996Independence Day becomes a blockbuster
- 1997Stars in sci-fi comedy Men in Black
- 2001Oscar-nominated for Ali
- 2006Oscar-nominated for The Pursuit of Happyness
- 2022Wins Best Actor Oscar for King Richard
- 2025Releases album Based on a True Story
Biggest Hits
- Before acting, Smith won the first-ever Grammy for a rap recording with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran for six seasons and 148 episodes on NBC.
Portrait: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons