comment #1

BurmaShave says ...

Someone who's been in the junket/interview/feature writing game as long as you should appreciate kind movie stars in whatever form you can get them.

comment #2

jeffmcm says ...

Since when is Will Smith a Scientologist? News to me.

comment #3

actionman says ...

I will never turn my back on the Fresh Prince.

comment #4

gruver1 says ...

Wells to Burma Shave: Smith is a very pleasant guy to talk to...VERY pleasant and charming as hell. But these qualities can seem grating when used over and over in films.

comment #5

Josh Massey says ...

I had the chance to see Smith work a room about a year ago, and let me tell you, the guy is electricity in human form. And I say that with the highest praise: he left that room with everybody convinced they were his best friend.

comment #6

BurmaShave says ...

Fair enough if we're talking about his screen prescence but you were talking about his day to day personality. I think he's shown he's interested in trying new things on screen. One of the things I did enjoy about I AM LEGEND (which was only all right) was how dour the tone of it was.

comment #7

Movie fan09 says ...

I've only seen the last few mins of I AM LEGEND.
Now normally, this would make more interested in seeing the whole movie, but in this case, I did see the whole movie.

and Will was kinda boring in it as well.
It was like I,Robot but with infected humans.

comment #8

Dan Revill says ...

Will Smith has one of the better track records of major stars. I may not care for everything he has acted in, but when you hold his films up against our perceived stars, he comes out on top.
True story, he was in Van filming I Robot, and was living in a mansion in my town (Langley) and so there were various local sightings. One of them being my friend who was working at a Sport Check. Will came in to buy shoes for his son, and by all reports was the most gracious customer ever - even making sure that the right salespeople made their commissions etc. Another friend spotted him in a local bookstore in the Self-Help section of all places...so hey, maybe he is just like you and me. Anyhow, I too would never turn my back on the Fresh Prince.
I can't wait to see him re-team with Mann though. ALI is way underrated as far as I'm concerned.

comment #9

Dzayson says ...

And yes he is a Scientologist. He's just more a Jason Lee discreet type than a Cruise/Travolta frontman.

comment #10

MikeSells says ...

I was alone in an elevator with him, randomly. Apparently he could sense my "holy crap" vibe because he cracked a joke (don't remember what) and chatted me up a bit before we parted ways. Too bad if he's sucked into the Scientology mess - seems that usually indicates some hidden demons. I think he's a skilled actor and look forward to more character-driven projects, as opposed to the more bombastic blockbuster stuff. On a superficial personal level, I think he's a delight!

comment #11

lipranzer says ...

I think Will Smith is a good actor when he challenges himself (I liked him in I AM LEGEND, even though the ending of the movie blew, and really liked him in ALI and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS), but I find it a bit disturbing that he seems to only think of movies in math turns rather than art terms. I don't have the exact quote, but I read an interview with him where he said he and his management looked at the top 10 movies of all time, saw that most of them had special effects, and decided he'd make career decisions based on that.

In talk show appearances, he does seem genuinely charming, and not in that manufactred, automatic-pilot, Tom Cruise way.

comment #12

Dan Revill says ...

I think Smith is good friends with Cruise, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was into that scientology scene.

comment #13

Breedlove says ...

I haven't seen I AM LEGEND yet but for some reason I get the sense that he's heading in the right direction. He's a smart guy...I don't know, I just have a feeling the movies are going to get better before they get worse. If I had to guess whether he spends the next decade churning out dumb comedies and sequels, or challenging himself in interesting projects, I'd bet on the former. Maybe I'm just feeling optimistic today. The smartest thing he could do is follow the Cruise/Pitt/Clooney formula and just work with the best directors. Michael Mann, not Michael Bay.

comment #14

Chicago48 says ...

"I don't have the exact quote, but I read an interview with him where he said he and his management looked at the top 10 movies of all time, saw that most of them had special effects, and decided he'd make career decisions based on that.In talk show appearances, he does seem genuinely charming, and not in that manufactred, automatic-pilot, Tom Cruise way."

That quote was from 60 Minutes, and yes he admitted that his first movies were calculated that way. Smart guy because it was a quick way to the top.

As for Scientology, he is NOT, he is a Baptist. He and Cruise are friends, but they don't attend the same "church". He admitted that he studied it and found it close to other religions.

This is how rumors and bad talk get started, and who the f*** cares what religion he is? Are you taking Robert DeNiro's pulse on religion? Are you asking anybody else about their religion? I think Smith is a smart guy. I just saw Legend and I was on the edge of the my seat the whole while. He may not be a "deep" actor like Penn and Depp, but he sure knows how to pick vehicles.

comment #15

Jay T. says ...

Smith always came off as a really genuine good guy. Then I met him in person (at a basketball camp his kid attended, not some press junket) and my opinion hasn't changed. Not much to complain about. He really does carry I Am Legend, by the way.

comment #16

Arizona Joe says ...

Smith has indisputable talent and charisma. He seems like a very nice fellow. He was a great, genuine laugh. Smith is changing though, he is no longer a fresh prince of a young man.

For the long term, I would advise less special FX and more Sidney Poitier.

comment #17

Arizona Joe says ...

Smith has indisputable talent and charisma. He seems like a very nice fellow. He was a great, genuine laugh. Smith is changing though, he is no longer a fresh prince of a young man.

For the long term, I would advise less special FX and more Sidney Poitier.

comment #18

Chicago48 says ...

OH NOT NOT SIDNEY POITIER, THE MOST BORING (BLACK) ACTOR IN HOLLYWOOD. He had -0- charisma on screen.
Smith has surely surpassed Poitier in every way on screen and off.