Will Smith

awards season Dec. 2, 2021

Licorice Pizza Awarded Best Film by National Board of ReviewThe first big Oscar precursor has chosen its winners.

By Natalie Lin

movie review Nov. 19, 2021

Will Smith’s Performance Makes King Richard Worth SeeingIt’s not so much a biopic of Richard Williams, father to Venus and Serena, as it is a portrait of a family at a pivotal time in their lives.

By Bilge Ebiri

the serve Nov. 12, 2021

Queen Bey Has Finally Dropped Her King Richard Song, ‘Be Alive’For the Venus and Serena Williams biopic, out November 19.

By Jennifer Zhan

beyoncé?! Oct. 21, 2021

Beyoncé Lobs Her New Song ‘Be Alive’ Into the King Richard TrailerHer 2022 Oscar campaign begins today.

By Justin Curto

essay Aug. 17, 2021

The Smith Family Legacy Was Built for WillowWillow Smith is an oddity in music, and not just because of the pedigree.

By Craig Jenkins

based on a true story July 28, 2021

Will Smith Is Venus and Serena’s Undeterred Father in King Richard BiopicRichard Williams raised two of the greatest athletes of all time.

By Cydney Lee

variety shows June 16, 2021

Will Smith to Host a ‘Variety Comedy Special’ for NetflixHe saw Red Table Talk and thought, “This needs more comedy sketches.”

By Rebecca Alter

the industry Apr. 12, 2021

Will Smith Movie Emancipation Will Not Shoot in Georgia Over Voting RestrictionsThe runaway-slave movie is one of the first to leave the state, a popular location for shoots.

By Justin Curto

the gold rush Feb. 24, 2021

The Golden Globes Strikeouts Are a Who’s Who of Who Hasn’tsOscar winners? Yes. Tony winners? Yes. Globe winners? No.

By Joe Reid

feuds Nov. 20, 2020

Will Smith Takes Himself to the Red Table Over His Feud With Janet HubertThe pair discussed their long-standing animosity during this week’s Fresh Prince reunion on HBO Max.

By Halle Kiefer

hbo max Nov. 19, 2020

Will Smith and Janet Hubert Heal Old Wounds on the Fresh Prince ReunionYou know you tuned in to see the one-on-one between the OG Aunt Viv and the Fresh Prince.

By Chris Murphy

trailer mix Nov. 13, 2020

The Fresh Prince Cast Is Relaxing All Cool in This Reunion TrailerEven the original Aunt Viv.

By Devon Ivie

feuds Sept. 10, 2020

The Original Aunt Viv Is Attending the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ReunionThere’s some healing that needs to happen, so the original Aunt Viv is bringing herself to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion.

By Chris Murphy

new series Aug. 28, 2020

ABC Orders Mamie Till Mobley Miniseries Women of the MovementThe first episode will be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.

By Rebecca Alter

remakes Aug. 17, 2020

Planes, Trains & Automobiles Reboot Choo-Choo-Chooses Kevin Hart, Will SmithThe 1987 John Hughes Thanksgiving classic will get a fresh coat of paint.

By Rebecca Alter

gritty Aug. 11, 2020

Gritty Fresh Prince Fan Trailer Leads to Actual Gritty Fresh Prince RebootIt’s currently being shopped to streamers, who never seem to turn down a good reboot.

By Rebecca Alter

reading the stars July 17, 2020

Why Will and Jada’s Red Table Talk Is So Unusual in the History of CelebrityTo understand why, it’s helpful to look at how past couples navigated similarly rocky intersections in their relationships in the public eye.

By Angelica Jade Bastién

a long talk July 17, 2020

August Alsina Untangles Everything“People look at me as this problematic guy who was super reckless, like I’m pushing up on someone’s wife.”

By Craig Jenkins

relationships July 12, 2020

Jada Pinkett Smith Confirms Relationship With August Alsina on Red Table TalkAlsina has now responded to Pinkett Smith’s interview, saying, “imagine not knowing how to mind the business.”

By Zoe Haylock

red table goss July 1, 2020

Jada Denies August Alsina’s Claim That They Had an Affair With Will’s ‘Blessing’Reps for Jada Pinkett Smith say Alsina’s claims are “absolutely not true.”

By Justin Curto

close reads June 25, 2020

The Impossible Role of the First Black BachelorLike many Black men before him, Matt James has to make his Blackness seem palatable, amiable, and safe to appeal to white audiences.

By Andrea Reindl

role call May 7, 2020

Vivica A. Fox Answers Every Question We Have About Set It OffThe actress talks ad-libbing on the roof, almost losing her role to Rosie Perez, and how Will Smith helped her prepare for her audition.

By Rachel Handler

sequels Feb. 12, 2020

More Magic Carpet Rides in Store As Disney Confirms Aladdin SequelA whole new world …

By Chris Murphy

sequels Jan. 17, 2020

Making Bad Boys 4 Is What They’re Gonna Do4 Eva. 4 All Time. 4 Real. 4 The Rest of Time.

By Jordan Crucchiola

movie review Jan. 15, 2020

The World Didn’t Need Another Bad Boys MovieThe new Bad Boys is probably a wash, but it ends so well that I now find myself not entirely opposed to the idea of a fourth one.

By Bilge Ebiri

the future issue Nov. 13, 2019

In 2029, Julia Roberts and Bette Davis Will Still Be Starring in New MoviesDigitally cloning and de-aging actors could be the future of Hollywood.

By Lane Brown

trailer mix Nov. 5, 2019

New Bad Boys for Life Trailer Teases Wife Guy Martin LawrenceGood Boys could never!

By Rebecca Alter

j’accuse Oct. 22, 2019

How High-Frame-Rate Technology Killed Ang Lee’s Gemini ManIt would be silly to blame the film’s failure on the tech, but I’m going to go ahead and blame the tech.

By Bilge Ebiri

movie review Oct. 11, 2019

Gemini Man Is Not a Great Action Movie, But It Is a Weirdly Tender OneWill Smith is less interesting in his action sequences than in his curiously melancholy scenes with his de-aged self.

By Alison Willmore

old dog new tiks Oct. 3, 2019

Will Smith Confirms That Being a Movie Star Is Officially Over by Joining TikTokTo be fair, Reese Witherspoon kicked off the “movie stars joining TikTok” trend last week.

By Chris Murphy

trailer mix Sept. 4, 2019

Bad Boys for Life Trailer: The Song Is Already Stuck in Your HeadWill Smith and Martin Lawrence reunite.

By Zoe Haylock

history Aug. 5, 2019

Jay-Z Is Bringing Emmett Till’s Story to ABC, From the Perspective of His MotherIt’s part of a new anthology series about women of the civil-rights movement.

By Devon Ivie

sweet birthday babies July 14, 2019

Will Smith Celebrates Jaden’s 21st by Telling His Friends How He Was ConceivedFollowed by a family round of tequila shots.

By Halle Kiefer

metacamp May 29, 2019

The Racial Wonderland of Aladdin’s GenieAnxieties about the Disney cast arose immediately after the live-action movie was announced. Interestingly, none of the concern extended to Genie.

By Lauren Michele Jackson

roll clip! May 14, 2019

Try Not to Fall Asleep During Will Smith’s ‘Prince Ali’Why is it so slow?

By Jackson McHenry

gritty reboots we’d like to see Apr. 29, 2019

Will Smith Loves That Gritty Fan-Made Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reboot TrailerSmith’s interview with the trailer’s creator is basically a pitch for a series, and honestly, why not?

By Halle Kiefer

trailer mix Apr. 23, 2019

Gemini Man Trailer: It’s Boomer Will Smith Vs. Millennial Will SmithNow this is some de-aging technology!

By Devon Ivie

coachella 2019 Apr. 20, 2019

Will Smith Performed With Jaden Smith for a Very Dadchella MomentTake it from him, parents totally get it.

By Rebecca Alter

squad goals Apr. 5, 2019

Idris Elba Will Play a New Character In Suicide Squad 2The actor will no longer take Will Smith’s old role.

By Halle Kiefer

stand-up Mar. 13, 2019

Dave Chappelle Helps a Promising New Stand-up Named Will SmithThis kid just might make it.

By Megh Wright

squad goals Feb. 27, 2019

Will Smith Reportedly Won’t Be on the Roster of the New Suicide SquadAre you a murderer and/or monster looking for an exciting employment opportunity?

By Halle Kiefer

b** b*** Feb. 26, 2019

Will Smith Posts Jokingly Censored and/or Wildly Filthy Video From Bad Boys 3Presumably as a joke, but if not, oh man.

By Halle Kiefer

oscars 2019 Feb. 19, 2019

Every (Pre-Lady Gaga) Oscar-Nominated Acting Performance by a Musician, RankedWhat does it take for a performance by a musician to earn acclaim at the Oscars? We ranked the 25 (pre-Lady Gaga) turns deemed nomination-worthy.

By Sean O'Neal, Noel Murray, and Monica Castillo

sequels forever Jan. 13, 2019