Will Smith IS a true Actor!

I've heard for quite some time now that Will Smith is a terrible actor, that he isn't worth the money studios spend on him and that he should even quit acting.

These comments are ridiculous. Most of which is for the 2007 movie I Am Legend where Smith plays the character Robert Nevil previously played by the magnificent Charlton Heston in The Omega Man (1971) which was a twin, if not a remake, of The Last Man on Earth where the always creepy Vincent Price played the character Dr.Robert Morgan. Which was all based on the
1954 novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, a fantastic book by the way!


Smiths character Nevil, is a virologist and the only man alive who is immune to the vaccine that was made to cure cancer. This vaccine however turned people in "vampire like creatures" that now prowl the streets of Manhattan at night looking for humans to feats on.

Now Will is completely alone for the first 2 acts of the film, other than his dog, and is left to act alone. He speaks to mannequins to keep his sanity and even develops a little crush on one of them. Acting in a movie with no one to play off of is one of the most difficult things you can do as an actor, and Will does an amazing job. Watching him react to his own surroundings and being alone is fantastic. Probably the most heartbreaking scene in the movie (No Spoilers, for those who haven't seen it) comes close to the end of the second act where Will keeps a promise to his "friend" by talking to the girl at he video store. It's remarkable how well he plays the scene off of no one.

Eventually in the third act he meets up with 2 survivors and struggles to communicate with them seeing as these are the first people he has interacted with in 3 years.

The movie is great if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

What I really wanted to talk about though is where Will got his big break.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a landmark show for him, it's what set his career off.
As anyone who's watched the show knows it's full of humour, jokes and genuinely funny moments throughout the series.

However there is one particular scene in which Will father, who abandoned him at a young age, comes back to try and rekindle the father son relationship by taking Will on a summer road trip. The scene that follows is probably one of the best acted sitcom scenes in history. I don't say this lightly, but it really makes me sad to watch it, no matter how many times I've seen it. Will does an unbelievable job of making me believe that he is truly crushed, and I can't help but feel bad for him. I personally know what it's like to loose a father(but not in this way) so maybe that's why this scene carries a little more weight with it for me but it's still heartbreaking to say the least. Look for a great supporting performance by James Avery as Uncle Phil. It's also important to note Will's entry into the scene, he's very excited to get to spend time with his dad and his demeanor changes so subtly but naturally you really feel like he's devastated. His body language is that perfect fidgety/natural way of moving, that clearly shows he's trying fight back emotions. The way he speaks with a quiver in his voice and even stutters a line. It's all just so real. Anyway watch below and you'll know what I'm talking about.


If you watch that and don't feel bad for Will I'm shocked.
I think this is a pivotal scene for Will Smith and for me, is probably one of his best acted scenes.
Every time I watch it, it makes me feel something, and if an actor can take words on a page and create an emotion in someone watching it on TV, that's EXACTLY what a great actor is supposed to do.