10 Musicians Who Are Actually Good Actors
4. Will Smith
From successful if lightweight rapper to sitcom star, to the world’s biggest box office draw, it has been quite the ride for Willard Smith Jr. As a musician, Smith came up with Jazzy Jeff, the duo being the first recipients of the Grammys’ new rap performance award. Free spending left him in a pickle in the mid ‘90s, though, and he took the lead role in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air as a last ditch attempt to refill his bank account.
There was no looking back for the always likeable Smith, who - with the exception of turning down The Matrix’s lead role - made nothing but smart choices. He built himself up first as a family friendly leading man in blockbusters like Men In Black and Independence Day, then proved his bonafides with turns in Ali and The Pursuit Of Happiness, both of which netted him Oscar nominations.
His hot streak has cooled of late, but there’s no denying the talents of the actor, who can rise to megastar status while retaining a lot of everyman affability. With Bad Boys For Life turning a pretty penny, there’s clearly mileage left.