When Your Dad's Will Smith

willowandwill.jpgAs if losing out in the box office battle against her father wasn’t sad enough for 7-year-old Willow Smith, New York magazine felt the urge to rub salt in her wound with this lovely picture above and a headline that reads, “In Your Face, Willow: Will Smith Crushes 7-Year-Old Daughter at Box Office.”

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Mixed Results

hancockwhale.jpgLike political polls, box office returns are subject to quite a bit of spinning. This is why the fact that Will Smith's much-hyped Hancock made $107 million in its 5 1/2 days in theaters and $66 million over the weekend can be seen as the greatest feat ever accomplished by a mere mortal or pretty good, but not that impressive depending on what you read. With the third best July 4th holiday gross ever and the third best opening in 2008, Will Smith's critically unacclaimed Hancock isn't breaking an records, but it does mark Smith's 12th $100 million plus grossing film, tying him with Harrison Ford. He know trails only Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Eddie Murphy. However, he's the only actor ever to do it eight times in a row.

Oh, Well. Will Smith's Still Rich.

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The reviews for Hancock, which had its grand premiere yesterday in Hollywood, are here. And they're not very good, unfortunately. According to various reviewers, despite the great cast and excellent concept, the movie starts to suck in the second half. Incidentally, these are almost the exact same reviews that I Am Legend got last December, and it ended up breaking box office records. So its doubtful that Will Smith is very worried.

After the jump, more premiere pics and some review excerpts.

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The Casting Game

Will Smith is America's Sweetheart, the actor "we can believe in," even if he gets on people's nerves sometimes. That's probably why Barack Obama said he would want the erstwhile Fresh Prince to play him in a movie. Of course, the Obama-supporting Smith told Stephen Colbert he was waiting for him to "finish writing the story" first. Get it? Anyway, with Will Smith getting top billing, I took it upon myself to cast the rest of the Election '08 story, which I can totally see actually getting made at some point in the near-ish future. Let me know your casting choices in the comments.

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Will's Resume

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With Hancock arriving in theaters soon and projected to make eleventy gazillion dollars in the box office, Will Smith will add yet another iconic summer blockbuster role to his long list. We all know he's had some misses (Wild, Wild West, anyone), but he certainly has a formidable resume. Spot the Smith role below.

 

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You guys know I love a theme! Will Smith's "Just the Two of Us," which he recorded for his oldest son to prepare him for the growing Smith clan, is sort of the perfect Father's Day song. Cheesy in that Will Smith way, but also adorable. Happy Father's Day, dads.

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Chillin' in the car they spent all day waxin'...

True, summer is not exactly here yet. But it's starting to feel like summer — in New York City, at least. And there's really no song to accurately represent that feeling like Will Smith's "Summertime." It just makes me happy. You?

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"What I found is divorce just can't be an option," Will Smith said on Ellen. "It's really that simple. And I think that's the problem with L.A. – there are so many options. So a huge part of the success for [Jada] and I is that we just removed the other options. We're like listen, we're going to be together one way or the other so we might as well try to be happy," he said.

JUST CALL HIM SHAD MOSS The "artist" (formerly?) known as Bow Wow has let it be known that he is forgoing music — after he records an album later this year — to focus on acting full time. "After 16 years in the music industry and six successful albums, I've decided to shift my energy to something else I'm passionate about, acting," he said. "I'm going to try to be the next Will Smith." Doesn't everybody? Coming up, he has a recurring role on Entourage as a stand-up comic and he'll act alongside Forest Whitaker and Isaiah Washington in the sports drama, Patriots.

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willsmithfamily.jpg• Would you like for your kids to be schooled by Will Smith? [CB]

• Mya surely regrets ever getting herself involved with those G-Unit brats. [NB]

• Floyd Mayweather wants to quit boxing, which is new that interests boxing fans, I guess. He also wants to beat up Reggie Bush for "taking" Kim Kardashian. He also needs to get a life. [SR]

• When you release a really bad album that doesn't do well, try to just blame it on jail and your label. That's the route Foxy Brown is taking, anyway. [Bossip]

• Suge Knight's nemesis is really flirting with death, isn't he? [RWS]

• It's dangerous to be O.J. Simpson's significant other. But we knew that. [D-Listed]

But Why?

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According to box office figures, Will Smith is the last reliable rainmaker in Hollywood.

Of the 25 top grossing films of 2007, just four highlighted major movie stars—the lowest number in recorded history. George Clooney and Will Ferrell, both of whom have been veritable goldmines in the past, each recently released films that tanked, Leatherheads and Semi-Pro, respectively. Brad Pitt's The Assassination of Jesse James made just $4 million domestically and was in very few theaters. Indeed, supercelebrities are losing their luster. But, somehow, Smith — whose hit I Am Legend was the sixth biggest movie last year — remains a guaranteed draw.

In an industry not known for its willingness to put a lot of faith — and money — into black talent, why is Smith an exception to the rule? Are his projects that superior to those of others? (His acting sure isn't.) Why is this man unstoppable? And why has nobody yet put him on Broadway?

connorcruise.jpgTHE CRUISE-SMITH CONNECTION STRENGTHENS Connor Cruise, the adorable, second-youngest member of the Cruise clan, is making his film debut in Seven Pounds, starring, of course, Tom Cruise's butt brother, Will Smith. Connor will play the younger version of Smith's character in a flashback.

When Mommy And Daddy Need Them For Publicity

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Celebrity children must love the Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards, mainly because their parents are actually hanging out with them for once. Will Smith came with his budding actor and actress, Holly Robinson Peete had her brood in tow, Tracey Edmonds brought a Babyface Mini Me, and Nelly arrived with all of St Louis. Pics after the jump.

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will.jpgWill Smith rejects and denounces rumors that Tom Cruise has recruited him into Scientology's celebrity ranks.

"You don't have to be Jewish to be a friend of Steven Spielberg. You don't have to be a Muslim to be a friend of Muhammad Ali. And you don't have to be a Scientologist to be a friend of Tom Cruise," Smith tells us. "I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions. And I respect all people and all paths."

Is it against the tenets of Scientology to lie to the press? [NYDN]

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Will Smith has crossed over to the dark side. Or the side of all that is truthful and mentally healthy. It depends on where you stand in the Scientology debate. According to Radar, the recruitment of Will and Jada Smith and possibly Kimora Lee Simmons is part of the church's attempt to recruit more blacks. Smith's rep vehemently denies the family has converted to Scientology, but "sources close to the star" say that it's true. Simmons' rep also denies the rumor.

In other Smith news, Dr. Dre sneakily showed Will Smith what he thought of him and his clean-rapping ways when he contributed the song "Bitch Niggaz" to Bad Boys 3. Not nice!



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