Contrary to what fans have perceived about Will Smith, life has not been just smooth sails for the global superstar. For the first time ever, Smith delves into the events of his life with great detail in his new autobiography Will, released on Nov. 9.
In a candid interview with Oprah Winfrey, Smith opened up about being the subject of racism on both sides where he was considered too Black by some people and not Black enough for others. It’s a dynamic that he first experienced in his childhood and would continue to experience as an adult in his career.
“There’s a strange thing that happens when someone falls: Your demise somehow proves to everyone you’ve ever disagreed with that they were right, and you were wrong. They develop a smugness and seem to get a brutal enjoyment out of the fact that God is finally punishing you.”
Excerpt from Autobiography “Will”
The one thing that Smith used to overcome the complex societal marginalization was simply comedy. Smith, who started in entertainment as a Philly rapper, has successfully morphed into a global actor, media mogul, and business entrepreneur. However, whether he was doing music, TV, or films, Smith has always been perceived as a charismatic comedian, even though he’s never done standup before. Come to find out, the social skill helped him appeal to many people and overcome stigmas he experienced growing up.
“The bigger the laugh, the less I was the Black dude. The bigger the laugh the less I was the soft dude,” Smith told Winfrey in the interview. “My encounters with overt racism were never with people I thought were smart or strong.”
“People tend to have a schizophrenic relationship with winners — If you’re down too long, you become an underdog and they feel impelled to root for you. But, it you’re ever unfortunate enough to be up too long, you better get a helmet.”
Excerpt from Autobiography “Will”
Speaking of the King Richard actor not always experiencing smooth sails, Smith recalls a time when he was at “rock bottom.” In addition to dealing with opposition from others, Smith had to come to the realization that some of the choices he made caused him to go through adversity.
“When it rains, it pours,” said Smith. “You know getting into the fight at the radio station. Charlie punching the dude that landed me in jail. So, the money is gone. The car’s gone. I’m laying on a floor in a jail cell and I’m like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. I won a Grammy eight months ago. What is happening?'”
To Smith, the rise and fall of life is inevitable. He cautions people to be prepared to endure “what life is” because it happens to everyone.
“You just got to be able to hold on,” Smith continued. “Endure when it’s time to endure. Enjoy when it’s time to enjoy. But, you’re not going to get around the ups and downs of that. All of those things are the natural ebb and flow, and the natural rise and fall — and if we can relax and settle into it, then we can enjoy when the springtime is there and we just buckle down when the winter comes, but we’re not going to be able to get around seasons.”
