Which movie does Will Smith rate as the best he has made in his Hollywood career?

Will Smith has enjoyed a long Hollywood career, starring in movies that have become firm favourites among film fans. But which of his pictures does he rate most highly? In an appearance on the talk show Hot Ones, Smith was asked to name his four most career-defining performances.

Smith ranks his outstanding films

“I think the individual best movie all around that I’ve ever made is The Pursuit of Happyness […],” Smith said. “Right behind that is the first Men in Black – [for its] direction and cinematography and music. I think among the most fun I’ve ever had making a movie is Bad Boys and Aladdin – like, just the most fun.

“But in terms of the all-round best movies, best performances, if I had to put four of them in a time capsule, it would be: The Pursuit of Happyness, the first Men in Black, it would be I Am Legend and probably King Richard.”

Smith’s controversial Oscar win for King Richard

In 2022, Smith scooped the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard – but that achievement was overshadowed by the actor’s involvement in one of the most infamous moments in Academy Awards history. After the ceremony’s host, Chris Rock, made a joke about the alopecia suffered by Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, the 55-year-old stormed onto the stage and slapped Rock in the face.

Shortly afterwards, as the viewing audience continued to process what they had just seen, Smith was announced as Best Actor. He was awarded the statuette for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena, in a biopic that chronicles Williams’ role in his daughters’ sporting rise.

“Art imitates life”

As he collected his Oscar, a tearful Smith apologised to the Academy and his colleagues. He proceeded to give a strange acceptance speech in which he drew parallels between Richard Williams’ life and the Rock incident. “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,” Smith said, adding: “Art imitates life – I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams.”

Smith also said: “To do what we do, you got to be able to take abuse. You’ve got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you’ve got to be able to have people disrespecting you, and you’ve got to smile, and you’ve got to pretend like that’s OK.”

A few days later, Smith publicly apologised to Rock. His assault on the comedian led the Academy to issue the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor with a decade-long ban from all of the body’s events, including the Oscars. He won’t be able to attend the Academy Awards again until 2032 at the earliest.