Will Smith/Headscratchers


 * Am I the only one that seemed to notice that most of the movies he's acted in have something to do with the letter I?
 * Now I am really curious: how, exactly?
 * I, Robot, Independence Day, I Am Legend, and Wild Wild West for some.
 * You're not the only one: This blog post jokingly suggests that The Day the Earth Stood Still remake should have starred Will Smith and be called I, D4 Am Legend.
 * Does Fresh Prince of Bel Air count?
 * It should be noted that some of the episodes of the last season of Fresh Prince actually had I in their names. Probably a coincidence.
 * Hancock doesn't have an I.
 * Neither do Seven Pounds.
 * Men in Black counts, if only because J was originally derived from I.
 * And because of the "i" in "in"?
 * It just bugs me that, just because my name is Smith, I keep getting asked if I'm related to this guy. (For the record, I am a) British and b) white. That doesn't seem to give them a clue.)
 * Considering Smith is probably the single most common English surname, and everyone knows this, they're just fucking with you. You'd have to be really stupid to actually think a white British guy is related to Will Smith just because they share a last name.
 * Dude Will Smith is BRITISH and white, NFW!!
 * There is a white, British comedian called Will Smith
 * Am I the only person who sees Will Smith in every part he plays? He's a good actor but aside from Ali, he just doesn't fully transform into the part.
 * No, you're not. But it's okay. He isn't a character actor, but that doesn't stop him from being very very good.
 * Clearly, he operates under the Law of Connery. Just like Sean, you'll find that an actor who is reasonably good at his craft and who has a charming way about him can get away with pretty much playing himself in every role and it somehow works.
 * It's not a matter of playing himself (we have no access to the real person apart from managed publicity) -- it's a matter of playing a star image. A certain sameness is there, sure... but considering that Will Smith is at present reputed to be the most reliable draw worldwide, it's hard to hold it against him.
 * It's Executive Meddling, actually. When you pitch a movie, the studio wants a big star in the lead, so you write the lead part with the big star in mind.
 * watch "Six Degrees of Separation" to see Will Smith play an actual character.
 * There's even a trope for it, I Am Not Leonard Nimoy and he's a prime example. It's not that he's bad, and lately it's not even because he's typecast (he's not) or he doesn't act (he does). He's just unmistakably Will Smith and his name and appearance has made enough of an impression on people that no amount of distraction will rid you of it
 * It bugs me that he isn't in more movies. I realize he's not that old, and has many years of acting left in him, most likely, but still. He should make more movies.
 * Well he IS currently the most succesful A-list actor of all time(in box-office terms anyways) and in 2012 Smith is going to be in both Men In Black 3 AND Bad Boys 3!