Having a successful acting career after starring in a popular ‘90s sitcom is the white whale of Hollywood. Of the few stars from ‘90s television we still see coming out on top, Will Smith is the King—or rather, the Prince.
He may have started his career as a Grammy award-winning rapper, but Smith’s breakout role as the charming, street-smart teen from West Philly on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air marked the beginning of his status as a TV mogul. The comedy on the show still holds up today, as do many of Will’s fashion choices and the unforgettable theme song, which should honestly just replace the National Anthem at this point.
The Fresh Prince has done a lot since his days living with Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv, both on- and off-screen. While he wasn’t filming blockbuster hits, Smith became a quintessential family man when he married actress Jada Pinkett-Smith and gifted us with Jaden, Willow and Trey. As if being a role model parent wasn’t enough, Smith's Instagram is a treasure trove of viral posts that remind us why we love him in the first place. Most recently, Smith got blued up and played the part of Genie in the live-action Aladdin remake. Next year, he'll reprise his role as Mike Lowrey in Bad Boys for Life, alongside Martin Lawrence—you can watch the Bad Boys for Life trailer here.
Smith has seemingly done it all on the big screen—action, comedy, drama, and even voice acting. But the people’s champ shows no signs of stopping. To celebrate the impending return of our favorite detectives, let’s take a look back at some of the films that made Smith the mega movie star he is today. Here are 15 of the best Will Smith movies.