Will Smith has named his choices for the best films he has ever made, picking movies from across his career.
The actor was appearing on the YouTube show Hot Ones when he was asked by host Sean Evans to choose the four performances that most define his career.
In between struggling with increasingly potent hot sauces – a struggle not helped by him rubbing pepper into his eyes late in the episode – he named his career favourites. Watch the video below:
“I think the individual best movie that I’ve ever made is The Pursuit of Happyness,” he said, referring to the 2006 drama in which he starred alongside his son Jaden.
“Right behind that is the first Men In Black – direction, cinematography and music.”
He went on to mention Bad Boys and Aladdin as being “among the most fun” he has ever had.
“But in terms of all-around 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, I Am Legend and probably King Richard.” Smith is currently starring in Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, the fourth instalment in the buddy cop film series in which he stars alongside Martin Lawrence.
The film, which also stars Vanessa Hudgens, Tiffany Haddish, DJ Khaled and Joe Pantoliano, is directed by Belgian duo Adil & Bilall, who also oversaw the previous entry, 2020’s Bad Boys For Life. It premieres in the UK on June 7.
In a two-star review of the film, NME described it as “a noisy, unfunny fourth instalment that’s only made endurable by some raucous action scenes.” While it praises some of the supporting case, it adds: “It’s just a shame they’re all woefully underused in a story that feels so same-old-same-old.”
The film features a scene in which Smith’s character is slapped repeatedly, in what is being described as a nod to his infamous Oscars moment.
At the ceremony in March 2022, Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Following the incident, Smith apologised to Rock, resigned from the Academy, and was banned from attending Academy events for 10 years.
Smith later released another apology on YouTube in July 2022 where he described his behaviour as “unacceptable”, adding: “I just didn’t realise, I wasn’t thinking about how many people got hurt in that moment.”