 |
|
Subscribe to the Free Newsletter, BTN E-News
|
|
|
|
News
>
People
Friends & Family Pay Honor to Will Smith at Emotional Museum of the Moving Image Tribute
posted on Dec 6, 2006
|
|
Will Smith was honored in an emotional tribute last Sunday at the Waldorf-Astoria for the Museum of Moving Image Tribute. Tributes by Smith's friends and colleagues included Queen Latifah, Alfonso Ribeiro and Jamie Foxx.
Wife Jada Pinkett Smith broke down in tears onstage as she gave an emotional speech about her husband and what he has meant in her life. She said, "This is a man that taught a little girl in Baltimore that she could have the world. Smith's son Jaden, who stars alongside his dad in new movie “The Pursuit Of Happyness,” joked about working with his father: "You were a real good actor but I taught you everything you know."
In addition to screening a montage of memorable moment's from Smith's career, Derek Luke, Bill Pullman, Eva Mendes, Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton, Tamara Tunie, Cedric the Entertainer, Bridget Moynahan, Chevy Chase, Michael Mann, Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Guare and actress Stockard Channing were also on hand to say a few words about working with Smith.
The tribute to Smith was taped and will premiere on Bravo in January 2007.
Since he launched his entertainment career in the late 1980's, Will Smith has become a man of diverse successes. He has made two multi-platinum records, has starred on a hit television comedy series, is one of the entertainment industry's most sought after leading men, and recently became a producer. A legendary music sensation, Smith made his first record as a high school senior and subsequently embarked on a rap career with friend Jeff Townes. DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince recorded several platinum and multi-platinum albums, winning two Grammys and three American Music Awards.
Smith made his transition into television as the star of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," a sitcom created for him by Quincy Jones, and quickly became a box-office sensation. Smith's film credits include “Ali,” for which he received an Academy Award nomination, “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” which earned him an NAACP Award nomination for Best Actor, and “Wild, Wild West,” for which his theme song went gold and the soundtrack went platinum. He thrilled audiences in the suspenseful “Enemy of the State” and starred in two of the 50 all-time top-grossing films worldwide-1997's summer smash “Men In Black,” additionally recording the Grammy-winning title song, and 1996's “Independence Day.” Smith also starred in Columbia Pictures's “Bad Boys,” one of the largest-grossing films of 1995.
Smith was first recognized by NATO/ShoWest as the "Male Star of Tomorrow" in 1995 and he was honored with “Male Star of the Year” in 2002. In addition, he won the International Box Office Achievement Award in 1997 and was named "1999 Entertainer of the Year" by the NAACP Image Awards. His latest film, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” will be released by Sony Pictures on December 15.
As the Museum's 22nd Salutee, Will Smith joins an exceptional group of former honorees: Sidney Lumet, Elia Kazan, James Stewart, Sidney Poitier, Mike Nichols, Robert DeNiro, Barbara Walters, Al Pacino, Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams, Martin Scorsese, Goldie Hawn, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Julia Roberts, Mel Gibson, Billy Crystal, Richard Gere, John Travolta, and Ron Howard.
The Moving Image Salute raises funds to support the Museum's education programs, which serve over 25,000 intermediate and high school students each year.
|
|
|
|
