Will Smithis currently on the press circuit promoting his con man thrillerFocus. While quite a lot of talk has turned to his upcoming DC Comics adventureSuicide Squad, which will once again reteam him with hisFocusco-starMargot Robbie, he recently took some time out to reveal his true feelings about one of his biggest career failuresAfter Earth.
Will Smith is one of the biggest stars on the planet. And that’s because he routinely turns in great performances in fare that is liked by audiences and critics alike. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the rap superstar turned actor. Once known as Mr. July for opening a number of big summer movies, he had his first flop with 1999’sWild Wild West. It knocked him down for a short bit, but he quickly got up. And aside from the misunderstood 2008 holiday blockbusterSeven Pounds, he hadn’t really had a substantial failure…UntilAfter Earthopened in 2013.
Looking back, Will Smith explains toEsquirethatAfter Earthhurt a little bit more thanWild Wild West. Mainly because his sonJaden Smithwas his co-stars. He says:
“Wild Wild Westwas less painful thanAfter Earthbecause my son was involved inAfter Earth, and I led him into it. That was excruciating.”
If anything good came out ofAfter Earth, it’s that it taught Will Smith how to look at things differently, especially the projects he decides to do:
“I was a guy who, when I was 15, my girlfriend cheated on me, and I decided that if I was number one, no woman would ever cheat on me. All I have to do is make sure that no one’s ever better than me, and I’ll have the love that my heart yearns for. And I never released that and moved into a mature way of looking at the world and my artistry and love until the failure of ‘After Earth’ when I had to accept that it’s not a good source of creation.”
WillFocusbe another big box office hit? Or does it have bomb written all over it? WillSuicide Squadfly alongside the likes ofMan of Steel? Or is it anotherGreen Lantern? We just don’t know yet, but Will Smith is surely hoping for the best!
