It’s indeed hard to find a person on this planet who does not know Will Smith. Throughout his acting career, the actor has not just earned a big name in the industry; his hard work speaks for itself. Smith has been a part of some iconic films, and the fame he has received out of them is indeed impressive.
Like any other parent, Smith also holds a vision for the prosperous careers of his children; however, with time, the actor realized that one cannot decide for the other. Recently, during his appearance on a talk show, the actor reflected on how his ambitious management of his children’s careers affected family bonding.
Will Smith’s attempt to make his kids famous affected the family bond
Will Smith is a renowned name in the film industry, and it’s all because of his hard work and dedication. Since the actor has seen his part of fame, he wanted his kids to also follow their dad’s line and become renowned. However, things do not always go as desired; hence, Smith’s attempt to make his kids famous also failed. However, his attempts had some repercussions, which he had to face later. The actor recently appeared on Kevin Hart’s Peacock talk show Hart to Heart and recalled how his excitement to help his children in their careers didn’t turn out well.
Smith shares two kids with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith: Willow Smith, who is 22 years old, and Jaden Smith, who is 25 years old. With Smith’s blood running through their veins, both his children are highly skilled in their niche. Both Willow and Jaden are currently pursuing their careers in acting and music.
Like every parent, Smith is also ambitious for his children’s careers and wants to see them reach great heights. However, his idea didn’t go well with his kids. During the show, the actor stated,
“Nobody in my family was happy. Nobody wanted to be in a platoon. Willow was the first one to begin the mutiny, and it was my first realization that success and money don’t mean happiness. Up until that point, I really believed that you could succeed your way — to a house and a family — and you could win your way to happiness.”
Though things didn’t go according to plan, Smith had a great realization after this incident.
Will Smith learned to prioritize family
During the same show, Will Smith talked about the struggles of his life, which later became an inspiration to lead a better life. The actor recalled that he was thrilled when his kids took the first step in their careers. In 2010, Willow Smith’s first song, Whip My Hair, came out, and Jaden Smith’s starring film The Karate Kid was also released in the same year. Smith said,
“‘I’m going to do it better than my father did it.’ We’ve talked about it, my father was abusive… I told myself I would never have that kind of energy with my family, and I had a dream, an idea of a family I was building. Pretty much 2010 to 2012 I had achieved everything I had ever dreamed. I was beyond [my] wildest dreams.”
However, Smith’s overwhelmed attitude toward his kids’ careers affected his bond with his family, but the mutiny his kids launched against his overenthusiastic career plans made him realize a very important thing.
Smith said that he had a hard time arguing with his kids about their careers. But this made him realize what really matters in life. Since then, he has begun focusing more on his relationship with his family than on materialistic aspects.
Source: Indie Wire
