to me will smith is one of the best  black actor in the world a fan in st. lucia  moonty francis

happened across this had to leave my two cents will smith is still bankable here in 2009 everyone loves a "good guy" granted we only see him as the press portrays him so i will choose to believe he is a good guy your opinion is your own. Now... as far as your claim that he is not one of the best actors today how can he not be if everyone wants to see him. He must have talent to keep people interested i don't think when people go see a movie they say to themselves during the film hmmm this guy is really nice in real life, so this movie is automatically great. He plays characters as an actor that people can get involved with. Now great actors are those in my opinion who can involve the audience make their stories believable, Will Smith definitely does that and that is why his movies are so big whether the plot dialogue sequences, whatever are sub par in his films... he allows you into his world somehow relates you to what is going on. That is the mark of a talented actor give him is due. Plus he didn't just come from nowhere in movies had to start somewhere and obviously had to be good to get to where he is now.

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I very rarely go to the cinema, but I really love Will Smith, so I'll go to see a movie with him in it even if it looks lousy.

Some of them I didn't really like, while other people loved it. I think that's Will's appeal. I don't think he specifically chooses "mainstream" roles, but he'll play different characters that people worldwide can relate to....not just Americans; and not just a particular race.

Also, I was (and still am) a HUGE fan of 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air'. That's one of my all-time favourite TV shows, so coming from that generation, Will is almost like someone I grew up with. He still shows glimpses of that character, and he is just so damn likeable!!

Are you kidding me?? Well I think you have really no idea what your talking about. I mean come on, if you really think Russell Crowe is the best actor alive today then your opinion just goes down the drain to me. That's hilarious (Russell Crowe lol, what the hell has he done). Will Smith is easily not only the most bankable actor but easily one of the best in the business right now!! You don't have huge flicks like that but just being charming and charismatic. His roles in The Pursuit of Happiness, I am Legend are priceless. What other actor today can step out and be something else out of his element and almost make you cry like that. For a few seconds in both of those movies, everyone forgot that he was a crazy kid on the fresh prince of bel-air. The only actor that had that type of affect was the late Heath Ledger which is number 3 on my top five actor list. What he would of been was something special.

My favorite actor and easily the best actor on the planet right now is Denzel Washington, point blank, but there is no way you can sit there and tell me logically that Will Smith is that far behind. HIs number speak for themselves. Now i will give you that Denzel does not have those huge blockbuster Will Smith does but lets be real, he has only had ONE movies where the budget was over 100 million ( American Gangster ) so its not like a huge let down or even surprise when these movies don't get the type of numbers Will Smith might have.

I was not always a Will Smith fan, I use to think he was dull, boring and could only play one type of roll, the big action film guy. But after you saw Pursuit of Happiness he changed my mind.

He is up there and will be staying up there for as long as HE wants. So please don't compare Russell Crowe to him lol, what the hell has Russell Crowe done since Gladiator??

Top 5

1. Denzel Washington

2. Will Smith

3. Heath Ledger ( The new Jokers just made him better)

4. Leanardo Dicaprio ( where the hell is he at on this list, has anyone ever heard of a little movie named Titanic, The Departed, Blood Diamond )

5. Johnny Depp ( ummmmm did we forget about all the Pirates of the Caribbean and Blow those alone are classics)

Yes, Robert Downey Jr! What I meant to say was that he's not bankable at the moment, albeit in the future he could be. I hope so.

I took notice of him in Iron man and as a result I will watch The upcoming Soloist and Sherlock Holmes movies.

Each time a WIll Smith movie comes out, he actually goes overseas and basically advertises the movie - much like a musician. This was discussed in a Time issue (which I can't find sadly). Over time this technique greatly improves his movie incomes, as more people hear of him first hand and want to see him.

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For my money, Denzel is the best actor working today, and he's also an extremely bankable movie star. He could be as big as Smith, if he was truly interested in selling out.

It's true that his films rarely cross the 100 million dollar mark. But a lot of that is down to his integrity as an actor. For a start, Denzel has only ever made one film with a budget over 100 million bucks (American Gangster). So by design, Washington doesn't make films that are "supposed" to be blockbusters. He specialises in intelligent, adult thrillers and dramas. He almost never makes films that rely on CGI or special effects, which Smith does with regularity (in fact, Denzel turned down the lead in Smith's I,ROBOT, a CGI driven blockbuster in favor of THE MANCHURIAN CANIDATE, a serious, character driven political thriller). Washington has had plenty of opportunities to make the kind of guaranteed summer blockbusters that Smith makes, but he turns them down for the most part. You won't see Denzel in HANCOCK or MEN IN BLACK 2.

Because Denzel cultivates a more adult audience, instead of trying to grab every available demographic the way Smith does, it's difficult for him to get those sort of ridiculous Box Office numbers that Smith often records. I think Denzel prefers to straddle the line between being a respected serious actor and a box office draw, and it reflects in his film choices.

If you look at Denzel's opening weekend consistency, he's easily one of the most bankable stars alive. Denzel pretty much guarantees a 20 million+ opening weekend for any commercial studio film. His films won't neccesarily make 100 million domestic, but they rarely have huge budgets in the first place, so the studios make a profit.

Denzel is also pretty bankable overseas. His last three wide release films made more overseas than they did in America. On average, his films now make around 200 million dollars (including domestic and international totals).

The truth is, if Denzel started working with 100 million dollar + budgets, special effects, PG rated films, he'd be close to Will Smith's box officed level. But I doubt he'd be as respected as an actor. Smith makes films to please everybody. Denzel makes films to please grown-ups. Therin lies the difference.

Hey Michael,

Robert Downey Jr.????? Except for Iron Man his movies have al basically flopped in the last 10 years. He's had 1 hit movie.

Dawney Jr. (Iron Man) is turning into a bankable movie star.

I've noticed that every trailer for a WIll Smith movie looked good; I wanted to see that movie after watching its trailer. Sadly, this is not the case for many excellent movies.

Hey "Steve"

If you think this article is "attacking" Will Smith, then you're as stupid as shit:

"Will Smith is a solid actor. Yes he gets damn annoying when he plays what seems to be the exact same guy in many films… but when he’s called upon to be something more, or to play someone outside his regular range, he nails it (Pursuit of Happyness, Ali)."

Yup, sure sounds like I'm attacking him.

So the biggest movie star on the planet is a black guy and what better way to attack him then list a bunch of white actors you think are better than him...

I expected better from this site.

After Will Smith the only guy I can think of whose films make over 100 mill nearly every time out the gate is Adam Sandler. His films may not make as much but they are much cheaper to make and for the most part always make money.

and NBAKID you said "I don’t believe that anyone knows what went on dialog wise with Jesse James and the people he killed in private. Nobody knows that stuff. But the movie pawns everything off as fact.:"

you mean like pretty much every film that is based on a true story in the history of film???

I liked jesse james myself but personally thought 3:10 to yuma was terrible. You talk about james having a bad script yet praise 3:10 to yuma

hei....the terminal made 77 million dollars at the US box-office....and bad boys 2 was supposed to be an over the top slick flick...it's meant to be silly....I,robot wasn't that bad either...

Johnny Depp needs to be on the list; just look at the money raked in by the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series.

WOW! I thought Al Pacino would do a little better than that, i mean, HE WAS IN THE FUCKING GODFATHER!!! come on! He's worked with some of the best actors ever! Keanu Reeves in "The Devils Advocate". Johnny Depth in "Donnie Brasco"

How could he be that shit?!

Your right, he's the most bankable actor. You just can't see why. And as smart as you are, it surprise me you can't see it. His fan base is bigger than the other "better actors" you listed. I would argue that the best actor or most versatile isn't even listed(Don Cheadle). As for his acting, I don't care what anyone says, he can act. He has proven that. But like you said his best film didn't make as much as his worse film. Another good acting film that's not mention though, Six Degrees of Separation.

pretty spot on....

some honorable mentions could be - Adam Sandler, Leonard Di Caprio (post Gangs of NY) and Johnny Depp....even Tobey's last three movies were huge hits LOL

I love Will Smith - don't care what he's in - I'll watch him. He's got SOMETHING (and boy, do I wish he'd give some of it to me!) In any case, I also think he has the acting chops needed to be considered one of the greatest (one day) - see ALI and SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION.

I read in an MSNBC article of the same topic that Will Smith's worldwide gross is over 4.4 billion (this was before Legend), more than Sandler and WIlL Ferrell combined.

They quoted a studio insider and said "there's Will Smith, and then there are the mortals."

"He invites the white community in, yet he's credible with the black community. That's a pretty hard trick."

@Matt,

check out the sixth comment for the info on how much Damon's last 8 movies did.

Russel Crowe one of the best actors?

Whoa.

Matt Damon is pretty bankable of late...

I do however enjoy watching most of willsmiths films and tv appearances. He is charming and just very funny and likable in real life.

Thank you Rodney. I felt Andrew James' opinion and score was uncalled for.

LOL

He's undoubtedly the only viable bankable star. That said I'm not sure the comparison list is exactly fair as many of the other actors have taken real risks with their choices and especially in the case of Clooney aren't bent on only obvious commercial fare. Will Smith works exclusively on patently commercial projects. Even his "prestige" films are big budget obvious sentimental Hollywood projects. Nothing really risky or that pushes the envelope artistically. This isn't a criticism mind you, I just think calling Brad Pitt's failure to draw over 100 mil for Jesse James is kind of absurd since it is a very challenging art film and the closest Will Smith has gotten to that is "Six Degrees of Separation" one of his first projects.

I don't think his appeal to mass audiences is about his quality acting chops. It's about a certain kind of charisma. He's got that "I'd like to hang with him" vibe. You know he'd be the best barbecue guest ever, and he feels like you could easily be friends. He's got family man appeal for middle America. He can allow people to claim they like a black entertainer to prove they aren't racist. He's goofy and non threatening. He avoids roles that rely on guns, drugs, sex and violence (unlike the roles favored by other rappers who break into Hollywood). He seems uninterested in "street cred" which makes people feel safe about him.

Al Pacino is really from another generation, his career peaked creatively over two decades ago.

I totally agree the Crowe is the best working actor today, just don't think he

Tom Cruise is the only really comparable contemporary actor with the same kind of career trajectory and role selection.

how bout tom cruise??..

Andrew James must be a relation to Jesse James. I call for a bias on your score keeping.

But to play devil's advocate no one is winning in that debate. NBA is saying there was nothing appealing in the movie FOR HIM and while Ross seems to find some deeper beauty in it, it is a masterpiece TO HIM.

It doesn't narrow down to a lack of giant robots. its just a basic level of appeal.

You are arguing semantics. NBAKid doesnt like it for the same reasons Ross does. To each their own.

Ross: 6

NBAKID: 0

carry on.

@Krazie

Vick played in the nfl for a little over 6 years, in nfl years thats a pretty long time and if you dont develop over the first 2 years people start to criticize you more and more.

He was definitely an amazing athlete and I enjoyed to watch him but thats about as far as it goes. He didnt lead his team close to a championship enough to be regarded as one of those "legendary quarterbacks" equal to "Oscar-friendly Actors"

I was comparing winning a championship, to something like making an oscar worthy film.

Of course Will Smith can carry a film, but he has not shown enough times that he can carry a film that is considered Oscar worthy.

He is the top seller but, has yet to become the lead actor in something bigger than himself more than a couple of times.

p.s. fresh prince is on my tv screen. coincidence!

Sina, Cruise WAS the most bankable actor out there. If we compare histories of actors I am sure we can find one that always made the coin, but are they still drawing a crowd?

That whole Scientology thing took Cruise down a peg. I still tend to like his movies, but lately he cant push out a winner without being a Mission Impossible movie.

IMO Tom Cruise is still the most bankable actor out there

in his total career , he only has 2 under 100 m domesticly wich is a big thing to kow that one was Magnolia (a very good movie) an the other one was the Robert Redford's BS wich I am really happy that it floped

John is absolutely correct. Will Smith is defiantly the most bankable actor in Beantown. He's done a great job marketing himself over the year.

If he can attach himself to a film that will produce multiple sequal's he should stay relevant for the next ten years.

2. Tom Cruise- Was #1 before the couch incident and Scientology hoopla

3. Brad Pitt- Needs to get his career back on track. Babel was a good try for a Oscar. Jessie James(a putrid mess of a movie) was a terrible career move.

How about Harrison Ford? He hasn't attracted the big bucks as much lately, but think of his career. Then you have to look at how much more movies make with him than they would have without him. I mean firewall? Come on, that p.o.s. wouldn't have even been released without him.

Hell that's without bringing up star wars indy and blade runner!

It's not so much that he's bankable as it is him being a smart businessman. He's PICKING the right movies, for the most part at least. Graphics effects movies and movies that have at least some degree of humor in them as well as lots of action for the most part.

The Assassination of Jesse James? Babel? I wouldn't see those movies no matter who was in them. Pick the right movies and you become bankable.

Also, when is D.J. Jazzy Jeff gonna make a comeback?

Hey--I, Robot was a sweet flick.

YES finally some love for jesse james...MASTERPIECE God i love that movie....cinema gold, solid writing, fantastic acting, perfect ending, and pace.....shouldve gotten best picture and/or director...

anyway excellent post john...i agree 100 percent....his charm alone brings people to the screens....im really proud of him, hes come a LONG way

bigsampso

Bankable IS NOT another word for popular, Ben Affleck is popular and he shure as h3ll aint bankable. IMO Will is an excellent actor period.

John

Your facts are wrong yet again.

The Terminal didnt only make $39M but made $77M domestically.

You also failed to mention that The Assassination of Jesse James was only released in 301 theaters and was not a nationwide release.

what about Adam Sandler. When he is in a comedy he is pretty bankable star. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/adam_sandler/

I would say Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Adam Sandler are the biggest drawers. Adam Sandler has hit after hit for a whole decade, and is a draw for young men. Cruise has many hits as well but recently with whole Scientology stuff got the public hating him. Mission Impossible 3 was a really great action flick, better than the other two. Hanks has the magical ability to make dramatic movies into hits, something that is nearly impossible. He hasn't done any big action, sci-fi movie with lots of fx yet. He's definitely a draw for older audiences. Will Smith has a huge draw for all segments, old and young. He's got a lot of charisma, and he picks big action type movies that are safer.

Gil

I don't get your football reference to Michael Vick. He was a QB who had great talent, but he never developed into a solid QB.

Will Smith is a solid talent who has expanded his career, and has shown he has more to his acting skills than simply being Big Willie like was his in first few movies.

I am Legend, and Hancock are films that are carried by Will Smith. Smith keeps Hancock from being incredibly boring, and Smith is a one man show in I am Legend, and does a fine job of carrying the film by himself.

Comparing Michael Vick to Vin Diesel in my opinion is a better way to go. A promising start to a career, but then with some poor judgment their career's both went the wrong way.

Hey what about Jon Voight?!! He´s the man nowadays.All his pics are totally pieces of art.

He and Dennis Hopper rule!

I like Will Smith, I have liked everyone of his performances even in the movies that sucked. And like many have said before me the reason why is because he is likable. You never hear any thing bad about him. Another reason why he is bankable is because of the movies he picks. This is not him playing safe or only caring about money, this is just how he picks moves. In his interview with Readers Digest which came out just before Pursuit of Happiness he said that he looked for patterns in movies. He would see what movies were successful and what themes they had and then pick a movie that had similar ones. After his first few films, up until he go famous and well known, he no longer had to pick the big movies (case in point Pursuit). So if he did do a passion project for a private film it would probably have a decent BO, maybe not as good as some of his others but still other $100m.

What a great topic for a blog (applauds). I think Smith is a triple threat - he's pretty talented, he's incredibly charismatic, and he stays out of the press which gives us time to miss him (so when one of his movies comes out it's like seeing an old friend). Generally, though, you make a great point (and the stats definitely back it up).

What about Johnny Depp? If anybody saw the last two Pirates movies for any reason other than Johnny Depp they have problems. He has made some stinkers and is no Will Smith but could be considered somewhat bankable.

I really like will smith and thought he made I am legend I mean the man was on screen by himself for almost the entire movie and the movie did that well so that proves his bankability and the amount of responses on this blog alone represents the interest people have in this man not a lot of the other posts have this many comments in this short of time

FOOTBALL ANALOGY

Will Smith is much like Michael Vick's Career. (excluding the whole dog fighting thing)

Michael Vick was signed to big contracts and never traded because he sold tickets to games. Everybody knows who Vick is and wanted to watch him play. But most football critics agreed that he wasnt the type of quarterback that would lead his team to a championship. Only getting close once.

Will Smith brings people to theaters to watch a movie and looks like he always will until he cant do all that he does. He will continue to land huge roles as long as he is selling tickets. But most agree that when you think of an Oscar worthy picture..Will Smith movies dont jump at you. Although he has been nominated.

Both Will Smith and Vick are special talents that will bring people to watch, but they are a step away from being the leading act to something bigger.

well Vick might be a couple of steps now.

sorry, i love sports almost as much as film.

the only good thing about death proof is mary elizabeth winstead! she should be in more movies! i'd like to bank her :)

Will Smith has put together something trully magical...you know, if you are going to see one of his summer movies, it is going to be an action packed feast for the eyes. His movies deliver...Is he the most bankable? I dont know...but he is one of the tops