Will Smith is a household name in the entertainment industry, renowned for his versatility as an actor and for captivating audiences with his performances in popular TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and blockbuster films like Men in Black. However, in a past interview, the 54-year-old shared a surprising revelation about his experience filming the post-apocalyptic thriller I Am Legend in 2007. He disclosed that his daughter Willow, a mere seven years old at the time, wielded the ultimate power on set.
American Actor, Will Smith
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Smith also jokingly referred to Willow as a 7-year-old dictator, emphasizing her significant influence on the movie’s production.

Will Smith’s Shared Willow Smith’s Impact On I Am Legend

Will Smith And Willow Smith, I Am Legend, 2007

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Will Smith is a Hollywood legend who has starred in numerous blockbuster movies throughout his career. However, one of his most memorable films is the apocalypse-themed I Am Legend, where he plays the last surviving human in a world overrun by zombie-like creatures.

In a past interview, Smith shared that his daughter Willow had a significant impact on the movie, despite being only seven years old at the time.

Men In Black star revealed that his daughter took her work on I Am Legend seriously and even joked, “You kind of don’t work with Willow, you work for Willow.” He also considered whether Willow inherited the acting bug from him and his wife Jada, or if it was a natural part.

“It’s interesting, [Smith’s wife] Jada and I debate the age-old debate of nature versus nurture. Is it because two actors went to Mexico and drank some tequila and made a baby? Does that make the baby an actor? Or, did she grow up in a house where that is what is in her house, that is just the life, and that’s the experience that she knows?”

Smith also disclosed that after seeing her older brother Jaden star with him in a 2006 film when he was just eight years old, the 22-year-old set her sights on the big screen when she was only six. He stated.

“I think a big part of it is probably Jaden. After The Pursuit of Happyness and she saw what Jaden did, she thought, ‘I want that.”

The actor attributed the singer’s interest in acting to her admiration for her older brother’s work. Despite being young at the time, Willow’s commitment to her work impressed her father, who said that she tested him on how he handled her early fame.

Willow Smith’s Impact On Will Smith’s Parenting

The daughter of the Smith family has been in the public eye since she was very young. However, her early fame didn’t come without challenges.

Will Smith With Her Daughter Willow Smith
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In a past interview with Haute Living, Smith opened up about how his daughter really tested him after she achieved early fame with her single Whip My Hair.

The father of three shared that in 2012, he experienced a mutiny within his family after Willow, Smith explained,

“[I] secretly call [2012] the year of the mutiny. And 2012 was the year that my family rejected the direction of my leadership. And that was the main thing that happened.”

During his interview, Smith also shared that growing up with his father, Willard Carroll Smith, Sr. had a strict parenting style. 

“He dealt with the family like a soldier. I was used to the whole family working the family business and being run like a military unit. You follow orders, you have goals, you achieve things and there’s a punishment from the higher ranks if you don’t do what you are told to do.”

Despite having lightened up on his children over the years, he still believed that he was the leader of his family and that they all needed to follow his commands. However, Willow challenged this perspective when she decided that she no longer wanted to follow her father’s instructions.

“Willow was the first person during Whip My Hair that decided she didn’t want to do what I said,” Smith recalled.

“Because she was the baby girl, she had the most power over me. As a man – if your daughter says no, there’s nothing you can do.” 

This moment led to a significant change in Smith’s parenting style. Through her experiences with fame and her journey of self-discovery, Willow has shown her father the importance of being present, and allowing his children to find their path.

Source: Cheat Sheet