Is Will Smh Gay? - EnkiVillage

will smith first gay movie

Many Hollywood stars, om Naveen Andrews to Robert Redford, have played gay or bisexual rol that range om the surprisg to the nearly fotten. Here are 10 of them.

Contents:

BEFORE THE OSR, BEFORE THE SLAP: WILL SMH ONCE GOT VERY GAY

Will Smh pulled gay ba and swch for big screen but. * will smith first gay movie *

In the years sce Six Degre, the actor has spoken about his reluctance to perform the gay love scen for fear of them damagg his reer. Homophobia ran ep at the time, and actors perceived wh the dtry as queer uld end up blackballed by the dtry.

This is the story of a young gay htler named Pl (Smh) who knocks on the door of Ouisa and Flan Ktredge (Stockard Channg and Donald Sutherland) and tells them a story of beg mugged and also beg the son of Sidney Poier. " tells a meager story of a psdosophistited art aler of sorts Manhattan (Sutherland) and his psdosophistited wife (Channg) who fd a young black gay man kerplunked their liv g them to mentally scurry about not unlike Pooh ("Oh, Bother! The Con, The Greed, The Homosexualy.

WILL SMH PLAYS GAY -- BUT NOT WELL WH {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY NEWNOWNEXT STAFFJANUARY 1, 2007/2:05 PMBY NEWNOWNEXT STAFFJANUARY 1, 2007 / 2:05 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"WILL SMH PLAYS GAY -- BUT NOT WELL WH OTHERS","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-01-01T19:05:05.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-01-01T19:05:05.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"NEWNOWNEXT STAFF","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WILL SMH AND DONALD SUTHERLAND SIX DEGRE OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YOU MIGHT RELL WILL SMH'S BIG SCREEN BUT 1993'S SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN. IN HE PLAYS A GAY N ARTIST WHO SUCKERS RICH NEW YORKERS BY PRETENDG TO BE PRIVILEGED, PRIVATE-SCHOOLED, AND SIDNEY POIER'S SON. THE FILM WAS TO HAVE CLUD A GAY LOVE SCENE, BUT AFTER HE LAND THE PART (AND FILMG WAS HALFWAY NCLUD) WILL SMH APPARENTLY BALKED AT ACTUALLY KISSG ANOTHER ACTOR ONSCREEN. THEY HAD TO E MIRRORS AND TRICK MERA ANGL TO MAKE APPEAR AS IF SMH'S CHARACTER LOCKS LIPS WH ANOTHER MAN. RIDICULO, RIGHT? IMAGE IF HEATH LEDGER AND JAKE GYLLENHALL HAD FILMED HALF OF BROKEBACK MOUNTA AND THEN TOLD ANG LEE THEY WEREN'T GOG TO DO THE TENT SCENE?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I REMEMBER TERVIEWS WH WILL SMH EXPLAG HIS BEHAVR. HE SAID HE'D BEEN ADVISED AGAST TARNISHG HIS HETERO IMAGE BY NONE OTHER THAN DENZEL WASHGTON. ARRGH! I PRETTY MUCH WROTE THE TWO OF THEM OFF AT THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AROUND THE SAME TIME ANOTHER BLACK ACTOR, WLEY SNIP, WAS ASKED FOR A MENT: WHAT DID HE THK OF WILL SMH'S REFAL AND WOULD HE KISS ANOTHER MAN ONSCREEN. SNIP SAID SOMETHG ALONG THE L OF "IT'S LLED ACTG, STUPID! GET OVER ." (I WISH I ULD PROVI A LK FOR YOU AND THE EXACT EARLY 1990'S QUOTE, BUT I SEARCHED EVERYWHERE AND DON'T SEEM TO BE ONLE.){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JT SHOWS, I SURE N PICK 'EM. WILL SMH MAY JT BE THE BIGGT MALE STAR THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, WHEREAS POOR WLEY SNIP IS STRAIGHT-TO-VIO PURGATORY AND FACG SER PRISON TIME FOR TAX {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AH WELL, FOR THAT ONE ENLIGHTENED MENT ALONE I'LL ALWAYS BE A SNIP FAN-- NO MATTER HOW MANY BAD MOVI HE MAK OR HOW MUCH HE CHEATS THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HEY, ON A SI NOTE, DID YOU KNOW YOU N ACTUALLY TURN SOMEONE FOR TAX EVASN AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR A 15% REWARD? YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC RMATN -- JT FILG THE FORM ULD TRIGGER AN IRS QUIRY. JT FOR THE HECK OF , I'M TURNG WILL SMH AND DENZEL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ERR, ONLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

* will smith first gay movie *

It is however, que disappotg, that all of the ter chatter Google may churn out, the them of homosexualy are ignored as if they have absolutely no bearg on the story. The two actors met 1993 on the set of Six Degre of Separatn, a edy-drama based on the te story of gay htler David Hampton, who is named Pl the film. Smh played the lead role alongsi Stockard Channg and Donald Sutherland, who portrayed the wealthy gay uple he targets.

At this pot Smh already had two film rol and The Frh Prce of Bel Air unr his belt, but he was still bt known as a rapper – a genre that’s still bet by homophobic prejudice to this day. The news that Will Smh had drawn the le at a gay kiss didn’t go unnoted by Ian McKellen, who also starred the movie as the South Ain billnaire, Geofey Miller.

TEN ACTORS WHO PLAYED {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY KARMAN KREGLOEAPRIL 16, 2007/8:51 PMBY KARMAN KREGLOEAPRIL 16, 2007 / 8:51 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"TEN ACTORS WHO PLAYED GAY","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-04-17T00:51:37.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-04-17T00:51:37.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"KARMAN KREGLOE","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ROOT AROUND THE ANNALS OF MOVIE AND TELEVISN HISTORY, AND YOU MAY BE SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF FAMO ACTORS WHO HAVE GAY OR BISEXUAL ROL THEIR PASTS. BEFORE LEONARDO DICAPR ROMANCED CLAIRE DAN OR KATE WSLET, HE WAS DAVID THEWLIS' LOVER TOTAL ECLIPSE (1995). BEFORE HUGH GRANT BEME THE GO-TO GUY FOR STRAIGHT ROMANTIC EDI, HE PLAYED GAY MRICE (1987) AND THE TV MOVIE OUR SONS (1991). EVEN WILL SMH PLAYED A GAY ROLE THE 1993 FILM SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN, THOUGH HE REFED TO KISS A MAN ON MERA. IT JT GO TO SHOW THAT PLAYG GAY IS NOT THE REER-KILLER WAS ONCE THOUGHT TO BE. HERE ARE 10 OF TODAY'S TV AND FILM STARS WHO PLAYED GAY OR BISEXUAL ROL — MANY OF WHICH HAVE BEEN NEARLY FOTTEN — EARLIER THEIR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}10. JACK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}COLEMAN CURRENTLY PLAYS MR. BEN, FATHER OF PERKY BLOND CHEERLEAR CLAIRE, ON THE H NBC SCI-FI DRAMA HERO. BUT NOT ALL VIEWERS OF THE SHOW MAY REMEMBER THAT COLEMAN HAD HIS OWN DAYS OF PERKY BLONDNS. FROM 1982–88, HE STARRED ON DYNASTY AS THE SEND ACTOR TO PLAY STEVEN CARRGTON, GAY SON OF THE SHOW'S MA FAY AND ONE OF THE EARLIT QUEER CHARACTERS ON AMERIN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW STGGLED TO KEEP STEVEN'S ORIENTATN STRAIGHT, SO TO SPEAK. HE WAS MARRIED TWICE TO WOMEN, FATHERG A CHILD WH ONE OF THEM. BUT HE ALSO HAD SEVERAL MALE LOVERS, ONE OF WHOM WAS PLAYED BY GRANT GOOVE OF EIGHT IS ENOUGH FAME. RELLG THE CHARACTER OF STEVEN CARRGTON, COLEMAN RECENTLY TOLD TV GUI: "[STEVEN] WAS SO TIMID BY TODAY'S STANDARDS, PECIALLY LOOKG AT WHAT'S ON BLE, WH THE L WORD, QUEER AS FOLK AND SHOWS LIKE THAT. … IT WAS VERY MUCH THE DONNA REED SHOW TERMS OF FOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR, NOBODY ACTUALLY EVER TOUCHG."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}9 AND 8. JAM PUREFOY AND KEV MCKIDD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THE RECENTLY-NCLUD HBO HISTORIL DRAMA ROME, JAM PUREFOY PLAYS MARK ANTONY, THE LEGENDARY GENERAL, AND KEV MCKIDD PLAYS LUCI VOREN, A MONER. THOUGH ROME WON EMMY AWARDS FOR VISUAL EFFECTS, HAIRSTYLG, ART DIRECTN AND STUM, THE SHOW HAS BEEN NOTABLE FOR MOSTLY STEERG CLEAR OF ANOTHER ASPECT OF ANCIENT ROMAN SOCIETY: MALE HOMOSEXUAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THIS WASN'T THE SE THE LAST TIME MCKIDD AND PUREFOY SHARED A SCREEN. IN 1998, THEY STARRED TOGETHER THE BRISH ROMANTIC EDY BEDROOMS AND HALLWAYS. MCKIDD PLAYED LEO, A GAY-INTIFIED MAN STARTG TO BE TERTED A WOMAN. PUREFOY PLAYED BRENDAN, A STRAIGHT-INTIFIED MAN STARTG TO BE TERTED LEO. IN THE PROCS OF EXPLORG THEIR SEXUAL INTI, THE TWO MEN HAVE AN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}7. NAVEEN ANDREWS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEFORE HE WAS ST AS FORMER IRAQI SOLDIER SAYID JARRAH ABC'S LOST, THIS BRISH ACTOR WAS PROBABLY BT KNOWN TO AMERIN VIEWERS FOR HIS ROLE AS KIP THE 1996 FILM THE ENGLISH PATIENT. BUT BEFORE EHER OF THOSE ROL, ANDREWS CREATED A SPLASH THE U.K. BY STARRG THE 1993 BBC MISERI THE BUDDHA OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WRTEN BY HANIF KUREISHI (WHO ALSO WROTE THE CLASSIC GAY MOVIE MY BETIFUL LNDRETTE), BUDDHA IS THE STORY OF KARIM AMIR, A YOUNG, BISEXUAL BRISH INDIAN GROWG UP LONDON THE '70S. IMPATIENT WH FIXED TEGORI, WHETHER NATNAL OR SEXUAL, KARIM HAS LOVERS CLUDG ELEANOR (PLAYED BY JEMMA REDGRAVE), A PRIVILEGED YOUNG ACTRS, BUT ALSO CHARLIE KAY (PLAYED BY STEVEN MACKTOSH), A DAVID BOWIE-LIKE FIGURE WHO GO ON TO BEE AN TERNATNAL PUNK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}6. RSELL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2001, ATRALIAN ACTOR-TURNED-HOLLYWOOD STAR CROWE STARRED THE OSR-WNG FILM A BETIFUL MD. A LOOSE BPIC OF AMERIN MATHEMATICIAN JOHN FORB NASH, THE FILM ED A FUROR THE GAY MUNY OVER CLAIMS THAT THE FILMMAKERS HAD WHEWASHED NASH'S ALLEGED BISEXUALY (EVEN THOUGH NASH HIMSELF NI BEG BISEXUAL). CROWE WAS RID FOR HIS FENSE OF THE FILM, SAYG THAT THE FILMMAKERS DIDN'T WANT TO EQUATE HOMOSEXUALY WH NASH'S SCHIZOPHRENIA, AND ALSO THAT THERE WAS A TY, TWO-SEND SCENE WHICH ULD DITE NASH'S POSSIBLE TERT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT SOME MAY HAVE FOTTEN THE FLYG ACCATNS OF HOMOPHOBIA AND CENSORSHIP WAS THAT CROWE HAD ALREADY PROVEN HIMSELF WILLG TO PLAY A GAY ROLE. IN 1994, HE STARRED THE ATRALIAN FILM THE SUM OF US AS JEFF MCHELL, AN OUT GAY MAN LIVG WH HIS WIDOWER FATHER, HARRY. HAVG A FORTABLE RELATNSHIP, JEFF AND HARRY SUPPORT EACH OTHER THROUGH THEIR ROMANTIC UPS AND DOWNS, AS HARRY DAT A WOMAN HE MET THROUGH A PUTER DATG SERVICE, AND JEFF EXPLOR A RELATNSHIP WH A MAN NAMED GREG (PLAYED BY JOHN POLSON).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}5. AL PACO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ARGUABLY AMERI'S MOST RENOWNED LIVG MOVIE ACTOR, PACO HAS PLAYED QUEER OR QUASI-QUEER NO FEWER THAN THREE TIM. IN 1976, HE RECEIVED AN OSR NOMATN FOR HIS LEAD ROLE AS THE BISEXUAL BANK ROBBER SONNY WORTZIK THE FACT-BASED DRAMA DOG DAY AFTERNOON. MARRIED WH CHILDREN, SONNY ALSO HAS A MALE LOVER, LEON (PLAYED BY CHRIS SARANDON), WHOM HE HAS "MARRIED" A BIGAMO CEREMONY. LEON WANTS A SEX-CHANGE OPERATN, AND SONNY CIS THAT HE WILL HOLD UP A BANK ORR TO PAY FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ORIGAL SCRIPT REPORTEDLY NTAED A SCENE WHERE SONNY AND LEON KISS EACH OTHER GOODBYE ON THE STREET — A SCENE THAT PACO REFED TO PLAY. BUT THIS RULTED WHAT MANY FEEL IS THE MOST POWERFUL MOMENT THE MOVIE: SONNY AND LEON SAY GOODBYE TO EACH OTHER OVER THE TELEPHONE, UNAWARE THAT THE PS ARE LISTENG ON THEIR LL. EVEN IF THE MOVIE SHIRKED SHOWG PHYSIL AFFECTN, DIDN'T DOWNPLAY THE EMOTNAL ATTACHMENT BETWEEN THE TWO MEN. WHILE DRAFTG HIS WILL, SONNY REFERENC "MY DARLG WIFE LEON WHOM I LOVE AS NO OTHER MAN HAS LOVED ANOTHER MAN ALL ETERNY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 1980, PACO SIGNED ON TO PLAY NEW YORK P STEVE BURNS WILLIAM FRIEDK'S THRILLER CISG. HUGELY NTROVERSIAL THE GAY MUNY AT THE TIME, THE FILM SHOWS HOW BURNS — AN APPARENT HETEROSEXUAL WH A GIRLIEND — IS SENT UNRVER THE GAY LEATHER SCENE ORR TO TRACK DOWN A SERIAL KILLER WHO HAS BEEN TARGETG GAY MEN. THE ASSIGNMENT LEADS HIM TO QUTN HIS OWN SEXUALY AS HE VISS THE LEATHER BARS AND VELOPS A IENDSHIP WH A GAY MAN, TED (PLAYED BY DON SRDO), WHO IS NOT PART OF THE SCENE. VIEWED BY SOME AS GROUNDBREAKG AND LIBERATELY AMBIGUO, AND BY OTHERS AS AN HERENT AND HOMOPHOBIC MS, THE FILM IS DUE OUT LATER THIS YEAR ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FALLY, THE EMMY-WNG, STAR-LAN, 2003 HBO TELEVISN ADAPTATN OF TONY KHNER'S PULZER PRIZE-WNG PLAY ANGELS AMERI, PACO PLAYED ROY COHN, A FICTNAL CHARACTER BASED ON A REAL-LIFE FIGURE OF THE MCCARTHY REGIME, A HOMOPHOBIC, HOMOSEXUAL LAWYER WHO DIED OF AIDS 1986. FOUL-MOUTHED, CHARISMATIC, BLUNTLY ANK ABOUT HIS HOMOSEXUALY TO HIS DOCTOR (PLAYED BY JAM CROMWELL) WHILE NYG TO THE RT OF THE WORLD, PACO'S COHN IS, PERHAPS UNSURPRISGLY, THE MOST MEMORABLE THG THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}4. ROBERT REDFORD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EVERY GAY MOVIE VIEWER WORTH HIS SALT WANTS TO BELIEVE THAT REDFORD AND NEWMAN WERE PLAYG GAY (IF VERTLY) BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969). AND IF THE BROKEBACK MOUNTA-STYLE VER OF THE FILM'S 2006 DVD RE-RELEASE IS ANYTHG TO GO BY, TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HAS APPARENTLY HAD THE SAME {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE REDFORD AN ACKNOWLEDGED QUEER ROLE WILL HAVE TO MAKE DO WH THE FILM INSI DAISY CLOVER (1965). REDFORD PLAYS WA LEWIS, A HANDSOME, YOUNG MOVIE STAR WHOM OUT SCREENWRER GAV LAMBERT IALLY NCEIVED AS A CLOSETED HOMOSEXUAL. REDFORD ASKED THAT THE CHARACTER BE REWRTEN AS BISEXUAL; THE STUD GOT LD FEET OVER THE NTROVERSIAL NTENT; AND BY THE END, LEWIS' SEXUALY WAS BASILLY BOILED DOWN TO A UPLE OF L. (CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER TELLS NATALIE WOOD AFTER REDFORD HAS LEFT HER THAT "YOUR HBAND NEVER ULD RIST A CHARMG BOY."){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NEVERTHELS, WA LEWIS WAS NOTABLE BOTH FOR BEG SUCH AN EARLY QUEER CHARACTER, AND FOR THE FACT THAT — UNLIKE QUEER HOLLYWOOD MOVIE CHARACTERS BEFORE AND SCE — HE APPARENTLY GO OFF TO HAVE A PERFECTLY NICE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}3. BCE WILLIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THE 1997 SPENSE THRILLER THE JACKAL (A REMAKE OF THE 1973 FILM THE DAY OF THE JACKAL), WILLIS PLAYS WHAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A FAIRLY STANDARD ROLE FOR HIM. HE IS A HARNED, MACHO KILLER, A MAN OF ACTN AND A MASTER OF DISGUISE WHO N ASSUME MULTIPLE INTI. BUT THIS TIME, THIS KILLER'S INTI CLU A GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN WASHGTON, D.C., HE GO TO A GAY BAR, PICKS UP A GAY MAN (PLAYED BY OUT ACTOR STEPHEN SPELLA), AND KISS HIM. STRAIGHT MALE WILLIS FANS MIGHT HOWL AT THE IA THAT "THE JACKAL" WAS GENUELY MEANT TO BE QUEER — AND NO DOUBT 'S NOT WHAT THE STUD TEND. BUT ALTHOUGH THE SPELLA CHARACTER DO LATER PROVE OF MOR E TO WILLIS, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO REAL REASON WHY HE ULDN'T HAVE ED A WOMAN THE SAME WAY — OR WHY HE HAD TO KISS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ALL THAT SAID, THE MOVIE DIDN'T EXACTLY W ANY PRIZ FOR GAY VISIBILY. AFTER A TT DIENCE RPOND WH APPLSE TO THE SCENE WHERE WILLIS FALLY SHOOTS SPELLA AD, GLAAD PERSUAD THE FILMMAKERS TO RHOOT THE SCENE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT SPELLA IS KILLED BEE HE HAS REALIZED THAT WILLIS IS THE JACKAL, AND NOT BEE HE IS GAY. SO, FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNTG, THAT'S ONE MORE GAY MOVIE CHARACTER WHO MEETS AN EARLY, VLENT ATH — BUT HEY, AT LEAST 'S NOT BEE OF HOMOPHOBIA, RIGHT?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}2. MARLON BRANDO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THE 1967 FILM REFLECTNS A GOLN EYE, BASED ON A NOVEL BY BISEXUAL WRER CARSON MCCULLERS, BRANDO PLAYS MAJ. WELDON PENRTON, THE REPRSED HOMOSEXUAL HBAND OF LEONORA (PLAYED BY ELIZABETH TAYLOR). PENRTON IS OBSSED WH PVT. WILLIAMS (PLAYED BY ROBERT FORSTER), AND OM THERE ON THGS UNFOLD THE TRAGIC, OVERWROUGHT FASHN YOU MIGHT EXPECT OM A GAY-THEMED MOVIE MA THE '{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SUGGTNS THAT BRANDO MAY HAVE BEEN LS UPTIGHT HIS OWN LIFE. IN A WILY QUOTED (THOUGH UNTHENTITED) TERVIEW, HE SUPPOSEDLY TOLD A JOURNALIST THAT "LIKE A LARGE NUMBER OF MEN, I TOO HAVE HAD HOMOSEXUAL EXPERIENC, AND I AM NOT ASHAMED. … DEEP DOWN, I FEEL AMBIGUO."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MARIA SCHNEIR, HIS -STAR LAST TANGO PARIS, HAS BEEN QUOTED AS SAYG THAT SHE AND BRANDO GOT ALONG BEE "WE'RE BOTH BISEXUAL." ASSUMG THE QUOTATNS ARE ACCURATE, 'S A WHOLE OTHER QUTN WHETHER BRANDO HAD GOOD TASTE MEN. IN A 1994 TELEVISN TERVIEW ON LARRY KG LIVE, PROMOTG HIS TOBGRAPHY, BRANDO FAMOLY FISHED BY KISSG KG ON THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}1. FORT WHAKER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAKER WAS THIS YEAR'S WNER OF THE AMY AWARD FOR BT ACTOR FOR HIS PERFORMANCE AS IDI AM, THE MAD, BAD, UGANDAN DICTATOR, THE BRISH DRAMA THE LAST KG OF STLAND. BUT HIS BACK TALOGUE CLUS NOT ONE BUT TWO QUEER ROL. IN 1992, HE STARRED AS THE GENTLE, CRICKET-LOVG BRISH SOLDIER JODY NEIL JORDAN'S HIGHLY UNNVENTNAL SLEEPER H THE CRYG GAME. JODY IS LOVE WH THE BETIFUL, EXOTIC, TRANSGENR DIL (PLAYED BY JAYE DAVIDSON), BUT HE ALSO FLIRTS WH IRA FOOT SOLDIER FERG (PLAYED BY STEPHEN REA), TELLG HIM, "YOU'RE THE ONE … WH THE KILLER SE AND THE BABY FACE. … YOU'RE THE HANDSOME ONE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 1994, WHAKER FOLLOWED THIS UP WH AN APPEARANCE AS THE GAY FASHN SIGNER CY BIAN, PARTNERED WH A FLAMBOYANT RICHARD E. GRANT, ROBERT ALTMAN'S FLOP SATIRE OF THE FASHN DTRY, READY TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

In he plays a gay n artist who suckers rich New Yorkers by pretendg to be privileged, private-schooled, and Sidney Poier's son. The film was to have clud a gay love scene, but after he land the part (and filmg was halfway nclud) Will Smh apparently balked at actually kissg another actor onscreen.

The lear of a group of naways, Kg acts as a mentor to troubled kids such as gay htler Ltle J and junkie Greg.

Root around the annals of movie and televisn history, and you may be surprised at the number of famo actors who have gay or bisexual rol their pasts. Before Hugh Grant beme the go-to guy for straight romantic edi, he played gay Mrice (1987) and the TV movie Our Sons (1991).

23 CELEBS WHO WEREN'T AAID TO PLAY LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BT QUEER CHARACTERS ON FILM AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1600PX;HEIGHT:800PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}AND SCENE - ONCE UPON A TIME, PLAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER ON SCREEN WAS REER SUICI. TODAY, PORTRAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER N LEAD TO AN OSR W. FEATURG A-LISTERS LIKE QUEEN LATIFAH, WILL SMH AND TAYE DIGGS, HERE IS A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE MOST FAMO LGBT ROL ON THE BIG AND SMALL SCREEN.(PHOTOS OM LEFT: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG, PL ARCHULETA/FILMMAGIC, TONY BARSON/FILMMAGIC) {LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO BY FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY {WIDTH:4216PX;HEIGHT:2873PX;}2 / 24WILL SMH - IN 1993, WILL SMH PLAYED THE ROLE OF PL SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN, BASED ON THE TE-LIFE STORY OF DAVID HAMPTON, AN OPENLY GAY N MAN WHO MANAGED TO NVCE MANY PEOPLE HE WAS THE SON OF SIDNEY POIER.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2581PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}3 / 24FORT WHAKER - AMY AWARD-WNER FORT WHAKER, ALWAYS A WILLG PARTICIPANT TO PH THE ENVELOPE, PLAYED A FLAMBOYANT GAY FASHN SIGNER ROBERT ALTMAN'S PRêT-à-PORTER (1994). HE ALSO PLAYED A GAY CHARACTER THE CRYG GAME (1993).(PHOTO: JEFEY UFBERG/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2134PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 24WLEY SNIP - WLEY SNIP LAMPOONED HIS MACHO IMAGE TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHG! JULIE NEWMAR (1995), WHICH HE, ALONG WH PATRICK SWAYZE AND JOHN LEGUIZAMO, PLAYED A DRAG QUEEN. SNIP'S NOXEEMA JACKSON PLETE WH A BLOND WIG AND RED HIGH-HEELED SHO. NOXEEMA IS THE -WNER OF A DRAG QUEEN BETY PAGEANT AND IS NOT AAID OF WIGGLG HER HIPS.(PHOTO: JIM SPELLMAN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2149PX;HEIGHT:3235PX;}5 / 24QUEEN LATIFAH - QUEEN LATIFAH WAS UNFETTABLE HER ROLE AS CLEO SIMS, A TOUGH, LBIAN BANK ROBBER THE 1996 BOX-OFFICE H SET IT OFF. THE CHARACTER EARNED HER AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMATN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:2063PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 24ISAIAH WASHGTON - IN 1996, FORMER GREY'S ANATOMY STAR ISAIAH WASHGTON PLAYED HALF OF A GAY UPLE ON THEIR WAY TO THE 1995 MILLN MAN MARCH WASHGTON, D.C., SPIKE LEE'S GET ON THE B. PLAYED BY HARRY LENNIX AND WASHGTON, THE GAY LOVERS ARE ON THE VERGE OF SEPARATN.(PHOTO: MATHEW IMAGG/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2456PX;HEIGHT:3500PX;}7 / 24GIANRLO ESPOSO - GIANRLO ESPOSO PLAYED JOSEPH, GLORIA MATTHEW'S (LORETTA DEVE) EX-HBAND AND FATHER OF HER CHILD (DONALD FAISON) WAG TO EXHALE. HE DROPS A BOMB ON GLORIA THE FILM WHEN HE OUT OF THE CLOSET AS A GAY MAN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2167PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}8 / 24ROCKMOND DUNBAR - ROCKMOND DUNBAR, BT KNOWN FOR HIS LEADG ROLE AS KENNY CHADWAY ON THE CRILLY-ACCLAIMED TELEVISN SERI SOUL FOOD, PLAYED A GAY MAN PUNKS (2000) AND DIRTY LNDRY (2006), WHICH HIS CHARACTER WAS A MAGAZE EDOR.(PHOTOS: MRY PHILLIPS/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}9 / 24VG RHAM - VG RHAM PORTRAYED A DRAG QUEEN THE TELEVISN MOVIE HOLIDAY HEART (2000) AND A GAY MAN I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY (2007).(PHOTO: LEE CELANO/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2500PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}10 / 24ANTHONY MACKIE - IN 2004, ANTHONY MACKIE WAS AN UP-AND-G ACTOR AND ALREADY EXPERIENCED BIG SUCCS FOR PLAYG EMEM'S BFF 8 MILE. HOWEVER, HE SHOWED OFF HIS JULLIARD-TRAED ACTG CHOPS AS THE LEAD RODNEY EVANS'S BROTHER TO BROTHER. MACKIE TACKLED THE ROLE OF PERRY — AN ART STUNT WHO WAS ON THE SEARCH FOR LOVE WHILE SIMULTANEOLY LEARNG THE ROOTS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE VIA AN OLR GAY MAN — WH GRACE. THE RISK PAID OFF, EARNG MACKIE AN INPENNT SPIR AWARD FOR BT DEBUT PERFORMANCE.(PHOTO: LARS NIKI/GETTY IMAG FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOE NEW YORK){WIDTH:2150PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}11 / 24TAYE DIGGS - IN EARLY 2006, TAYE DIGGS GUT-STARRED FOR SEVERAL EPISOS AS WILL TMAN'S LOVE TERT, JAM, ON THE FAL SEASON OF WILL & GRACE.(PHOTO: MICHAEL ZORN/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2382PX;HEIGHT:3177PX;}12 / 24GABRIELLE UNN - GABRIELLE UNN ADD PLAYG A LBIAN TO HER FILMOGRAPHY 2006 WH A STANDOUT ROLE AS ANTE BENNG’S LOVER THE FILM ADAPTATN OF AUGTEN BURROUGH'S BT-SELLG MEMOIR RUNNG WH SCISSORS.(PHOTO: JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2921PX;HEIGHT:4389PX;}13 / 24TARAJI P. HENSON - IN 2006'S SMOK' AC, TARAJI P. HENSON WAS SHARICE WATERS, A HARD-RE LBIAN ASSASS WHO HAD A CSH ON HER PARTER--CRIME GEIA SYK (ALICIA KEYS).(PHOTO: KEV MAZUR/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 24JADA PKETT-SMH - IN 2008, JADA PKETT SMH PLAYED A LBIAN THE WOMEN, WHICH ALSO STARRED ANTE BENNG AND EVA MENS. SMH SAID ABOUT THE ROLE, "I ENJOYED PLAYG A LBIAN AND I WISH I ULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF A LBIAN THE MOVIE, BUT I WASN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT."(PHOTO: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3194PX;HEIGHT:4200PX;}15 / 24KERRY WASHGTON - IN 2009, KERRY WASHGTON WOWED DIENC PLAYG A TRANSGENR WOMAN LIFE IS HOT CRACKTOWN.  SHE TOLD ABOUT THE ROLE, "ONE OF THE THGS I REALIZED APPROACHG THIS ROLE WAS THAT I ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT EARLY ON THAT I WAS GOG TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT BEG A WOMAN — PERD. BEE, REALLY, WHAT A TRANS WOMAN IS, IS SOMEBODY WHO IS A WOMAN BUT WHOSE BLOGY HAS BETRAYED THEM SOMEWAY."(PHOTO: AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2152PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 24GUN HILL ROAD AND PARIAH - THE TWO DIE FILMS DIDN'T HAVE MAJOR STAR POWER, BUT WERE CRIL DARLGS 2011. RASHAAD ERNTO GREEN'S GUN HILL ROAD STARRED HARMONY SANTANA AS A TRANSGENR TEEN LIVG THE BRONX. DEE RE'S PARIAH FEATURED APERO ODUYE AS A LBIAN TEENAGER OM BROOKLYN STGGLG WH INTY AND FAY. BOTH FILMS WERE HONORED WH VAR DIE AWARDS AND PROVED THAT LGBT STORI ARE NECCSARY.  (PHOTO: JOHN LAMPARSKI/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 24LENNY KRAVZ - THE WORLD-FAMO ROCKER LOOKED FOR A PROVOTIVE CHARACTER TO PLAY FOR HIS RETURN TO THE BIG SCREEN AND HE FOUND HUNGER GAM' CNA, WHO IS BISEXUAL. TO PORTRAY THE FLAMBOYANT STYLIST, KRAVZ SAYS HE CHANNELED "A IEND WHO IS A DANCER WHO IS BISEXUAL, AND HE WAS A LOT OF SPIRATN FOR MY SPEECH PATTERN AND MY RHYTHM, AND KD OF THE WAY I SNTERED AND OUT A LTLE B." (PHOTO: CHELSEA LREN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:1300PX;HEIGHT:900PX;}18 / 24JEFEY WRIGHT - WRIGHT WAS NOMATED FOR A GOLN GLOBE AND WON AN EMMY FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF A DRAG QUEEN MIKE NICHOLS'S TELEVISN ADAPTATN OF PULZER PRIZE-WNG PLAY ANGELS AMERI, ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE RELATNSHIPS AND LIV ARE AFFECTED BY AIDS. THE SERI WENT ON TO BREAK THE RERD PREVLY HELD BY ROOTS FOR WNG THE MOST EMMYS.(PHOTOS: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG)19 / 24MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS - AS GUN-TOTG STICK-UP MAN OMAR LTLE ON THE WIRE, WILLIAMS GAVE ONE OF THE MOST SUBTLE, HONT AND SURPRISG PORTRAYALS OF A GAY MAN ON TELEVISN. THE CHARACTER'S PERSONAL LIFE, AND THE NER LIFE WILLIAMS BROUGHT TO , WAS SO NUANCED AND UNIQUE THAT PRINT OBAMA LLED HIM HIS FAVORE CHARACTER ON TELEVISN.(PHOTOS: JOHN RIRD/BET)20 / 24DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON - JOHNSON PLAYED A GAY BODYGUARD WH DREAMS OF STARDOM THIS SEQUEL TO THE H HEIST EDY GET SHORTY. THOUGH THIS CHARACTER'S JOB WAS NOT A STRETCH FOR THE ROCK, HIS PERSONAL LIFE CERTALY WAS.  (PHOTOS: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAG)ADVERTISEMENT21 / 24TONY BRAVADO - ON LET'S STAY TOGETHER, BRAVADO PLAYED DARKANIAN LE'JOHNSON, A CLOSETED PROFSNAL FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO OVERPENSAT FOR HIS SECRET RELATNSHIP WH A MAN BY LAYG ON THICK WH THE LADI.(PHOTOS: PERVIS PR){WIDTH:2274PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}22 / 24GAV HOTON - THIS ACTOR'S ACTG REER STARTED 1992 AN EPISO OF THE COSBY SHOW, BUT HIS BIG BREAK ME 2013 WHEN HE STARRED AS JEFEY HARRGTON, THE CLOSETED GAY SON OF A POLICIAN, TYLER PERRY'S THE HAV AND THE HAVE NOTS.(PHOTO: CHRIS MCKAY/WIREIMAGE)

Even Will Smh played a gay role the 1993 film Six Degre of Separatn, though he refed to kiss a man on mera. It jt go to show that playg gay is not the reer-killer was once thought to be.

WILL {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}WILL SMH TRANSNED OM SUCCSFUL RAPPER TO HOLLYWOOD A-LISTER, STARRG ON 'THE FRH PRCE OF BEL-AIR' BEFORE HEADLG SUCH FILMS AS 'INPENNCE DAY,' 'MEN BLACK' AND 'ALI.'{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 22, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: JEROD HARRIS/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1968-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS WILL SMH?AFTER WILL SMH MET JEFF TOWN AT AGE 16, THE DUO LNCHED A HIGHLY SUCCSFUL RAP REER AS DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRH PRCE. SMH STARRED ON THE S THE FRH PRCE OF BEL-AIR FOR SIX SEASONS, BEFORE TABLISHG HIMSELF AS A HOLLYWOOD A-LISTER WH BAD BOYS (1995) AND INPENNCE DAY (1996). HE HAS SCE HEADLED SUCH POPULAR FILMS AS MEN BLACK (1997) AND HCH (2005) AND EARNED OSR NOMATNS FOR ALI (2001) AND THE PURSU OF HAPPYNS (2006). SMH ALSO EARNED ACCLAIM FOR CONCSN (2015), BEFORE RETURNG TO ACTN FARE WH SUICI SQUAD (2016).EARLY LIFESMH WAS BORN WILLARD CARROLL SMH JR. ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1968, PHILALPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, TO MOTHER CAROLE, A SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEE, AND FATHER WILLARD C. SMH, A REIGERATN PANY OWNER. HIS MIDDLE-CLASS UPBRGG SAW HIM ATTEND THE STRICT OUR LADY OF LOURS CATHOLIC SCHOOL, SPE HIS FAY'S OBSERVATN OF THE BAPTIST FAH. HE WENT ON TO ATTEND OVERBROOK HIGH SCHOOL.HIS WT PHILALPHIA NEIGHBORHOOD WAS A MELTG POT OF CULTUR WHERE ORTHODOX JEWS -EXISTED WH A LARGE MLIM POPULATN. SMH WAS A GOOD STUNT WHOSE CHARMG PERSONALY AND QUICK TONGUE WERE RENOWNED FOR GETTG HIM OUT OF TROUBLE, A TRA FOR WHICH HE SOON GAED THE NICKNAME "PRCE.''SMH BEGAN RAPPG AT AGE 12, EMULATG HERO LIKE GRANDMASTER FLASH BUT TGEG HIS RHYM WH A EDIC ELEMENT THAT WOULD LATER BEE HIS TRAMARK. AT 16 SMH MET FUTURE LLABORATOR JEFF TOWN AT A PARTY. THE PAIR BEME IENDS, AND THE DUO DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRH PRCE WAS BORN.MIC CAREERAS TEENS, DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRH PRCE BEGAN PRODUCG MIC BUT STEERED CLEAR OF THE GANGSTA RAP SOUND THAT WAS EMERGG OM THE WT COAST BY GROUPS LIKE N.W.A. THE FRH PRCE RAPPED ABOUT TEENAGE PREOCCUPATNS A CLEAN, CURSE-EE STYLE THAT MIDDLE AMERI FOUND SAFE AND ENTERTAG. THE PAIR'S FIRST SGLE, "GIRLS A'T NOTHG BUT TROUBLE," WAS A H 1986. THEIR 1987 BUT ALBUM, ROCK THE HOE, H THE BILLBOARD TOP 200, AND MA SMH A LNAIRE BEFORE THE AGE OF 18. THE EARLY SUCCS PUT ANY THOUGHTS OF ATTENDG LLEGE OUT OF SMH'S MD. EARLY ON, WAS REPORTED THAT SMH HAD TURNED DOWN A SCHOLARSHIP TO BOSTON'S ELE MASSACHETTS INSTUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT), BUT SMH LATER DISPELLED THE MOR WHEN HE TOLD AN TERVIEWER: "MY MOTHER, WHO WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OF PHILALPHIA, HAD A IEND WHO WAS THE ADMISSNS OFFICER AT MIT. I HAD PRETTY HIGH SAT SR AND THEY NEED BLACK KIDS, SO I PROBABLY ULD HAVE GOTTEN . BUT I HAD NO TENTN OF GOG TO LLEGE." IN 1988, DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRH PRCE NTUED THEIR SUCCS WH THE ALBUM HE'S THE DJ, I'M THE RAPPER. FEATURG THE RAD-IENDLY SGL "PARENTS JT DON'T UNRSTAND," "BRAND NEW FUNK," AND "NIGHTMARE ON MY STREET," THE ALBUM WON THE FIRST-EVER GRAMMY AWARD FOR BT RAP PERFORMANCE. IT WAS FOLLOWED 1989 BY AND IN THIS CORNER..., WHICH NTUED THE PAIR'S RISE TO STARDOM.MOVI AND TV SHOWS'THE FRH PRCE OF BEL-AIR'TWO YEARS LATER, SMH BEGAN HIS CROSSOVER TO ACTG. DRAWG ON HIS EXPERIENC WH FLEDGLG STARDOM, NBC SIGNED SMH TO HEADLE A S ABOUT A STREET-SMART KID OM PHILALPHIA WHO MOV WH STUFFY RELATIV THE POSH LOS ANGEL NEIGHBORHOOD OF BEL-AIR. PLAYG ON HIS RAPPER PERSONA, AND AT TIM FEATURG HIS IEND TOWNE, THE FRH PRCE OF BEL-AIR WAS A HUGE SUCCS THAT RAN FOR SIX SEASONS. MEANWHILE, SMH AND TOWNE NTUED PRODUCG MIC, THEIR 1991 ALBUM HOMEBASE PRODUCG THE HS "SUMMERTIME" AND "RG MY BELL." THEIR FAL ALBUM TOGETHER, 1993'S CO RED, WAS NOTABLE FOR "BOOM! SHAKE THE ROOM."'WHERE THE DAY TAK YOU' AND 'SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN' WHILE STILL MAKG THE FRH PRCE OF BEL-AIR, SMH BEGAN A SEND CROSSOVER TO MOVI. SMALL ROL THE DRAMA WHERE THE DAY TAK YOU (1992) AND THE EDY MA IN AMERI (1993) WERE FOLLOWED BY A CRILLY ACCLAIMED LEAD SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN (1993). HOLDG HIS OWN ALONGSI {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}DONALD SUTHERLAND, STOCKARD CHANNG AND IAN MCKELLEN, SMH PLAYED A STREET-WISE GAY HTLER WHO NS HIS WAY THROUGH ELE CIRCL.'BAD BOYS' SMH'S FIRST STEPS TO SUPERSTARDOM ME WH HIS NEXT FILM, BAD BOYS (1995). THE HIGH-BUDGET P MOVIE SAW HIM TEAM UP WH IC MART LAWRENCE, BREAKG AWAY OM THE BLACK-P-WHE-P FORMULA THAT HAD BEEN SO SUCCSFUL FOR BEVERLY HILLS COP AND THE LETHAL WEAPON SERI. THE TWO BLACK LEADS PROVED AN STANT SUCCS AND SMH — PLAYG THE SMOOTH LADY KILLER TO LAWRENCE'S CLOWN — WAS TABLISHED AS LEADG MAN MATERIAL.'INPENNCE DAY'SMH NEXT TOOK ON THE EPIC SCI-FI FLICK INPENNCE DAY (1996), A ROLE THAT NFIRMED HIM AS A MAJOR PLAYER HOLLYWOOD AND THE GO-TO GUY FOR SUMMER BLOCKBTERS. HE PLAYED A PILOT LEADG THE UNTERATTACK AGAST VADG ALIEN FORC, AND HIS EDIC TALENTS EFFORTLSLY TRANSFORMED TO THE PHY ONE-LERS ALL ACTN HERO NEED TO BE ABLE TO DROP WHILE DISPATCHG THEIR ENEMI.'MEN BLACK' AND 'ENEMY OF THE STATE' SMH FOUGHT ALIENS AGA HIS NEXT BLOCKBTER, THE IC SCI-FI ACTN FILM, MEN BLACK (1997). PLAYG OPPOSE TOMMY LEE JON, SMH CHEWED UP THE SCREEN AS THE NEW REC TO JON' OLD HAND. SMH RAPPED THE THEME SONG, AND S CLN ON HIS 1997 SOLO ALBUM, BIG WILLIE STYLE, BROUGHT THE MULTI-TALENTED ACTOR MORE SUCCS. ANOTHER BLOCKBTER FOLLOWED WH THE SLICK NSPIRACY THRILLER ENEMY OF THE STATE (1998), WHICH EARNED SMH AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMATN FOR OUTSTANDG ACTOR A MOTN PICTURE.'WILD WILD WT' AND 'THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE' THE STRG OF HS ME TO AN END 1999 WH WILD WILD WT, A SCI-FI WBOY WTERN -STARRG KEV KLE. DPE THE FILM'S LACKLTER BOX-OFFICE PERFORMANCE, THE TRACK SMH CUT FOR THE FILM BEME A H ON HIS 1999 ALBUM, WILLENNIUM. THE GOLF MOVIE THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE (2000) WAS HIS NEXT BIG FILM, WH SMH PLAYG THE DDIE TO MATT DAMON'S OUT-OF-SORTS SWGER.OSR NOMATN FOR 'ALI' THE 2001 BPIC ALI, BASED ON BOXG LEGEND MUHAMMAD ALI, GAVE SMH THE OPPORTUNY TO REGA HIS BIG-SCREEN SWAGGER. HIS TURN AS THE CHARISMATIC BOXG GREAT SAW SMH PUT THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS LIFE, TRAG AND DISCIPLG HIMSELF TO EXTRAORDARY LENGTHS TO DO JTICE TO THE ATHLETICISM — AND EGO — OF THE TULAR CHARACTER. THE FILM UNRWHELMED AT THE BOX OFFICE SPE A RERD-BREAKG OPENG DAY, BUT SMH'S PERFORMANCE WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO GARNER HIM HIS FIRST AMY AWARD NOMATN.'MEN BLACK II,' 'BAD BOYS II' AND 'I, ROBOT'A UPLE OF SEQUELS WERE NEXT, WH SMH REPRISG HIS ROL MEN IN BLACK II (2002) AND BAD BOYS II (2003). NEHER WAS A FLOP, BUT NEHER MATCHED THE IMPRSIVE BOX-OFFICE TAKE OF S PRECSOR. STAYG WH THE SCI-FI ACTN THEME, SMH MOVED ON TO I, ROBOT 2004. THE ISAAC ASIMOV ADAPTATN FEATURED SMH AS A FUTURISTIC P VTIGATG A MURR BY A ROBOT AND THEN BATTLG A ROBOT SURGENCY. THE FILM PERFORMED WELL, GROSSG MORE THAN $144 LN DOMTILLY.'HCH' AND 'THE PURSU OF HAPPYNS' SMH'S SMOOTH-TALKG CHARMER PERSONA WAS PUT TO E THE 2005 ROMANTIC EDY HCH, PLAYG A DATG NSULTANT WHO HELPS LUCKLS GUYS WH THEIR ROMANTIC MOV. SMH ALSO PENNED THE THEME SONG AND CLUD ON HIS 2005 ALBUM, LOST AND FOUND. HCH WAS A MASSIVE SUCCS, AND WAS FOLLOWED 2006 BY ANOTHER CRIL AND FANCIAL H, THE PURSU OF HAPPYNS (2006). STARRG ALONGSI HIS REAL-LIFE SON JAN, SMH PTIVATED DIENC WH THE STORY OF A SGLE FATHER WHO HAS TO BUILD A LIFE OM SCRATCH. HE RECEIVED HIS SEND AMY AWARD NOMATN FOR BT ACTOR FOR HIS PERFORMANCE.'I AM LEGEND' IN 2007, SMH STARRED I AM LEGEND, A REMAKE OF THE CHARLTON HTON FILM OMEGA MAN, WHICH HE BATTLED BLOODTHIRSTY VAMPIR. THE FILM BEME A NATNAL AND TERNATNAL H.'HANCK,' 'SEVEN POUNDS,' AND 'MEN BLACK 3' SMH THEN TOOK ON THE DUAL ROLE OF ACTOR AND PRODUCER FOR HANCK (2008), WHICH HE PLAYED AN ALHOLIC ANTI-SUPERHERO, AND FOR SEVEN POUNDS (2008), ABOUT A MAN WHO SETS OUT TO CHANGE THE LIV OF SEVEN PEOPLE. HE ALSO HELPED PRODUCE TWO MORE FILMS RELEASED THAT YEAR, LAKEVIEW TERRACE AND THE SECRET LIFE OF BE. AFTER A HIAT, SMH RETURNED TO THE BIG SCREEN 2012 WH MEN BLACK 3, FOLLOWED BY A TURN AS A ARY MANR THE CRILLY PANNED M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN SCI-FI FLICK AFTER EARTH, WHICH -STARRED SMH'S SON JAN. HE THEN MA A MEO AS LUCIFER THE FILM WTER'S TALE (2014). 'FOC,' 'CONCSN,' 'SUICI SQUAD'SMH'S NEXT LEADG ROLE ME WH THE 2015 HEIST PER FOC, -STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE. LATER THE YEAR, HE STARRED AS DR. BEN OMALU THE SPORTS DRAMA CONCSN, EARNG A GOLN GLOBE NOMATN FOR HIS ROLE AS A DOCTOR FIGHTG TO RAISE AWARENS ABOUT HEAD TRMA NFL PLAYERS. IN 2016, SMH STARRED THE DC COMICS BLOCKBTER H SUICI SQUAD, WHICH BEME HIS MOST SUCCSFUL FILM SCE 1996'S INPENNCE DAY. THE SAME YEAR, HE ALSO TOOK ON A MORE SOMBER ROLE AS A FATHER WHO LOS HIS YOUNG DGHTER THE DRAMA COLLATERAL BETY. ALTHOUGH A FOLLOW-UP ENAVOR, BRIGHT (2017), WAS THOROUGHLY PANNED BY CRICS, DIENC RPOND MORE POSIVELY TO THE URBAN FANTASY CRIME FLICK.'ALADD,' 'GEMI MAN' AND 'BAD BOYS FOR LIFE'IN FEBARY 2019, SMH ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE RETURNG FOR THE SUICI SQUAD SEQUEL. AROUND THAT TIME, A MERCIAL DURG THE GRAMMY AWARDS REVEALED HIM AS A WISECRACKG GENIE GUY RCHIE'S LIVE-ACTN ADAPTATN OF DISNEY'S ALADD, WHICH WENT ON TO TOP $1 BILLN AT THE GLOBAL BOX OFFICE. NEXT UP WAS ANG LEE'S GEMI MAN, WHICH HAD SMH PULLG DOUBLE DUTY — WH HELP OM DIGAL TECHNOLOGY — AS A 50-YEAR-OLD ASSASS ASSIGNED TO KILL A 23-YEAR-OLD VERSN OF HIMSELF.THE A-LISTER CLOSED OUT THE YEAR BY VOICG SUPER AGENT LANCE STERLG THE ANIMATED SPI DISGUISE, ALONGSI TOM HOLLAND, BEFORE OPENG 2020 WH A RETURN TO HIS SUCCSFUL P-BUDDY ANCHISE BAD BOYS FOR LIFE.PERSONAL LIFESMH HAS BEEN MARRIED TWICE. HIS FIRST MARRIAGE, TO SHEREE ZAMPO 1992, LASTED ONLY THREE YEARS BUT PRODUCED A SON, WILLARD SMH III (B. 1992), ALSO KNOWN AS TREY. HE HAS BEEN MARRIED TO ACTRS JADA PKETT SMH SCE 1997. THE UPLE'S SON, JAN, WAS BORN 1998, AND THEIR DGHTER, WILLOW, WAS BORN 2000. SMH LEANS POLILLY LIBERAL AND HAS MA DONATNS TO THE PRINTIAL MPAIGNS OF BARACK OBAMA. SMH IS A FAN OF CHS AND VIO GAM AND IS KNOWN TO TAKE HIS MOTHER ON VATN EVERY YEAR, UALLY TO THE CANYON RANCH SPA TUCSON, {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

Here are 10 of today's TV and film stars who played gay or bisexual rol — many of which have been nearly fotten — earlier their reers.

From 1982–88, he starred on Dynasty as the send actor to play Steven Carrgton, gay son of the show's ma fay and one of the earlit queer characters on Amerin show stggled to keep Steven's orientatn straight, so to speak. Though Rome won Emmy Awards for visual effects, hairstylg, art directn and stum, the show has been notable for mostly steerg clear of another aspect of ancient Roman society: male homosexual this wasn't the se the last time McKidd and Purefoy shared a screen.

IS WILL SMH GAY?

McKidd played Leo, a gay-intified man startg to be terted a woman. Wrten by Hanif Kureishi (who also wrote the classic gay movie My Betiful Lndrette), Buddha is the story of Karim Amir, a young, bisexual Brish Indian growg up London the '70s.

A loose bpic of Amerin mathematician John Forb Nash, the film ed a furor the gay muny over claims that the filmmakers had whewashed Nash's alleged bisexualy (even though Nash himself ni beg bisexual).

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* WILL SMITH FIRST GAY MOVIE

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class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--cm-riser"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><div class="StickyHeroAdWrapper-eNLJUc gStsdY ad-stickyhero ad-stickyhero--standard ad-stickyhero-enable-mobile should-hold-space"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--hero"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--hero" data-no-id="lzfu6h"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-hero" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-hero"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><ma id="ma-ntent" tabx="-1" class="BasePageMaContent-kFvAuh ewPCZH page__ma-ntent"><article class="article ma-ntent" lang="en-US"><div class="ArticlePageLeBackground-EufvU tFsh"><hear class="ContentHearWrapper-clujbs kaZCaf ntent-hear article__ntent-hear"><div data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp cCntXd"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT eRFpQc"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kpuNXj bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fTtYjx bric__lk" href="/culture"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd jPOabC BjYFU">Introducg the Real Will Smh</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ eASNBN">For s, he worked tirelsly to make himself the biggt movie star on the pla. Then he h his “fuck- 50s” and everythg changed. Now, as he prepar a raw new memoir and a pair of films tacklg racial them, Will Smh is ready to speak his tth.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gtxxjM byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd dlWgVJ gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd fhQbnq dzFUnH eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/wley-lowery">Wley Lowery</a></span></span></p><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gtxxjM byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd dlWgVJ gnILss byle__preamble">Photography by </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd fhQbnq dzFUnH eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/renell-medrano">Renell Medrano</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2021-09-27T08:00:00-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd ivrQAn cZpOSL">September 27, 2021</time></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard ContentHearAccredatnSocialIns-jorO fPzfaa ntent-hear__social-share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"></ul></div></div></div><div class="ContentHearLeadAsset-hGbumP diZztE lead-asset ContentHearLeadAssetWrapper-hfXHEc Grck lead-asset--width-fullbleed" data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset"><figure class="ContentHearLeadAssetContent-kOfYSG dRGWbI"><div class="ContentHearLeadAssetContentMedia-bLEIpi jjhWdS lead-asset__ntent__photo"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz eUwkJP"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Clothg Apparel Will Smh Su Overat and Coat" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn ContentHearLeadAssetCaptn-hPWmSN XczIg"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Su, $3,695, and shirt, $495, by Ralph Lren. Rg, $2,900, by David Yurman.</span></div></div></figure></div></div><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR oEIBz persistent-asi persistent-asi--align-left" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jNgrSF sticky-box ContentHearPersistentAsi-fsnAmQ dFzKzm"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--has-background ContentHearSocialIns-jzJiyg ctaZl social-ins--share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP eRxRjL"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eSsnKa"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p><strong>​​It has been</strong> a long, miserable day by the time Will Smh mak his way through the Louisiana mud past hundreds of extras. A posive (false, as turned out) COVID tt on set this morng meant a new round of nasal swabs for everyone. And a seri of thunrstorms has layed today’s shoot for hours—a 30-mute pse is mandated each and every time that lightng strik, and there have already been dozens.</p><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn bMBIDN llout--has-top-borr" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><p><a href=" target="_blank"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Human Person and Will Smh" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd fgkCnW iXWezO ptn__text">Will Smh vers the November 2021 issue of GQ. To get a py, subscribe to GQ.</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Shirt, $1,675, by Loro Piana. Necklace, $1,680, by Bulgari.</span></div></figure></a></p></div><p>Nothg has been easy about the makg of <em>Emancipatn,</em> an Apple TV+ project that tells the story of “Whipped Peter,” the Black man whose tattered back is picted one of the most famo photos of an enslaved Amerin. The movie was origally slated to shoot Geia, but filmg was reloted rponse to the state’s attempt to pass new votg rtrictns. The current lotn, ep the muck about an hour om New Orleans, requir a near daily battle wh the terra. By the time I showed up mid-July, productn was already behd schle. “We’re at the mercy of Mother Nature,” director Antoe Fuqua told me. “The heat, rastorms, lightng, mosquo, the swamp wh alligators.”</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="dvvbt"></div></div><p>And then, of urse, there is the subject matter. As I watch the filmg om a few feet away, Smh stands beneath a massive railway bridge the enslaved men are beg forced to nstct. Smoke om the nearby mpfir sticks to the skyle above, and the mera tch Smh’s character nspirg whispers wh his fellow workers about how they might fd eedom, jt out of earshot of their Conferate ptors.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>“I’ve always avoid makg films about slavery,” Smh had told me about an hour earlier as we sat a productn trailer. “In the early part of my reer… I didn’t want to show Black people that light. I wanted to be a superhero. So I wanted to pict Black excellence alongsi my whe unterparts. I wanted to play rol that you would give to Tom Cise. And the first time I nsired was <em>Django.</em> But I didn’t want to make a slavery film about vengeance.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa kFAtaa body ArticlePageBodyGridContaer-jrMoA-d xjuw body__grid-ntaer" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn jKBFhI llout--has-top-borr" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Furnure Couch Will Smh and Blanket" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Coat, $4,995, and turtleneck, $875, by Dolce & Gabbana. Pants, $995, by Loro Piana.</span></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p><em>Emancipatn</em> is different. It would be a disservice to thk of as a “slavery movie,” Smh explaed to me. It’s gog to be a David Lean–style epic, he said, wh the flavor of an actn flick. More <em>Apolypto</em> than <em>12 Years a Slave.</em> The story self is not (jt) about the humanizg vlence of slavery, ’s also about perseverance. Peter is believed to have ped the Conferacy 1863 after a harrowg 10-day journey through the Louisiana bayou, joed Lln’s army, and then returned to the South to help ee those he’d left behd. It’s a difficult story to tell, an even harr one to tell well, and exactly the type that, at this juncture his life and reer, the 53-year-old Smh is yearng to put out to the world.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p>“This was one that was about love and the power of Black love,” Smh said. “And that was somethg that I uld rock wh. We were gog to make a story about how Black love mak vcible.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="qkqky"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><hr/><p><strong>For s,</strong> Will Smh was driven by the sire to be the biggt movie star on earth—early his reer, he even me up wh a formula based on the top 10 box office succs of all time. He achieved that goal so effortlsly, lg the July Fourth weekend om 1996 (<em>Inpennce Day</em>) to 2008 (<em>Hanck</em>), that ’s easy to fet how unlikely was for a rapper turned actor. But over the last 10 years, as Smh has bee creasgly foced on evolvg as a human beg, a gulf has emerged between Will Smh the movie star and Will Smh the man.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>We’ve gotten glimps of his efforts to close that gap moments like last year’s <em>Frh Prce of Bel-Air</em> rnn, when he sat down wh the actor Ja Hubert and admted culpabily her parture om the s. There was also his appearance on his wife Jada Pkett Smh’s <em>Red Table Talk</em> Facebook show where he opened up about some of the most timate tails of their marriage, which birthed a red-eyed ter meme to rival the Cryg Jordan. He’s embraced social media—a young man’s game—wh the fervor of the aspirg actor he once was, not the global superstar he is today. And November, he’ll publish a memoir that reveals new rmatn about his troubled relatnship wh his father, his adventur self-actualizatn durg what he lls “the fuck- 50s,” and the ups and downs of his relatnship wh Jada.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Clothg Apparel Will Smh and Wood" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Jacket, $5,490, by Tom Ford. Turtleneck, $995, by Canali. Pants, $495, by Ralph Lren. Watch, $26,750, by Rolex. Bracelet, $2,200, by John Hardy. Rgs (on right hand, om left): $3,900, $3,900, and $2,800, by Fabergé. Rg (on left hand), $2,800, by Fabergé.</span></div></figure><p>Before I spoke to Smh, his llaborators and iends kept tellg me how great a place he’s at the moment—that he’s centered, liberate, and even spirual. Once we settled for a nversatn, Smh told me that his aim now is “strictly to tell stori that help people figure out how to be happy here.” He ntued: “The ia is I spent the first half of my life gatherg, gatherg, gatherg, and now the send half of my life is gog to be givg all away.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="y4ujzl"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>That means makg movi like <em>Kg Richard,</em> directed by Realdo Marc Green and due theaters this November, which Smh portrays Richard Williams, the eccentric, hard-nosed father of Ven and Serena. In the grand Smh tradn, ’s an spirg story of triumph over adversy that ntas an affectg character study. The irascible Williams traed both dghters wh balls llected om the tennis clubs he uldn’t get to, and protected them om the grd of tennis and the media a way that mak him look like a prophet of the current moment which athlet like Naomi Osaka and Simone Bil prrize their agency and mental health. Smh plays him as a crotchety, unbendg, but fiercely lovg parent. “My dad was and still is way before his time,” Serena Williams told me an email. “You see, when someone is different—when they don’t act or look how a person assumed they would—the first reactn is often fear. They thk, How do we break them? My dad anticipated that, but he would not allow himself or his fay to be broken.”</p><p>Smh’s portrayal, Serena add, was so nvcg that there were moments she had to remd herself that wasn’t actually her father on the screen. “Richard Williams is a lot like my father,” Smh explaed to me. “So when I first read [the script], I unrstood what ’s like to want your kids to succeed. I had done a ltle b wh my kids. I unrstood what was to try to mold a young md, how ’s different wh sons than is wh dghters.”</p><p><em>Emancipatn</em> is an even bigger swg, the kd of big-budget script that often lgers preproductn for years, if not s. Yet when Smh took the film to studs last year, Gee Floyd had died and the world had changed.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa kFAtaa body ArticlePageBodyGridContaer-jrMoA-d xjuw body__grid-ntaer" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div data-ttid="feature-large-llout" class="CalloutFeatureLargeWrapper-cGjDsT uKfZv"><div class="GroupCalloutWrapper-bPWknp gjCHDP llout llout--group llout--group-2" data-ttid="GroupCalloutWrapper"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed llout--group-em llout--group-em-1"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Clothg Apparel Overat Coat Will Smh Human Person and Su" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div></figure><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed llout--group-em llout--group-em-2"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Clothg Apparel Footwear Shoe Human Person Coat Overat and Will Smh" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Coat, $3,750, by The Row. Shirt, $1,300, by Brni. Pants, $1,395, by Grg Armani. Boots, $490, by Grenson. Rg (on right hand), $6,700, by David Yurman. Rgs (on left hand), $2,800 each, by Fabergé.</span></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>“The entire world was lockdown, watched what happened to Gee Floyd, and stood up wh one voice and said, <em>We see . We agree,</em>” Smh said. “That’s never happened before and wh that the opportuni are unlike they’ve ever been. I’ve been tryg to get movi ma for a long time. And the amount of money that Apple is payg to tell the story [of <em>Emancipatn</em>] is unprecented. And those opportuni are globally prent and plentiful.”</p><p>In a goln era for Black talent Hollywood, when fundg is available for projects that would once have been overlooked, Smh se no sense wonrg if the apple is poisoned. “I jt want to enurage Black Amerins to take the acknowledgment and seize upon the prent global opportuni,” Smh ntued. “I would jt like to argue ls about certa thgs and pay attentn to the big ripe u.”</p><p>Naturally, I asked him which <em>certa thgs</em> we should be argug about ls, promptg Smh to slow his sentenc and nsir his words refully. “This is a pfall area,” he told me, before divg to one of the more ntent semantic bat ntemporary polics.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="ra34"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>“So ‘Abolish the police. Defund the police.’ I would love if we would jt say ‘Defund the bad police.’ It’s almost like I want, as Black Amerins, for to change our marketg for the new posn we’re . So ‘cril race theory,’ jt ll ‘tth theory,’ ” Smh said. “The pendulum is swgg our directn betifully. And there’s a certa huy that will most palize on the moment for the future of Black Amerins, whout disuntg the difficulty and the pa and the emotn. This is a difficult area to discs, but I feel like the simplicy of Black Liv Matter was perfect. Anybody who tri to bate Black Liv Matter looks ridiculo. So when I talk about the marketg of our ias, Black Liv Matter was perfectn.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>“From a standpot of gettg done, Black Liv Matter gets done. ‘Defund the police’ don’t get done, no matter how good the ias are,” he ntued. “I’m not sayg we shouldn’t fund the police. I’m sayg, jt don’t say that, bee then people who would help you won’t.”</p><hr/><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Furnure Stg Human Person Will Smh Couch Clothg and Apparel" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Shirt, $1,675, by Loro Piana. Pants, $4,490, by Bottega Vea. Sho, $775, by Jimmy Choo. Watch, $21,200, by Omega. Necklace, $1,680, by Bulgari. Bracelet, $2,200, by John Hardy. Rg, $2,800, by Fabergé.</span></div></figure><p><strong>You n’t blame</strong> Smh if he’s nfint he knows the bt way to tell a story: The man is a natural rantr. Between tak, I watched as he relled wh his assistants the time, while filmg <em>Concsn</em> Ptsburgh, that they all attempted to make to an eveng showg of Denzel Washgton’s <em>The Equalizer,</em> also directed by Fuqua. The driver of the r, a dreadlocked iend named Sty wh a Tridadian accent to match, had missed the ex—forcg them to take a 22-mute loop orr to turn around. Then, he missed aga. “What’s the pot of gog to the movi if you miss the trailers?” Smh yelled out, promptg Sty to throw their vehicle reverse and back up on the eeway until they got to the ex. Smh told the story at least three tim as addnal people joed the circle—each new rendn featurg new tails, new animated gtur, and an even more refed take on Sty’s accent—until his staff and secury were all gigglg wh glee.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="du9y1g"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>This November, when his memoir, <em>Will,</em> hs bookshelv, the world will receive the most unvarnished versn to date of Smh’s own story. He had wanted to wre a book for a few years by the time his team reached out to Mark Manson, thor of the mega bt seller, <em>The Subtle Art of Not Givg a Fuck,</em> while Smh was filmg 2019’s <em>Gemi Man.</em> “An hour later, I’m on his private jet,” Manson relled, addg that the entire experience still seems surreal: “Piec of my bra were splattered agast the wall.”</p><p>The two spent a few days on the Cayman Islands, gettg to know each other and brastormg. “I’ve spent my whole reer hidg my te self om the world,” Manson said Smh told him. “I want this book to show people who I really am.” Later, Smh explaed to me that he “jt really wanted to totally stroy the clgg to ‘Will Smh,’ tryg to separate the image of Will Smh om who I actually am.” By the last day of their trip, Manson prented a rough chapter outle. “Hell yeah, hell yeah!” he said Smh exclaimed, nng around the room excement. “This is !”</p><p>Smh’s story starts Wynnefield, the middle-class neighborhood Wt Philalphia where his parents moved the fay when he was two years old. “For a young Black fay the 1970s, this was as ‘Amerin Dream’ as you uld get,” he wr of the tightly cltered brick row ho. In the book, he discs what he scrib as one of the fg experienc of his life: at the age of ne, watchg as his father punched his mother the si of the head. It was not the only vlence Smh saw his father flict while growg up, but this particular cint, he wr, “has fed who I am today.” His brother jumped up, tryg to tervene. His sister fled, hidg her bedroom. Smh remembers eezg, too sred to do anythg. Smh never discsed the vlence wh his father, who champned his son’s reer until he died 2016. “My father tormented me. And he was also one of the greatt men I’ve ever known,” Smh wr, notg that his father was the one who stilled him his sense of loyalty and perfectnism. “He was one of the greatt blsgs of my life, and also one of my greatt sourc of pa.”</p><p>For s, Smh has seen himself as a ward. His sire to please people, to enterta the crowd, and to make all lgh, he explas, is rooted, at least part, the belief that if he kept everyone—his father, his classmat, his fans—sg, they wouldn’t lash out wh vlence at him or the people he loved. If he uld keep makg his mother proud through his acplishments, he reasoned, perhaps she would five his childhood actn. “What you have e to unrstand as ‘Will Smh,’ the alien annihilatg M.C., the bigger-than-life movie star, is largely a nstctn—a refully crafted and honed character—signed to protect myself,” he wr. Later he says, “Comedy f all negativy. It is impossible to be angry, hateful, or vlent when you’re doubled over lghg.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa kFAtaa body ArticlePageBodyGridContaer-jrMoA-d xjuw body__grid-ntaer" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn jKBFhI llout--has-top-borr" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Transportatn Vehicle Bicycle Bike Wheel Mache Human Person Will Smh Sport and Sports" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Jacket, $2,195, by Grg Armani. Sweater, $1,200, by Dr Men. Pants, $825, by Dolce & Gabbana. Sho, $930, by Marsèll. Socks, $19 for pair, by Falke. Sunglass, $120, by Akila. Rgs (om top): $5,250, $4,410, and $2,800, by Fabergé.</span></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>“I felt like a batn of havg pleted some phase of my life, and also wh my father dyg. I jt never would’ve been able to say this stuff about my father beatg up my mother,” Smh told me. “I never would’ve been able to talk about that while he was alive.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="waju16"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>The book-wrg procs was difficult, part, bee Smh wanted to be ut about the plac where tellg his own story tersected wh tellg the stori of others. When the first draft of the mancript was fished, he nvened the people who were mentned most promently, primarily fay and longtime iends, Miami. “I read everybody everythg I was sayg about them,” Smh told me. “I had to get 25 people to e to Miami and hear what I’m sayg, bee I know people are gog to have to live wh forever.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>This meetg was the first time Will had ever spoken wh his mother about the tim his father h her. “It was lerally the first time we ever discsed [],” Smh told me. “She had never heard my perceptn of what happened. So was really thartic a way. It went great. But was a btal uple of weeks, man. It was btal.”</p><p>The book fills the tails of Smh’s younger years: how he went om makg high school raps his iend DJ Jazzy Jeff’s basement to the duo beg the first hip-hop artists to w a Grammy; how he blew his money on rs and girliends before borrowg a few grand om a lol dg aler to pay for his move to L.A., where he end up dng for the starrg role <em>The</em> <em>Frh Prce of Bel-Air</em> at a party at Qucy Jon’s hoe; how he lashed out at his first love after she had an affair; how his first marriage, to Sheree Zampo, end unr the weight of his growg ambn, wh divorce papers livered on Valente’s Day; and how his jealoy of Tupac Shakur, a close childhood iend of his send wife, Jada, prevented him om ever speakg to the legendary rapper before his ath.</p><asi aria-hidn="te" class="PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-EoVjf fQbAzo"><div class="PullQuoteDerativeBorr-sc-iUyOLj fAzNVP"></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-kTcfhx eltaVW"><p>“I totally opened myself up to a h samplg of the us of the human experience.”</p></div></asi><p>Manson said he told Smh that “one of the ndns for this to work for me was that everythg needs to be on the table. We n’t have a P.R. person g and sayg, ‘No, that chapter needs to go.’ ” Smh was more than game, Manson relled: “Throughout the procs there are certa thgs that me up, and he was like, ‘Why not, let’s put .’ I was worried that a lot of stuff was gog to get axed. He actually surprised me. ‘Yeah, that’s a ltle ugly. Let’s keep there.’ ”</p><p>Most clearly, though, the book provis a tailed acuntg of Smh’s liberate effort to bee the biggt movie star the world. “I wanted to do what Eddie Murphy was dog. I wanted to make people feel how I felt the first time I saw <em>Star Wars,</em>” Smh wr. “I wanted to be Eddie Murphy <em>Star Wars.</em>” The pursu began wh one of his first rol, 1993’s <em>Six Degre of Separatn.</em> For a rapper turned actor, was a bold project—a cerebral play ma to a film, based on a te story, which Smh’s young, gay n artist fools a seri of high-society New Yorkers to providg him shelter by nvcg them he’s the son of Sidney Poier.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="gjd626"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Transportatn Vehicle Bike Bicycle Sport Sports Cyclist Glass and Accsori" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div></figure><p>One of those New Yorkers was played by Stockard Channg, whom Smh has admted to fallg love wh as a rult of stayg character throughout filmg (a technique, he wr, that he won’t e aga). “That’s very lovely to hear,” Channg told me wh a flattered lgh. “We liked each other and tsted each other. That’s actually que rare.” She explaed that “everythg was easy om the first time we met each other…. He didn’t have a lot of the nrotic stuff that most of have.”</p><p>What soon followed was one of the most mercially succsful ns the history of cema: Smh’s eight nsecutive films grossg over $100 ln each at the domtic box office is a rerd, acrdg to <em>The</em> <em>Hollywood Reporter.</em> Smh’s nemis for years was Tom Cise, “the only person who was stag a movie reer beyond what I uld figure out.” After <em>Bad Boys</em> and <em>Inpennce Day</em> 1995 and 1996, rpectively, Steven Spielberg lled, hopg to st Smh an upg project about a secret police force that works to nceal the existence of extraterrtrials. Smh was skeptil—he’d already done the p thg, and the alien thg. But Spielberg persisted, and the rultg project was <em>Men Black,</em> a major pillar of the Smh cematic non.</p><p>Those three movi alone ma Smh a top box-office draw across the world and an unprecented type of star: a Black actor whom whe and global dienc loved. Then, after a uple of relative flops (<em>Wild Wild Wt</em> and <em>The</em> <em>Legend of Bagger Vance</em>), Smh took his first big swg at ser them, portrayg a of growth, turmoil, and prott the life of Muhammad Ali. “It’s as raw and as great of a performance as any that you n thk of,” said director Michael Mann, who still thks back to a night shoot Chigo that stretched to the early morng hours. As the two men stood the snow, surround by perd rs and storeonts, Smh turned to Mann and asked, earntly: “Can you believe that people actually pay to do this?”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="6ph0x"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>“He’s got a lot of balls artistilly and as a man,” Mann told me, notg how difficult an assignment playg Ali is. “He’s materially, wonrfully succsful—and nsc of that—but he asks himself the most ser and profound qutns that every sgle one of enunters our liv.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>After the hugely popular <em>Men Black</em> and <em>Bad Boys</em> sequels, Smh branched out to apolyptic sci-fi wh <em>I, Robot,</em> starrg Bridget Moynahan. In the film’s most timate scene, Moynahan learns for the first time that Smh’s character is part robot by methodilly spectg his arm and cht. “I uld never get through the take, after the third rib he would start gigglg like a ltle girl,” she relled. “That’s his charm.”</p><p>A few years later, when Moynahan’s relatnship wh Tom Brady end—only for her to soon learn that she was pregnant wh their child, promptg a tabloid enzy—Smh reached out to his former star. “He was the first person to pick up the phone and say e over, let’s talk,” Moynahan told me. “And for somebody like that to make room his life was imprsive.… I’m sure I am not unique. He is that person.”</p><p>“That’s what my life is for,” Smh explaed to me a few days after I spoke wh Moynahan. Both of his parents, as well as his grandmother, had been the kd of people who you lled a time of crisis. And so ’s a role he’s eager to play for others. “That was the thg even wh Tom [Cise]. Tom and I beme iends the middle of his public difficulti. That’s when I want to be there. If everythg is great, ll somebody else. Call me when you need help. I love . I love beg the 2 a.m. emergency phone ll.”</p><hr/></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa kFAtaa body ArticlePageBodyGridContaer-jrMoA-d xjuw body__grid-ntaer" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn jKBFhI llout--has-top-borr" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Will Smh Bed Furnure Wood Home Der Hardwood Clothg and Apparel" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Jacket, $810, and pants, $810, by Lemaire. Tank top, $42 for pack of three, by Calv Kle Unrwear. Watch, $7,050, by Omega. Necklace, $750, by John Hardy. Rg, $4,410, by Fabergé.</span></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p><strong>It wouldn’t be</strong> que accurate to scribe <em>Will</em> as a happy book. It’s at turns edic and spiratnal. But even though he’d gotten everythg he’d set out for—the Grammy and global fame, a betiful and succsful wife, children who are themselv superstars—Smh still wasn’t happy. His movi weren’t reachg the same mountatops as <em>Inpennce Day</em> and <em>Men Black.</em> And his sgle-md pursu of stardom had left many of his clost relatnships battered and bised.</p><p>“Throughout the years, I would always ll Denzel. He’s a real sage. I was probably 48 or somethg like that and I lled Denzel. He said, ‘Listen. You’ve got to thk of as the funky 40. Everybody’s 40s are funky.’ He said, ‘But jt wa till you h the fuck- 50s,’ ” Smh told me. “He said, ‘Jt bear wh your 40s.’ I stopped and I was like, ‘The funky 40s and the fuck- 50s.’ And that’s exactly what happened. It jt beme the fuck- 50s, and I gave myself the eedom to do whatever I wanted to do.” Many of those thgs are tailed the book, and others he’s still keepg close to the vt. “Some thgs are for <em>GQ</em> articl and some thgs are not,” he told me.</p><asi aria-hidn="te" class="PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-EoVjf fQbAzo"><div class="PullQuoteDerativeBorr-sc-iUyOLj fAzNVP"></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-kTcfhx eltaVW"><p>“The eedoms that we’ve given one another and the unndnal support, to me, is the hight fn of love.”</p></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedCred-sc-wBdfd gqibon"><span>Will on Jada</span></div></asi><p>And so Smh set out on a journey to fd himself, and fd happs. He rented a hoe Utah and sat solu for 14 days. He traveled to Pe for more than a dozen ayahuas ruals, even though he’d never even smoked weed and barely drank. (“This was my first ty taste of eedom,” Smh wr of his first experience. “In my fifty pl years on this pla, this is the unparalleled greatt feelg I’ve ever had.”) He opened a stand-up show for Dave Chappelle. He began travelg whout secury for the first time, showg up foreign untri and workg his way through the airport crowds unacpanied. “I totally opened myself up to what, I thk, was a h samplg of the us of the human experience,” Smh told me.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="3w74x"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Durg his first meetg wh Michaela Boehm, an timacy ach he spent years workg wh, Smh nfsed that, if he uld have anythg the world, he’d want a harem of girliends. “Who?” Boehm mand, sistg he name specific women he’d want to ve to his harem. Misty Copeland, Smh replied. And Halle Berry too. For the rt of the ssn, the two of them rearched specific women who uld round out his aspiratnal harem. The plan was to then beg ntactg the women.</p><p>“I don’t know where I saw or some sh as a teenager, but the ia of travelg wh 20 women that I loved and took re of and all of that, seemed like a really great ia,” Smh explaed to me wh a lgh. “And then, after we played out a ltle b, I was like, ‘That would be horrific. That would be horrific.’ I was like, ‘Can you image how miserable?’</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-5 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>“What she was dog was sentially cleang out my md, lettg know was okay to be me and be who I was. It was okay to thk Halle is fe. It don’t make me a bad person that I’m married and I thk Halle is betiful. Whereas my md, my Christian upbrgg, even my thoughts were ss. That was really the procs that Michaela worked me through to let me realize that my thoughts were not ss and even actg on an impure thought didn’t make me a piece of sh.”</p><hr/><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Clothg Apparel Human Person Will Smh Coat Jacket Overat and Blazer" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Jacket, $495, by Vtage India NYC. Turtleneck, $1,290, by Sat Lrent by Anthony Vacrello. Pants, $870, by Bally. Rg (on right hand), $550, by John Hardy.</span></div></figure><p><strong>Smh’s relatively late</strong> reer embrace of social media is another storytellg experiment. He’s bee one of the ter’s buzzit celebri, offerg fans and followers a glimpse of him on set, embracg weird mem, and shootg TikToks and vio clips specifilly engeered to go viral.</p><p>“That was one of the thgs I learned wh Jam Avery on <em>Frh Prce.</em> Jam ma very clear, you are not a famo rapper here,” Smh relled. “If you want to be succsful, you’d better humble yourself to this craft. I never fot that ia: When you start somethg new, humble yourself to the craft.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="nuv6z"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>He started studyg Liza Koshy, who’d leveraged her succs on Ve and YouTube to actg rol, and who advised Smh to stop tryg to be so perfect. Social media thriv on the perceptn of thenticy. It was fe if he flubbed a le or his lightg wasn’t perfect a TikTok. Smh started shootg some of his vios on his iPhone, as opposed to profsnal mera equipment. He took cu om Dwayne Johnson and Kev Hart, who imprsed him wh the way they’d share behd-the-scen moments om their movie shoots—somethg that would have been unthkable the Hollywood that Smh had e up .</p><p>“They were dog unheard of stuff, postg pictur om set. You n’t post pictur om set a year before the movie out—<em>Oh, sh, y you n,</em>” Smh relled thkg. “I jt saw how they ved people to the procs a way that I thought you weren’t allowed to do.”</p><p><em>Bright</em>, the 2017 film Smh starred for Netflix, was the first to e his ntent stud, Wtbrook Media, to produce social media om the set. After a reer of gettg exced about scripts that the public might not see on the big screen for years—<em>I Am Legend,</em> for example, took over 10 years to get ma—there was somethg toxitg about shootg, edg, and gettg a vio clip out to the public jt a matter of hours. “It pletely changed how I teracted wh the world and how I teracted wh my creative life. I wanted to create fast and put out.”</p><p>Sometim he ns his ias for posts by his children. Other tim, when he’s travelg, the Wtbrook Media team reach out to lol social media fluencers to set up Creator Days, which he meets up wh a bunch of them to make ntent. “To jt be able to make thgs, whout an oute goal that had to do wh beg the biggt movie star the world, back to the feelg [DJ Jazzy] Jeff’s mom’s basement of makg mic. It was fun. We were experimentg, we were tryg thgs.</p><p>That’s what’s happened aga for me wh social media,” Smh told me. “It’s such a powerful way for me to keep touch wh people and, creatively, what the next thg is about to be. The next phase of my life is gog to be the most creative and expansive of my entire life and reer.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-6 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>Smh’s foray to social media also at a time when he and Jada have bee Hollywood’s most transparent and vulnerable uple. <em>Red Table Talk</em>, the Facebook show hosted by Pkett Smh, is the clost thg the digal age has to the role Oprah Wey and Dr. Phil once played on broadst televisn—a place for difficult, msy nversatns about love, sex, dgs, and everythg else, often featurg their dghter, Willow, and Jada’s mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris. Smh himself has appeared on the show, most notably for a ank discsn wh Jada about a perd of non-monogamy their marriage. “The pursu of tth is the only way to be happy this lifetime,” Smh told me. “And we sort of me to the agreement that thenticy was the release om the shackl of fame and public scty.” When you tell the tth, the pair reasoned, you never have to fear beg found out.</p><hr/></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa kFAtaa body ArticlePageBodyGridContaer-jrMoA-d xjuw body__grid-ntaer" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div data-ttid="feature-large-llout" class="CalloutFeatureLargeWrapper-cGjDsT uKfZv"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Will Smh Clothg Apparel Furnure Plywood and Wood" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE dVZQpq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI cugSjO asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd cdsJgg fNaHcW ptn__cred">Shirt, $690, by Sat Lrent by Anthony Vacrello. Pants, $1,135, by JW Anrson. Necklace, $1,680, by Bulgari. Rgs (om top): $3,900, $3,900, and $2,800, by Fabergé.</span></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p><strong>As we sat</strong> a trailer on the <em>Emancipatn</em> set, heavy radrops patterg agast the metal roof, Smh had a qutn for me. I was one of the first people he’d spoken to, or at least one of the only on who didn’t work for him, who had read the draft of his book mancript. And so he wanted to know what I thought. I told him the tth: I’d enjoyed , but I’d wonred about how he had cid which tails of his marriage to clu and which to leave out.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="g88u7d"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Throughout the draft that I’d read, Smh had dropped forhadowg tidbs about maral acrimony. Jada, her hband wr, hadn’t wanted a tradnal weddg ceremony but gave to his prsure: “This would be the first of many promis Jada would make over the years that pafully negated her own valu.” Years later, Smh persuad her to move to a massive 256-acre pound that she was ad set agast purchasg. “Nothg good om spendg your hard-earned money on a ‘fay home’ that your wife don’t want,” Smh wr. “You are puttg a down payment on disrd and for years you will be payg off a mortgage of misery. Or, worse.”</p><p>The harsh realy for those who love a dreamer is that everythg send to the dream. As Smh’s stardom grew, his wife would wake up many morngs tears. At one pot, she turned down an opportuny for her band to open for Guns N’ Ros so that Smh uld ntue shootg <em>The Pursu of Happyns.</em> Thgs reached a breakg pot by Jada’s 40th birthday, 2011. Will had spent three years planng a private fay-and-iends dner Santa Fe, where he screened a documentary he’d missned that chronicled her life and traced her fay’s leage back to slavery (and which he tracked down a scendant of the whe fay who once owned Jada’s anctors.)</p><p>When they got back to the hotel sue that night, Jada was nearly silent. “That was the most <em>disgtg</em> display of ego I have ever seen my life,” Smh rells his wife tellg him. The two began fightg so loudly that a 10-year-old Willow, wh whom they were sharg the sue, emerged cryg wh her hands over her ears, beggg them to stop. “Our marriage wasn’t workg,” Smh wr. “We uld no longer pretend. We were both miserable and clearly somethg had to change.”</p><p>And then, a ltle abptly, the book’s narrative about Will and Jada ends. In the early versn of the mancript that I read, there was no discsn of any outsi relatnships, on his behalf or hers. When I mentned this to Smh, he asked me: “You felt cheated?” Now, look, I’m a reporter. I certaly read that mancript ready to jot down any and every tail about who and what Will and Jada may have been dog durg the more open parts of their past . But the realy is, a fair amount of what’s missg played out public. At some pot, their relatnship stopped beg monogamo.</p><p>“Jada never believed nventnal marriage.… Jada had fay members that had an unnventnal relatnship. So she grew up a way that was very different than how I grew up. There were signifint endls discsns about, what is relatnal perfectn? What is the perfect way to teract as a uple? And for the large part of our relatnship, monogamy was what we chose, not thkg of monogamy as the only relatnal perfectn,” Smh told me. “We have given each other tst and eedom, wh the belief that everybody has to fd their own way. And marriage for n’t be a prison. And I don’t suggt our road for anybody. I don’t suggt this road for anybody. But the experienc that the eedoms that we’ve given one another and the unndnal support, to me, is the hight fn of love.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="pteg6k"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Smh grappled wh whether to clu all of that stuff the book, and was clear that the fal versn uld look different than the one I saw. But ultimately he cid to leave many of the most personal tails out. There was no way to chronicle the parts that happened next om solely his own perspective. There was no way to tell his story whout tellg others’ too. “It felt like was a whole book unto self,” Smh explaed.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Clothg Apparel Human Person Will Smh and Home Der" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div></figure><p>In July 2020, followg public revelatns of what Jada would scribe as an “entanglement” wh the R&B sger Augt Alsa, a tabloid enzy ensued and Will and Jada took themselv to the Red Table for a 12-mute discsn of the dynamics of their relatnship. This did not necsarily clear thgs up. “The public has a narrative that is imperable,” Smh said. “Once the public cis somethg, ’s difficult to impossible to dislodge the pictur and ias and perceptns.” Bee the impet for the <em>Red Table Talk</em> was Alsa’s disclosur, a viewer uld have walked away thkg that Jada was the only one engagg other sexual relatnships, when that was not, Smh litely explaed to me, fact the se. Or take one of the mem spawned by their discsn, a screenshot of Smh lookg stern-faced and droopy-eyed. “It was midnight and we were gog on vatn the next day,” Smh explaed, notg that the tails they were discsg were, by that pot, years the past. “It was like, no, no, no, guys, I’m not sad. I’m fuckg exhsted.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-7 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>It was clear that Smh had more to say. I uld feel him bbg up agast the guardrails that he and Jada had tablished about what they would discs publicly. He told me he’d talk wh Jada, but when we spoke aga a few weeks later, he said he wasn’t sure he wanted to go much eper.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="imvs5w"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa edvONh body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>I was supposed to be disappoted. But, after readg about the work he’s done to break his addictn to affirmatn, to ee himself of the need to please, was hard not to be proud of him for stickg to a boundary. “It may seem hard to believe, but I would lose sleep over not givg you the answer that I know you uld e,” Smh told me. “I want to help you, I want you to succeed, I want you to have a headle. But by the same token, I don’t want to al wh the backlash of that the world. To say I don’t want to talk about that three years ago would have been fuckg excciatg for me.”</p><p>For s, Will Smh has been grac to every terviewer. He giv you 90 mut after agreeg to an hour. And then when he’s done, he walks outsi to take photos wh every fan, sg for each and every one.</p><p>But Will? The real Will, not the character he’s been playg for our benef? He gets to say no to the 100th selfie of the day. He gets to keep some thgs private, even when he knows your story would be better wh jt a few more tails.</p><p>“The major difference is I tell the tth, even when people don’t like ,” Smh told me. “And Will Smh don’t.”</p><p><strong>Wley Lowery</strong> <em>is a Pulzer Prize–wng journalist.</em></p><p><em>A versn of this story origally appeared the November 2021 issue wh the tle "Unvarnished."</em></p><h2>Subscribe to GQ. <a href=" target="_blank">Click here >></a></h2><hr/><p><strong>PRODUCTION CREDITS:</strong><br/><em>Photographs by <strong>Renell Medrano</strong></em><br/><em>Styled by <strong>Mobolaji Dawodu</strong></em><br/><em>Hair by <strong>Pierce At</strong> for iTalent Company</em><br/><em>Sk by <strong>Judy Murdock</strong> for iTalent Company</em><br/><em>Tailorg by <strong>Marie Stagg</strong> and <strong>Mary Hillen</strong></em><br/><em>Set sign by <strong>Chere Thert</strong></em><br/><em>Produced by <strong>138 Productns</strong></em><br/><em>Lotn: Race + Relig, New Orleans, LA</em></p></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS jyGBoi"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body article__body--grid-margs"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv jfHKjr"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div 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