Will Smith admits he struggles with 'monster' of fame as he reflects on setbacks

03 December 2023 , 07:03

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Will Smith opened up about 'adversities' he faced while talking about price of fame (Image: Getty Images for The Red Sea Int)

Will Smith recently reflected on his decades-long career and what he's learned from being in the public eye.

The Hitch actor spoke to a crowd on Saturday while at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. He spoke about various things and addressed the "adversities" that he's faced.

It's possible the adversities that Will is referring to is the infamous Oscar Slap where he slapped Chris Rock - which got him banned from the show for ten years - or it could be a more personal adversary. Jada Pinkett Smith, who's been married to Will since 1997, recently released her memoir and during her press tour she's apparently "humiliated" him by airing out their dirty laundry.

READ MORE: Billie Eilish reveals she came out as LGBTQ+ in interview and asks 'wasn't it obvious?'

He spoke at a film festival in Saudi Arabia (Getty Images for The Red Sea Int)

A clip from the film festival that's going around online starts with Will telling a story about when he was filming a scene in Mozambique for his 2001 film Ali. It was a remote town with no electricity for miles and a woman who was washing something in the river said to him as he passed by: "Get Jiggy With It," the name of one of his songs.

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"It was like, what? How do you know?" He said. The 55-year-old then continued to talk about fame and his "adversities" in recent years.

He said: "Fame is a unique monster and I've had to be really careful. You can't get excited when everybody is saying good things about you because the more you take when people are saying good things, the more hurt you're going to be when people are saying bad things about you."

Jada has been exposing some of their personal life (AFP via Getty Images)

"What I've experienced in my adversities of the last couple years is I have to be clear about who I am and what I am attempting to do in the world and I can't need others to applaud for me to stay focused on my mission," he said.

"I have always wanted to put good into the world. I've always wanted to make people smile. I've always been devoted to the process of joy and inspiration and I want you to feel good. I am here because I want you to feel good and at the same time I am deeply human and my virtue is not yet perfected.

"But I am in the process of perfecting my virtue so I would say the greatest thing that has happened is I have been deeply humbled and deeply inspired to perfect my light and that's what this next phase of my life is going to be - perfecting and shining my light as brightly as I can on as many people as I can," he finished his speech.

Tatiana Krisztina