Page 40 - Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star

Will Smith
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When he was about fifteen, a white composer named Jack
Elliot adopted Benny. Elliot is a wealthy man whose friends
include some of the biggest names in the music business.
He and his wife and three children had a home in the
wealthy southern California city of Beverly Hills.
The Elliots converted one of their garages into a bedroom
for Benny. He went to Beverly Hills High School along with
the children of celebrities and other show business figures.
Suddenly, the poor orphan from one of the poorest
neighborhoods in southern California was living in one of
the area’s richest communities.
Young Benny knew he was lucky to have such a golden
opportunity. He took advantage of it by getting a job in the
music industry. He worked hard and over time became a
record company executive: the vice president in charge of
the black music division of Warner Brothers records.
Medina thought his life storywouldmake a good television
situation comedy. It would be based on a common theme in
comedy: the fish out of water. The main character would be
trying to adapt not only to a new family but also to a different
way of life. At the party for Quincy Jones, Medina told Smith
about his idea, and Smith made it clear that he would be very
interested in acting in such a comedy. The two parted, but
Medina told Smith he would keep in touch.
At first glance, it might seem that Smith and Medina
had little in common. Smith was from the East Coast;
Medina had been born and raised in Los Angeles. While
Smith grew up in a comfortable neighborhood, Medina