Page 65 - Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star

Bad Boys and Alien Invaders
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down. And you wait for the tow truck to come. That’s
how I viewed that difficult time in my life.”4 Will and
Sheree Smith officially separated early in 1995 and
divorced later that year.
In contrast to his personal problems, Smith’s career
was on the rise. Bad Boys, released in May 1995, was a big
hit, taking in $215 million in ticket sales in the United
States and overseas combined.5 The movie also received
generally positive reviews. Critics had praise for both
Smith and Lawrence, saying they reacted well to each
other’s lines and played perfectly off one another’s actions.
The critic for Rolling Stone magazine wrote, “The climactic
shootout inside an airplane hangar, complete with a 727
blowing sky high, slides the film into overdrive. It’s all
special-effects noise and nonsense. We’re not fooled.
Lawrence and Smith are the real firecrackers.”6 In Martin
Lawrence, Smith found not only a reliable costar but also
a lifelong friend.
Another person was about to become important in
Smith’s life. He had known Jada Pinkett for some time.
They had first met in 1990 during the first season of
Fresh Prince. A well-known actress, she had appeared in
several hit movies, including Menace II Society, Jason’s
Lyric, The Nutty Professor, and A Low Down Dirty Shame.
Pinkett auditioned to play Will’s girlfriend on Fresh
Prince, but she was rejected for the part. Standing just
over five feet tall, Pinkett was considered too short to be
Smith’s girlfriend.