Will Smith Shares Thoughts on the ‘Unique Monster’ of Fame
Will Smith has some strong feelings about fame.
During an appearance at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia on Saturday (Dec. 2), the “King Richard” star opened up about his personal experiences and evolving relationship with the spotlight, especially in the aftermath of the “adversities of the last couple of years.”
In a clip shared by Deadline, the veteran actor reflected on fame, stating, “Fame is a unique monster…I’ve had to be really careful.”
He cautioned against allowing praise to affect oneself negatively: “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, right.”
Drawing from past experiences, Smith emphasized the importance of self-understanding, mentioning that through previous adversities, he learned he has 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,” Smith said. “I have always wanted to put good into the world. I have always wanted to make people smile. I have always been devoted to the process of joy and inspiration.”
The actor revealed his ongoing journey of self-improvement, sharing “in the process of perfecting my virtue,” noting that “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.”
