Today, Will Smith remains a significant figure in the film industry, but back in the late ’90s, he may well have been the most prominent movie star globally. This achievement, in part, can be attributed to his determination to become a movie star, with Arnold Schwarzenegger serving as his mentor and guiding him on this path.
In a clip from the documentary film, Number One on the Call Sheet, available this week with an Apple TV+ subscription, that has been posted to Instagram, Smith tells a story which he’s mentioned before about attending a Planet Hollywood opening in the early 1990s. He had a chance to talk to three movie star shareholders, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Sylvester Stallone. Smith said…
In approximately 1990 or 1991, I strolled into a room while The Fresh Prince was airing for the first time. There sat Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Sylvester Stallone. I approached them, expressing my desire to follow in their footsteps. ‘What’s the secret?’ I asked. Arnold replied, ‘To become a movie star, your films mustn’t just be successful in America; they need to be successful worldwide.’
It might appear self-evident that being a major Hollywood star equates to global stardom, but there are numerous actors who enjoy immense popularity within their home countries without achieving similar levels of fame abroad. Stars on the scale of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, or Will Smith are relatively uncommon.
Furthermore, there’s another significant advantage to being a globally recognized star: it enhances the potential for worldwide box office success. In other words, films can still thrive financially even if they don’t achieve blockbuster status in North America. As Smith went on to explain…
In simpler terms, I exclaimed, “Wow!” It’s worth noting that if a film is popular worldwide, it can still fail in America but recoup costs in Europe, Japan, and other regions. When Russia opened up, we were among the first to premiere there. For me, success meant being number one everywhere on Earth.
It’s quite clear that Will Smith’s career embodies this concept. Although the Men in Black films are some of his top money-makers, it’s important to mention that each installment earned less at the domestic box office than the one before it. However, the sequels performed exceptionally well overseas. For instance, Men in Black 3, which was the least profitable domestically, actually became the highest-grossing film in the series worldwide due to its impressive earnings overseas.
Regardless of whether Will Smith can regain the level of fame he once had, there’s no denying that he knows exactly how to shine in the spotlight as a top-tier actor.
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2025-03-24 20:38