Renowned actor Will Smith, who recently stirred controversy by slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, has opened up about his regrets in an intimate interview with Kevin Hart.
After taking a brief hiatus from the spotlight, Smith discussed various pivotal moments in his life, acknowledging a significant remorse for pushing his children, Jayden and Willow, into the celebrity limelight.
Smith revisited the year 2010, a time he considered "the greatest" when his son Jaden starred in the Karate Kid reboot, and daughter Willow made her music debut with "Whip My Hair." Fueled by the desire to be the opposite of his own father, who was abusive, Smith admitted to building a dream family in his head. However, the pressure he placed on his children to achieve his vision led to complications, and Smith realized that success and money did not guarantee happiness.
Despite appearing to have achieved his dream family, issues arose as his children rebelled against the pressure. Willow, in particular, resisted being managed and sought a genuine father figure instead. Smith confessed, "No one was happy. Nobody wanted to be the platoon member. Willow was the first to riot, and that was the first time I realized that success and money don't equal happiness."
Smith's parenting style and his own insecurities, stemming from his abusive father and teenage heartbreak, have shaped his life. The actor admitted that his determination to be the best in everything was fueled by a past betrayal in his adolescence. However, it was the failure of the film "After Earth" and a confrontation with his daughter Willow that prompted a shift in his perspective, prioritizing sincere love over financial success.
Realizing that love was the only antidote to his existential thirst, Smith abandoned his pursuit of endless success and financial gain. He emphasized, "You can't make enough, you can't have enough money, you can't have enough success. The only thing that will quench that existential thirst is love."
Returning to the big screen with the challenging role in "Into Freedom" last year, Smith has seemingly moved past the incident with Chris Rock. As he gears up for the fourth installment of "Bad Boys," it appears that one of the highest-grossing actors of the last two decades has embraced a renewed perspective centered on meaningful relationships rather than accolades.
