Will Smith

Will Smith’s stratospheric stature in showbiz has only been further enhanced by I Am Legend’s record-setting $76.5 million weekend debut for a December release. The sci-fi adventure marked his seventh straight flick that has opened in the #1 slot at the box office, a run which started with Ali and has also included The Pursuit of Happyness, Hitch, Bad Boys II, Men in Black II and I, Robot.

is the third big-screen adaptation (one, starring Vincent Price, the other, Charlton Heston) of Richard Matheson’s post-apocalyptic best seller from 1954 about the desperate struggle of the last man on Earth to survive a scourge that has turned the rest of humanity in a cannibalistic race of zombies. Here, Will shares his thoughts about the demands of playing virologist Robert Neville, a challenging role which placed him alone on screen for very long stretches at a time.

Will is married to actor Jada Pinkett Smith and shares three children with her. Together, the couple founded the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation, a charity organization which focuses on inner-city youth and family support. The couple also owns Westbrook Inc., a media company that aims to empower artists to tell their stories and connect with the world.