The United States has a traumatic and brutal past in relation to African Americans. This sad legacy of slavery, it would be accurate to say, translates into many diverse fields even though litigation and other institutions keep it check. This being the case, the performance industry has not been the African American’s best friend culminating in black face and other fraught phenomena. However, in the twentieth century, or rather, the second half of the twentieth century has embraced diversity in an unprecedented way. This trend is what gives rise to a renaissance of artists stemming from diverse backgrounds, making theater of the diverse a socially, culturally, economically, and aesthetically potent phenomenon. In this paper I will analyze the career of Will Smith who went on to become a highly paid Hollywood actor with a humble beginning as a rapper.
According to Bio.com, “[h]is West Philadelphia neighborhood was a melting pot of cultures where Orthodox Jews co-existed with a large Muslim population. Smith was a good student whose charming personality and quick tongue were renowned for getting him out of trouble, a trait for which he soon gained the nickname "Prince” (Bio). To his advantage, therefore, Will Smith was located at the right place at the right time to benefit from this growing cultural reality. He had all the necessary characteristics to benefit from the massive significance placed on theater of the diverse. Faller describes Will Smith thus: “Will Smith is an American actor, producer, and rapper. In the late 1980s, he achieved some fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince” (Faller). The humble beginning as a rapper gave Will Smith the rare opportunity to relate to people from all walks of life. Coupled with his good looks and friendly demeanor, he was soon discovered by the film makers.
Some biographical details are in order: “Willard Christopher Smith, Jr. was born in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the second of four children of Caroline (Bright), a school board employee, and Willard Carroll Smith, Sr., who owned a refrigeration company” (IMDb). Thanks to the theater of diversity, Will Smith soon rose to fame to emerge from a very humble beginning to an iconic figure in American showbiz. As he started off his career as a rapper on TV, Will Smith had the rare opportunity to be a household name as the Fresh Price of Belair, within a very short span of time.
The repertoire of awards won by Will Smith is extensive. Some of the noteworthy awards include best actor for the movie I am Legend awarded by Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, best actor for his performance in Concussion awarded by African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), Lifetime Achievement awarded by All Def Movie Awards in 2016, and Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures awarded by ASCAP.
Will Smith is not only an iconic figure, but also a role model for the young and the aspiring. This is especially so for generations of young men who are faced with trying life conditions and situations. He is clearly a role model for becoming a highly celebrated and sought after movie actors stemming from humble beginnings. Will Smith’s career brings to light the pinnacle of the theater of diversity, which, in fact, has not completely died down having emerged in the second half of the twentieth century.
Theater of the Diverse is extremely important in its insistence on talent of the underrepresented performers, and it is a phenomenon that aspiring performers from different backgrounds should draw strength from. Even though times have surely changed and the U.S. entertainment industry is as democratic as it has ever been, it is virtually impossible to completely exclude heinous phenomena as passive racism or racial superiority.
Versatile actors like Will Smith contribute to a much-needed fusion of the young and the old, the traditional and the contemporary, black and white, and even more importantly, the good and the bad.
According to T.V.Guide.com, “Beloved for his good looks, easygoing wit and effervescent charm both on and off screen, this hip-hop star-turned-actor has come a long way from his days rapping on the streets of Philly” (T.V.Guide).This highly enviable story of rags to riches, however, is not simply the result of being in the right place at the right time; it is the result of much hard work, sleepless nights, perseverance, and an indomitable will to succeed against all odds.
All that being said, the insistence of theater of the diverse in recognizing hitherto unrecognized or marginalized performers cannot be taken lightly. The United States is indeed a melting pot with a myriad of flavors. The picking up of different flavors, so to speak, is of absolute importance to level the arena towards just and democratic chances for all colors, religions, socio-economic backgrounds, and any other such socially-constructed labels.
Works Cited
Bio. biography.com, n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/will-smith-
9542165#rap-success>.
Faller, Bonnie. Hollywood Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.
<http://hollywoodlife.com/celeb/will-smith/>.
IMDb. Internet Movie Database, n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000226/awards>.
Will Smith. T.V.Guide.com, n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2016. <http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/will-
smith/179066/>.
