Will Smith Interview
AOL Australia Chat 2002

Question: How did you feel when you met Ali for the first time?
Will Smith Live: terriefied! i felt honoured that he wanted me to play in his life story,
Will Smith Live: when i met him i declined from playing the role at first
Will Smith Live: i thought he would be upset with me, but he wasn't
Question: What were your first thoughts when you heard you'd been nominated for
Question: Best Actor?
Will Smith Live: my first thoughts were about my wirde, because she answered the phone and hit her head on
Will Smith Live: the door!
Will Smith Live: i wanted to make sure she was ok!
Will Smith Live: but then we sat down and i felt excited and honoured
Question: do you think you have changed as a person since ali?
Will Smith Live: absolutely! the entire experience of making the film
Will Smith Live: learning how to fight, travelling to Africa
Will Smith Live: spending time with Mohammed and his family
Will Smith Live: i have a greater understanding of who i want to be
Question: Is it harder to play the role of a famous person who's still alive, and
Question: who you know will see the final product? Did you feel there was more
Question: pressure on you in this role because of that?
Will Smith Live: absolutely! it's pretty difficult to play anyone's life story
Will Smith Live: let alone playing in the life story of someone who will see the film
Will Smith Live: it's much more difficult to gain accuracy
Will Smith Live: to ad lib, or add your own creative ideas
Will Smith Live: because it actually happened and that prson is sitting there
Will Smith Live: at the same time it gives you energy because you know
Will Smith Live: the person and their family will see it
Question: What is your favorite part about ur new movie
Will Smith Live: i love all the fighting sequences
Will Smith Live: they are the most realistic fighting scenes ever committed to film
Will Smith Live: also the relationship with Ali and Cossell
Question: Is this your first trip to Oz? Are you looking forward to spending some
Question: quality time here while Jada's shooting the Matrix sequels?
Will Smith Live: this is actually my second time in Australia
Will Smith Live: i love the weather, having an incredible time
Will Smith Live: playing lots of golf, lots of restaurants, lots of parties
Question: In preparing for Ali what was harder: the physical training or the
Question: mental training?
Will Smith Live: the mental trianing was actually much more difficult
Will Smith Live: the mental trianing was actually much more difficult
Will Smith Live: the physical training is a matter of waking up and doing it
Will Smith Live: you need the mental strength to get out of bed and develop
Will Smith Live: the character
Will Smith Live: it was much more a mental task than a physical task
Question: Has Ali seen the movie yet? how did he feel?
Will Smith Live: yes, he saw the film at the premiere
Will Smith Live: he turned around in the middle and said 'you're almost as
Will Smith Live: pretty as me!'
Will Smith Live: he enjoyed the film and his family loved it
Question: are u going to keep up with the training?
Will Smith Live: yes, i've been boxing ever since the film, keepsyou in incredible
Will Smith Live: shape
Question: do you plan on goin back to music at all
Will Smith Live: i'm in the middle of recorning an album rightnow
Will Smith Live: i've recorded a new song for the MIB sequel
AuLive1: I'm afraid we're out of time for today. Thanks so much for joining us at AOL Live Will :)
Will Smith Live: thanks for all your time, and i'll see you at the movies!