Will Smith tells "60 Minutes": "I've never viewed myself as particularly talented"

[Ale]

Posted on Nov 30, 2007 3:48:17 PM

Will Smith is riding a huge promotional wave before "I Am Legend" opens.

The star of "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" decorates the Dec. 7 cover of Entertainment Weekly. The magazine dubs him one of "The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood." He comes in at No. 5 -- behind Judd Apatow, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and maverick agent Ari Emanuel. But Smith is ahead of No. 6 Meryl Streep. (How do magazines figure out these things? Silly, eh?)

And "60 Minutes" will profile Smith on Sunday. Listen: This is one down-to-earth superstar.

"I've never viewed myself as particularly talented," two-time Oscar nominee Smith tells Steve Kroft. "I've viewed myself as ... slightly above average in talent."

The secret of his success?

"Where I excel is with [a] ridiculous, sickening worth ethic," Smith says. "While the other guy's sleeping, I'm working. While the other guy's eating, I'm working. While the other guy's making love, I mean, I'm making love, too, but I'm working really hard at it!"

For "60 Minutes," Smith visits his high school in West Philadelphia, returns to his former home there and opens up about his father's influence on him.

The CBS newsmagazine airs at 7 p.m. Sunday on WKMG-Channel 6.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertain...smith-tell.html

Edited November 30, 2007 by Ale

[Ale]

Will Smith: My Work Ethic Is "Sickening"

StarTells Steve Kroft It Compensates For Average Talent

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 30, 2007

(CBS) He commands more than $20 million a picture and has a string of blockbuster hits, but Will Smith says he’s not a particularly talented actor, just a really hard-working one.

The star of such mega-hits as "Independence Day" and "Men in Black" talks to 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft for a profile to be broadcast this Sunday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

"I’ve never viewed myself as particularly talented. I’ve viewed myself as…slightly above average in talent," says the actor, whose latest film, "I Am Legend," opens in two weeks.

"Where I excel is with [a] ridiculous, sickening work ethic," he tells Kroft. "While the other guy’s sleeping, I’m working. While the other guy’s eating, I’m working. While the other guy’s making love, I mean, I’m making love, too, but I’m working really hard at it!"

60 Minutes takes Smith back to his old neighborhood in West Philadelphia to see his high school, where he runs into the school’s principal, a friend of his. Cameras also capture him in front of his old house, where he jokes with his father, the man responsible for instilling his work ethic.

Smith tells the story of his father ordering him and his brother, ages 12 and nine at the time, to rebuild a brick wall in front of his business. The boys thought their father was crazy, but he said to them, "Now, don’t you ever tell me there is something that you can’t do."

"I just put my head down and laid the first brick," remembers Smith. And they did it, finally finishing the wall a year and a half later. It’s still there.

Video!

[Hero1]

Its funny..I think I've already heard everything Will could possibly say in interviews these days haha

[Jazzy Julie]

yeah i know lol, i thought they had just taken quotes from other iterviews at first but it just turns out we've heard it all. There was nothing i didnt already know in that interview lol.

It sounds like a good show tho with Will going back to Philly.

[MissAshley]

looks like we got a date for the 60 min, interview.

they def. highlight things he's said already, lol but it'll be nice seeing him go back home though.

[Da Brakes]

Ha ha! All his responses are coming full circle!

[Jazzy Julie]

i wonder what 5 questions they will ask him with this movie. Remember poh all they ever asked was "what was it like working with your son", "did u learn anything from your son". Please people be original and ask something different for this film.

[VIsqo]

When are they gon show it?

[Hero1]

Sunday Dec 2nd CBS 7PM EST