Will Smith has turned in a ton of unimaginable and iconic roles over time, however what’s arguably Smith’s finest efficiency of all of them was the one he gave in The Pursuit of Happyness. Within the 2006 movie, Smith portrayed Chris Gardner, a person who contended with homelessness alongside his younger son earlier than turning into a finance entrepreneur and motivational speaker. Smith threw it again to the inspiring film this week with a shoutout to Gardner and revealing a cool tidbit that I did not catch.
The actor took to Instagram to want Chris Gardner a cheerful birthday and shared the cool behind-the-scenes truth about The Pursuit of Happyness. It makes me need to revisit the emotional and uplifting film about an actual individual’s journey. Have a look:
In Smith’s birthday message, the actor shared that Chris Gardner continues to encourage him and helps individuals all over the world “discover their larger selves in opposition to all odds” along with his story. Together with exhibiting the entrepreneur love on his 69th birthday, he posted a picture from The Pursuit of Happyness that exhibits that the true man himself briefly appeared in a scene.
When you don’t know to search for it, the businessman may seem like an additional in a elaborate go well with who passes by the main man. Kudos to the producers for crafting that temporary cameo for him. It is poetic that the fictionalized (and youthful model) of the entrepreneur would cross paths along with his real-life counterpart. (Yep, and now, I will cry once more.) In response to the social media message, Gardner responded within the feedback with these phrases:
BIG WILL! My MAN, if I knew that 69 was going to [look] THIS FINE I’d’ve carried out it a LONG time in the past! Individuals hold asking me ‘ When are you and Will gonna do Pursuit of HappYness half 2?’ I at all times inform them that I’m doing THAT S$&T NOW! HA! Ringing the closing bell for buying and selling on NASDAQ at the moment! Simply did my FIRST IPO! BACK UP YHE TRUCK! MAD LOVE TO YOU AND THE FAM! ✌🏾💪🏾🙏🏾CG
It’s nice to see that Will Smith and Chris Gardner have stored in contact over 15 years after The Pursuit of Happyness hit theaters. Smith was nominated for his second Oscar for taking part in Gardner, and this scene alone tells you why:
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Directed By: Gabrielle Muccino
Written By: Steven Conrad
Forged: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandiwe Newton, Brian Howe, Dan Castellaneta, James Karen, Kurt Fuller
How To Stream: Netflix subscription
Prior to now couple years, the actor has gone on to play two different actual individuals as properly. In King Richard, he performed the daddy of well-known tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams and gained his first Academy Award within the Greatest Actor class final yr for the portrayal. (Sadly, simply earlier than accepting the award, he turned a part of considered one of the largest Oscar scandals of all time when he slapped Chris Rock on stage for a joke the comic made about his spouse, Jada Pinkett-Smith.)
Will Smith additionally performed “Whipped Peter,” who was an escaped American slave who was the topic of well-known pictures that got here out through the abolitionist motion through the American Civil Warfare in Emancipation, which was the first film to return out of his after the slap. Wanting forward, it was just lately introduced that Smith is presently filming the fourth Unhealthy Boys film.
Regardless of his continued work, many nonetheless maintain a gentle spot for The Pursuit of Happyness. It is a sentimental film. And it is one which’s solely made sweeter by the truth that it is main man and topic are nonetheless shut — and offering cool behind-the-scenes tidbits. Those that need to revisit the basic or test it out for the primary time can stream the movie utilizing a Netflix subscription.
