Will Smith opened up on how he came to the realization that material gains or success does not equal to “happiness” after he saw his kids’ getting fame at a young age.
Even though the actor was happy over their success, he did not see the same kind of enthusiasm in his family when his children claimed fame during elementary school.
The Emancipation star, who made headlines during 2022 Academy Awards by slapping Chris Rock, said he never wanted to become another version of his abusive dad.
Hence, he never had that kind of “energy” with his family and so, when his kids, Jaden and Willow, rose to fame with their debut projects, he was over the moon for them.
During an appearance on Kevin Hart’s TV show Hart to Hart, Smith revealed 2010 was the “greatest” year for him as a “parent” when Jaden’s film and Willow’s music video came out.
“2010 was like the greatest year as an artist, as a parent,” he said, adding, “Karate Kid came out in June, ‘Whip My Hair’ came out in October.”
“I’m building this dream of a family I’ve had in my mind. ‘I’m going to do it better than my father did it.’ We’ve talked about it, my father was abusive,” he added.
“I told myself I would never have that kind of energy with my family and I had a dream, an idea of a family I was building. Pretty much 2010 to 2012 I had achieved everything I had ever dreamed.”
But it was not something that made his family happy, Smith admitted, adding, “No one wanted to be in a platoon. Willow was the first one to begin the mutiny and it was my first realisation that success and money don’t mean happiness.”
“Up until that point, I really believed that you could succeed your way – to a house and a family – and you could win your way to happiness,” the controversial star noted.
He said it was then when he understood that “material circumstances do not equal happiness and, in a lot of cases, they can be the reason you’re not happy.”