It was the movie ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ (2006) that taught Smith a great lesson that he would not want to repeat.
With years of acting experience under his belt, Will Smith has come to understand “the most heartbreaking thing” one could “do as an actor.”
The “heartbreaking” experience Smith experienced was during his time on the sets of The Pursuit of Happyness.
The 2006 blockbuster was a drama inspired by true events and depicted the life of a father who took an internship at a securities brokerage firm, all to give his son better opportunities.
The hardest part of it all was getting into the shoes of a man who was currently going through the pain of raising a child, while working in a starting position.
“I’m not going to do that anymore,” the actor told Live About during his interview. “Someone entrusted you with the story of his life. It is his family. It’s their experiences, and it’s not like there’s a second chance. “
Smith’s core belief about the movie has always been that regardless of whether it makes millions, the true measure of its success is whether the person it is about ends up liking it.
During the course of his interview, Smith also went on to detail the harrowing moment when the film was preparing for a release and was supposed to be seen by the man who inspired it all, Gardner.
The pressure and fear Smith felt at the time were seemingly unreal. But it was all “worth it” after Gradner started crying.
“He just thanked me for the service he provided to his family, and he will always be in debt for bringing his story. And for me, it was a victory from that point. “