Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
Will Smith sat down for a 1 hour podcast interview with Elliott Wilson from Rap Radar. They talked about his relationship with wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith and how they are never getting a divorce. He talked about getting on social media and being his authentic self. In the audio above, he talks about getting the role of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and how James Avery aka Uncle Phil pushed him to be better and dig deep for the infamous scene when his father, played by Ben Vereen leaves him
James Avery wouldn’t give me a damn inch. Everything I said and everything I did for James Avery he was like “no, not good enough. You have this position, look where you are, look at what you are blessed with. I’m sorry but I am not accepting anything other than absolute committed perfection from you.” And at that time I was ballin! (laughter) and James Avery wouldn’t give me nothing. He was the model for me. James Avery was so serious and I would look at him and he had that acting power I wanted to have. He would listen to my music and say “nope, nope.” So we’re doing that scene (see below) and I’m having a hard time with it and it comes to the moment and we’re in the scene together. I’m messin up the lines cuz I want it so bad and we’re in front of the audience and we’re doin it and I’m furious and he holds on to me and he says “hey, relax, relax, it’s already in there you know what it is. Look at me, use me. Don’t act around me, act with me.” So he’s talking me through it so I get it together. So I do the scene and he hugs me at the end and while he’s hugging me he whispers in my ear, “that’s f*ckin actin right there!” (laughter). It makes me teary right now. I was using him. I wanted him to want me. I wanted him to approve of me. So actually in that scene I was transferring that energy
