WILL SMITH 'I understand MYSELF NOW'

THE ACTOR OPENS UP ON A CHALLENGING NEW ROLE, HIS KIDS AND MARRIED LIFE

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In all the roles he’s played during his more-than-30-year movie and TV career, none was more stressful for Will Smith than portraying tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams’ father, Richard. But the chance to portray the driven, devoted and complicated tennis dad in King Richard was too good an opportunity for Smith, 53, to pass up. “With where I am in my life, I felt more prepared than ever to honour and explore this man and this family,” he says of the role.

Smith’s portrayal of Williams is already generating Oscars buzz. Here the much-loved actor, who’s also starred in Men in Black, Independence Day and Ali, opens up about this demanding new role and what he’s learned along the way …

You’ve played real-life characters before, but was there more of a personal connection to Richard Williams? You’ve spoken before about how he makes you think of your father and your daughter.

Yeah, absolutely. You know, I think more than anything, I was more mature going into this role. I had sort of probed myself deeper, I wrote my memoir [