Will Smith gets Oscar nomination 15 years after the Academy recognized his performance in ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’

In 2002, Will Smith received his first Oscar nomination for portraying legendary boxing figure Muhammad Ali in Michael Mann’s film Ali. In 2007 the Academy recognized him for his role as Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness. Smith didn’t win the awards, but after receiving his third and fourth nominations in 2022, the hope of taking home the statuette is high.

The morning of February 8, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled which actors, movies, songs, and professionals compete for the coveted trophy. During the annual ceremony to announce the nominees, Smith learned he earned a place on the list.

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Will Smith received a nomination as the Best Actor for his role in King Richard and a second one in the category of Best Picture for the same film. Besides producing the movie, Smith plays the role of Richard Williams, the father of iconic tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.

“I guess King Richard appealed to me because it’s the only way I could be involved,” Smith says during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, adding that Mr. Williams “reminds me a lot of my father. It was that same generation — men that used to fix everything with their hands,” the actor explains. “I understood what it was like to live at the edge of survival and to try to sustain a dream.”

Will’s nomination as the Best Actor is shared with Denzel Washington, Javier Bardem, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Andrew Garfield. The 2022 Oscars ceremony will air on March 27 at 8 p.m. on ABC. Read here the complete list of Oscar nominees.