Will Smith: The Key Is Helping Others

MINNEAPOLIS — Will Smith is bringing the message of his new movie "Seven Pounds" to the Midwest with a promotional tour that also turned into a fundraiser.

In the film, which opens nationwide Friday, Smith portrays a suicidal man determined to change the lives of several strangers.

"If there's a message, it's 'you gotta help somebody.' Even if it's somebody's car breaking down, use your cell phone. Something little like that. We gotta help one another to get the quality of life we're all striving for," he said in an interview with the Star Tribune.

Smith's appearance Friday for a local premier at a theater in suburban Edina was also a fundraiser for Second Harvest Heartland, the state's largest hunger-relief organization. Tickets were given to the first 250 people who donated nonperishable food. He and Vikings player Bernard Berrian also donated 300 holiday dinners to the organization.

"It's cool to have the goal of being the biggest movie star in the world. But why? It's been revealed to me that the question is: Whose life is better because you woke up today?"

Smith said he realized he had drifted out of contact with everyday people on Nov. 4.

"I sat there with my children and my 16-year-old son couldn't understand how I didn't know (the election) was over already. He was like 'You're out of touch,'" he said.

His promotional tour also includes stops in Miami, Dallas, St. Louis, Cleveland, Denver and Charlotte, N.C.

Comments

[CabaretArtist]

07:31 PM on 12/18/2008

I wish he could come out of the closet and live fully. His eyes tell a lot. Much more than his terrible acting.

[JohnAlfred]

06:46 PM on 12/15/2008

Oddly, I met him recently. Damn if he wasn't one of the nicest people you'd want to meet. I work for a major daily newspaper and he was promoting his new movie. We were all sort of floored by how personable he was. We get our share of celebs come through here -- a majority of them are well, not always friendly. He was the exception.
Here's a photo http://doeclovers.blogspot.com/

[Mac18]

02:13 AM on 12/15/2008

I just want to set some of you people straight cause some of these comments I'm reading are absolutely vile. Will Smith has always been a great humanitarian, he not only talks the talk but he most definitely walks the walk. THE THING IS YOU WON'T FIND MUCH ABOUT THE GOOD WORK HE DOES IN THE PHILADELPHIA COMMUNITY ALONG WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S NOT AN ATTENTION GRABBING HEADLINE IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP PUSH COPIES OF US WEEKLY AND STAR MAGAZINE...NOT THAT THEY OFTEN HAVE BLACK ACTORS ON THEIR COVERS IN THE FIRST PLACE....I SUGGEST IF YOU REALLY WANT TO NO MORE ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT HE AND JADA DO OUTSIDE OF HOLLYWOOD THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO PICK UP MAGAZINES LIKE EBONY, ESSENCE, ETC....because trust me THEY DO A HELL OF A LOT AND TO SIT THERE AND BASH THEM WHEN THEY LIKE THE OBAMAS ARE A GREAT MODEL OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES...makes you a pathetically sad human being who's only role in life is to sit at home and tear others down from behind a computer screen.....AS A BLACK AMERICAN THESE COMMENTS ARE APPALING TO ME BECAUSE HE IS A GREAT ROLE MODEL AND SO IS HIS FAMILY.

[richchaplin]

07:45 PM on 12/14/2008

Why are we talking about Smith sexuallity? He's a decent actor with a few lousy credits and several great ones. He's funny and charming and never is the subject of scandal in the tabloids. And it seems he's humanitarian too. I really don't care about his sexuality.

If he were gay -- which I don't believe (but what do I know?) -- it wouldn't matter to me. Do Hollywood careers really get seriously impacted by orientation in this day and age? I don't think Sir Ian McClellan thinks so, having starred in two of the biggest film franchises of all time.

Is Hugo Weaving gay? That's right: I DON'T CARE! Loved him as the elf and as Agent Smith, that's all. Will Smith was great in Six Degrees and I liked him in "Legend". The fact that he's a giver makes me respect him more than his acting does.

[Notapathetic]

07:28 PM on 12/14/2008

I'm not sure why a handful of people have the impulse to be so damn nasty. Will Smith is just a man expressing his belief that people should assist other people when they can. How that information can enter someone's brain and be twisted into the dark and ugly idea that Smith has a "secret" life and is a bad man is kinda nutty.

[josephbua]

02:02 PM on 12/14/2008

" "If there's a message, it's 'you gotta help somebody.' Even if it's somebody's car breaking down, use your cell phone. Something little like that. We gotta help one another to get the quality of life we're all striving for," he said in an interview with the Star Tribune."

This sounds so much like Cruise talking on that Scientology video last year about how Scientologists are really the only ones that CAN help.

No Will, you're not a Scientologist, you just agree with a LOT of what they believe and you're staffing your private school with those who teach the methods.

But you're not a Scientologist. No, not you Will.

[Mac18]

02:06 AM on 12/15/2008

I really don't understand how you can take a message like that and start bashing it...he's talking about helping other people that's it....you really must find something else to do with your negative energy.

[javaJimmy]

01:31 AM on 12/14/2008

You can tell he does believe in helping others - look what he did for Jada Pinkett's career..

[LiberalBuzz]

12:01 AM on 12/14/2008

The guy is worth a few hundred million dollars and he buys some dinners and WOW, he's a great humanitarian?

I'm a fan and all that. I don't like all of his movies, like Legend which I found overwrought and somewhat pretentious but others are pretty danged good.

I do miss when he used to be funny though.

But if he can give millions to some scientology scam school, then he can do a whole lot better than a few hundred dinners. Give me a few months with him and I can guarandamntee you I can show him where some REAL humanitarian work needs to be done.

And sorry but as long as I've worked in and around Hollywood and have several friends who all work in the biz, most of whom work special effects and make up, and never has there been any hint of him needing a beard. Some are obvious, like Tom, but Will?

Sorry not buying it.

[SeanGardner]

03:55 AM on 12/14/2008

"The guy is worth a few hundred million dollars and he buys some dinners and WOW, he's a great humanitarian?"

Sounds like someone is being a hater!

Because you don't want to do the research on how charitable WIll SMith has been over the years, I'll provide a link here: http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/150-will-smith

And remember, tis the season to be "jolly" not to be "hateful" when a simple search would have shown you the amazing breadth and scope of what Will Smith and his wife Jada do every day.

[Eyewideopen]

06:49 AM on 12/14/2008

Angie and Madonna adopt a couple of brown and yellow children, and magically to some, they became living saints or humanitarians.

Wow, they're saints?

[scully09]

07:08 PM on 12/13/2008

I wish Will Smith would help me and read my book. Bay Minette. It would make a terrific movie. A tear jerker.

[deja669]

05:33 PM on 12/13/2008

I Love Will Smith...He's an accomplished actor, loving husband and dedicated father. Handle your business Will. There's nothing but haters trying to tear you down.

[johnnygoodwud]

05:28 PM on 12/13/2008

he and his kid are way over exposed. never felt a very genuine feeling listening to him

[Seven7s]

07:40 PM on 12/13/2008

maybe you're not a genuine person?

[Merckx]

08:32 PM on 12/13/2008

Good one.

[txgal44]

11:53 AM on 12/14/2008

Hopefully that will give johnny something to think about. Will Smith not genuine? You're out of your mind.

[LeftAngelWing]

04:23 PM on 12/13/2008

Yeah like helping your own career by staging a marriage and kids to keep your straight man image.

Just like helping others in this movie, his married life is an act. Going on Oprah and overly talk about how he's going to give it to his wife hard when he gets home is a prime example of a gay man hiding who he truly is. Tom Cruise is another one with his carefully staging PDA sessions. Why is so intent in keeping his wife and daughter Suri in the spotlight? To remind everyone he is the straight and married virile father. Remember Rosie O'Donnell before she came out publicly? All she talked about was being in love with Tom Cruise! Common! And people just buy it. And they keep feeding these lies by consuming and paying for all of their scams.... It's sick! David Beckham... moving next to Tom... Look a little closer... or find the secret underground passage between the 2 houses. Kevin Spacey is another queen who makes advances to men by night and act straight by day. Gay!

By the way, I am gay. I have nothing against gays and lesbians. I just wish all actors could be honest.
I don't so much blame that as homophobes who would stop buying movie tickets if they found out their fantasy leading man was gay. I am so tired of the lies.... just to keep these people's multi million dollars endorsements coming.

Gay Hollywood is alive and well.

[brooklyncitizen]

04:30 PM on 12/13/2008

you may be spending too much time thinking about these strangers...ehrmmm got a life?

[LeftAngelWing]

09:53 PM on 12/13/2008

.... ehrmmmm got a clue?

[LeftAngelWing]

04:33 PM on 12/13/2008

http://www.glbtq.com/arts/film_actors_gay.html

[peachesmahoney]

04:20 PM on 12/13/2008

I'm in the minority but I've never liked Will Smith. Good for him for doing humanitarian work but I'd rather eat glass than sit through dreck like Hancock, Wild Wild West, Hitch, and this latest crapfest.

[macbabe]

04:02 PM on 12/13/2008

Seems to be on the same page as Obama and a lot of other people
... keep passing t forward.