Will Smith’s 2022 Oscar-winning performance in King Richard didn't actually require him to get super into tennis. However, nearly two years after the movie’s release, it looks like he's been inspired to take up the sport. Smith recently had his first lesson and posted about it on social media. As a result, he took fans with him on that journey, and the video is just too funny.
Amidst the actor celebrating Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s 33rd anniversary this week, Will Smith also took to Instagram to share a funny clip of himself getting ready to start tennis lessons. In the humorous footage he shared, one can see the A-lister working on his serve and backhand among other skills. Check it out:
Sometimes the best way to prepare for taking on something new is getting the right outfit down, and Will Smith definitely did that in this case. He looks to be matching head to toe with Lacoste tennis gear, specifically a bright white fit with black and yellow details. And as he shared in the video, “You can’t play tennis without a headband.”
The Men in Black icon was in full model mode in the fun clip, and it went on to showcase him actually taking to the court and starting his lesson. But in a hilarious twist, he forgot to keep his headband on while playing and became disappointed in himself shortly after. As he quipped, his headband is tennis, and he “blew it” for not rocking the full ensemble while getting into the sport. Apparently, one's headband is the source of good tennis mojo!
Like many actors right now, Will Smith isn't on a Hollywood set due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, perhaps giving him more time to pursue hobbies like tennis. Back in July, Smith discussed how the strike is a “pivotal moment” in his profession while posting about his attendance at an acting class, where a number of aspiring thespians were present.
He was busy in the months leading up to the strike, as he was filming the fourth Bad Boys movie with Martin Lawrence, which is reportedly going to be subtitled Ride Or Die. After the production started in April, cameras stopped rolling in July due to the SAG-AFTRA strike going into effect. The movie is still expected to be among upcoming 2024 movies, and a July 14 release date has been set for that year by Sony.
His return to that franchise aside, he earned acclaim for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard. He ultimately won his first Oscar in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category for his work. Of course, that night was also marked by controversy as, earlier in the evening, he notably slapped Chris Rock in front of an audience full of Hollywood stars and millions of viewers of the telecast. After he received backlash for the slap, the Hancock star got to keep his Oscar, but he resigned from the Academy, calling his own actions at the ceremony “shocking, painful and inexcusable.”
Considering Will Smith’s recent foray into tennis, one does have to wonder if he’s been calling up Serena and Venus Williams for tips on the game after portraying their father in King Richard. He could end up doing just that if he doesn't get the results he's looking for. We'll see if he manages to get a feel for the sport -- and if he posts any more hilarious videos of his training. You can also see the actor in the 2021 movie now using a Max subscription.
