Good Boy - Bad Boy: Johnny Depp and Will Smith - the most intelligent actors in Hollywood
August 28th 2007 06:32
Johnny Depp in the TV-series 21 Jump Street
Depp and Smith are two of the most respected names in Hollywood right now, the Marlon Brando and Humphrey Bogart of the 21st. However, past comparisons aside, it is doubtful whether any actors have managed their careers so intelligently or so successful as these two in Hollywood history.
Though every major actor and actress in Hollywood usually find themselves making a series of comebacks (with varying degrees of success) throughout their film careers, Depp and Smith have both remained in peak form critically and commercially now for going on two decades and are in no danger of slowing down.
Will Smith as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Both actors began their careers in late 80's TV-series that were highly symbolic of where their careers were headed.
A 24 year-old Depp hit the small screen in the teen-crime-drama 21 Jump Street in 1987 while a 22 year-old Smith grabbed his first lead in the series Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1990. They both went on to grab iconic leading roles in somewhat risky film projects. For Smith this was Bad Boys. For Depp it was Edward Scissorhands. Both projects resulted in fruitful commerical and creative partnerships for the young actors.
Depp in the role that made him a star - Edward Scissorhands
Post Edward Scissorhands, Depp realised he had come to be perceived as a dreamy, unconventional leading man. He acted accordingly with a string of succesful pictures including Arizona Dream, Benny & Joon, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Ed Wood and Don Juan DeMarco, unusual stories all to which Depp's style of performance brought a touching humanity.
Smith followed Bad Boys with a string of quirky action movies, allowing him to play various dedicated and yet comedic heroic parts in movies such as Independence Day, Men in Black, Enemy of the State and Wild Wild West.
For both actors it was a period of about three years each in which they were somewhat typecast, and their box-offices were beginning to suffer as a result.
Will Smith received his first Oscar nomination in this Mohammad Ali biopic
Smith took a racial direction, making the poignant movie The Legend of Bagger Vance. He then perceived that biopics were the latest craze in Hollywood and starred in a Mohammad Ali biopic Ali in 2001, winning his first Oscar nomination.
By this point both actors had been on screen for about a decade each and technically their careers should have begun to wind down. Yet there was no sign of it. Depp re-teamed with Burton for the brilliant collaboration Sleepy Hollow, while Smith made two highly successful sequels to Bad Boys and Men in Black.
The iconic Captain Jack Sparrow
Both actors, reacting no doubt to demographic read-outs displaying their popularity with women aged 14 to 50, made two brilliantly successful romantic comedies. Hitch for Smith and Finding Neverland for Depp. Smith then went on to win a second Oscar nomination in the critically acclaimed and commercially succesful movie The Pursuit of Happiness, while Depp went on to collaborate with Tim Burton in the popular movies Corpse Bride and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was also alive and well on the side.
That brings us to the present and just exactly where these two astonishing artists careers are headed. The short answer is up. Will Smith's next action epic was brilliantly chosen. I Am Legend is a cult novel that has already proven itself highly successful on the screen in the past. The latest adaptation looks to leave its predecessors in the dust and make Smith another small fortune.
Will Smith cemented his name as an actors actor in this well received hit
Either way, these two performers have spent their careers lighting up the screen with performances that go beyond the mere commercial and audiences have responded. While this continues to be the case they will continue to do so. The result is that Johnny Depp and Will Smith remain two of the most successful leading men in Hollywood history. Carefully crafted careers based on bold creative decisions have resulted in cinematic brilliance for both of them. Chances are they are going to be around for a long time to come and frankly who is going to complain?
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