Will Smith is a pop culture legend for anyone who grew up in the '80s or '90s. From rapping his way to a Grammy, to becoming a sitcom sensation, and finally becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars- Smith has cemented himself as one of the most famous and powerful figures in Tinseltown. And a lot of his success comes down to his work ethic, something he takes a lot of pride in. In a famous decades-old interview with Steve Kroft, Smith made a famous quote that still sticks with people today.

Smith mentioned that he does not think of himself as “particularly talented,” but what sets him apart is his “ridiculous, sickening work ethic". Recently, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who starred alongside Smith in King Richard, reminded everyone of that famous quote again. 

There is a lot to learn from Will Smith, but one of the most important lessons is his honest hard work. Ellis-Taylor, who worked with him on King Richard, recently told PEOPLE that the one thing that really "stayed" with her after the film was Smith’s intense work ethic. She recalled how, whenever Smith walked in for a script reading, index cards would be everywhere, as he prepared for every possible detail. But it was not just about his work ethic, it was also Smith's kind and thoughtful nature. 

Even with his intense focus on work, he never let anyone be mistreated or feel uncomfortable in his presence on set. That balance of kindness and work ethic is something Ellis-Taylor has taken with her into her own projects, like Origin, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, and Exhibiting Forgiveness. But beyond hard work, Smith also had a few tricks up his sleeve to help him get noticed in Hollywood.

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In fact, just this month, Smith shared how he used an old-school networking move to land his first big role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Will Smith is a household name, but there is a little story behind his journey that people might not know. He recently shared this in an episode of the new Vice docuseries Black Comedy in America. In the episode, Smith talked about how he had to get creative to kickstart his acting career. His girlfriend at the time advised him to go mingle with the famous people backstage at The Arsenio Hall Show, which was a hub for all the famous people back in the day.

Now, he did not reveal exactly how many hours he spent just chilling backstage, but Smith did say he was there all day, every day. And it paid off, because that is where he met Benny Medina, the music executive who was working on the concept for a show that would later become The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. After hitting it off with Medina, Smith’s career took off, and well, the rest is history.

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What do you think about Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s thoughts on Will Smith’s work ethic? Let us know in the comments below!