Will Smith has been in the public eye since a very young age. Even before his acting debut in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air at 21, he was a rap artist and musician. Moreover, the Independence day actor himself is quite open to sharing his life publicly; the good and the not-so-good alike. Whether it is his professional achievements, vacations, altercations, or even family matters, he has always been transparent.

Speaking of Will’s family, the actor has been more than vocal about his father and the impact he has had on his life. However, when it came to his mom, the Bad Boys star was always more reserved. If you wonder why that is, Will Smith shared it all in an interview from 1998. Let us find out the details.

Why did Will Smith hardly ever talk about his mother?

In an exclusive interview with RollingStone, Smith opened up a little about his mother. When asked if “she is pretty,” the Fresh Prince laughed out and replied, “My mom’s fine!” he even declared that his own personality mimics his mom more than his dad. According to Will, his mother is spontaneous and just “can’t sit still.”

Talking about his formative years, Smith revealed his mother shaped his “emotional development.” This differed greatly from his father, who would beat him “into shipshape” as a child. Smith spoke fondly of his mother and even revealed why it was difficult for him to talk about her.

“I don’t talk as much about her because it takes me to a real vulnerable space,” shared the Men in Black star.

Will even narrated an amusing anecdote to better describe his mom. She raised Will and her other sons to be gentlemanly and hold open the car passenger door for her. Will Smith still remains very close to his mother. In fact, his mom, Caroline, is often outspoken about her son. She even expressed her views on the infamous Oscar Slap-gate controversy between Smith and comedian Chris Rock.

What do you think about the relationship between Will Smith and his mother? Let us know in the comments below. In the meantime, as a throwback to a simpler uncontroversial time, you can watch Men in Black streaming on Netflix.