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Xenu has proclaimed it to be so.

Kim Hollis: Will Smith has had eight straight films debut at #1. Why does he get the benefit of the doubt no one else in the industry does?

Tim Briody: Since his initial Men In Black/Independence Day 1-2 punch, it's been a collection of sequels and mostly smart choices, with only Bagger Vance as an outright flop. And seriously, if you told me 15 years ago that The Fresh Prince would be the biggest movie star in the world for the rest of the decade and the entirety of the aughts, I would have laughed hysterically for hours.

Joel Corcoran: I think Tim is right, but let's not overlook the fact that Will Smith is a fine actor capable of performing well in a variety of roles. He's one of those few actors out there who can easily transition from comedic thriller to intense drama and back again.

Pete Kilmer: Will Smith has the kind of goodwill with the public that Tom Hanks had a few years ago. He's made films that people have FUN at...and he's made serious movies that people really get invested in. Sure, he's had a couple of flops along the way, but his record is pretty spotless. And the fact that he goes back to music every now and then and keeps in touch with that audience helps as well.

Daron Aldridge: There are two possibilities here: Pact with the devil or being a very likable, nonthreatening personality that hasn't done anything to alienate the public. (Yes, I am looking at you, Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. Curse you for poisoning the box office of MI:III.) It is reminiscent of '90s and early 2000s Tom Hanks when people just liked to see him in movies.





Scott Lumley: He's a likable, funny, talented guy and he has little to no outstanding social problems. Everyone likes him and he's never given us a reason not to. (Wild Wild West notwithstanding...)

Jason Lee: Will Smith is a bona fide box office star who's never given audiences a reason to dislike or distrust him. He doesn't jump on Oprah's couches, he doesn't sleep around and he doesn't let his politics speak louder than his films. In the absence of controversy, people remember him for the movies they love.

Brandon Scott: Big Willie's hip-hop roots have firmly planted him in the consciousness of anyone under 35. As Jason mentioned, he hasn't displayed any couch jumping antics, despite a recent media push hinting that he may be a Scientologist. He is always seen smiling in public and has a solid family man rep. He has handled a variety of fare, from dramas to action films, to critical acclaim and commercial success, across the board. His persona smacks of a certain politician currently running for President. He has gone from Rap's Fresh Prince to Box Office King in about two decades time.

Max Braden: Tom Cruise has a similar record for his action roles. Mostly it's the right man for the right job. But unlike Cruise and even Mel Gibson, Smith hasn't contracted the crazy-eyed intensity of someone who's trying too hard. He has an attitude of someone, as Pete said, like Hanks, who is very approachable.

David Mumpower: Oddly, I think that movie-goers take note of the fact that even if Will Smith's movies are not the best, they are still going to get Will Smith being himself in them (for the most part). As long as he has stayed in roles such as these, audiences feel comfortable buying what is being sold. It's when he has gone out on a limb in titles such as Ali and The Legend of Bagger Vance that he got in trouble.

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