Will Smith Admits He “Fell in Love” With His Co-Star

Culture

| LAST UPDATE 11/04/2021

By Alexa Alves
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Remember life before Will and Jada? It's weird to think of a time when the Fresh Prince and his Mrs. weren't hand-in-hand, but according to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor, there was once a time when he had his sights set entirely elsewhere. Here's who Smith was crushing on back in the day and what he had to say for himself about it.

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Thanks to a snippet from Will's upcoming memoir, Will, we're about to catch a completely new side of the Hollywood charmer. From his journey to fatherhood to his rise to fame, nothing is off-limits when it comes to perhaps his most vulnerable piece yet - including, of course, his love life. Safe to say, that's where things get interesting.

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Back in 1993, as the actor found himself on the set of his latest movie, he also found himself deep in his feelings - but not for his then-wife, Sheree Zampino. "Our marriage was off to a rocky start. I found myself desperately yearning to see and speak to Stockard," Smith confessed of Six Degrees of Separation costar Stockard Channing.

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But wait - there's more to the story here. As Smith further explained, there was an excellent explanation for his unexpected feelings: method acting. "With Six Degrees of Separation, I got a taste early of the dangers of going too far for a character," he confessed to Esquire. "My character was in love with Stockard Channing's character. And I actually fell in love with [her]."

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But don't worry - he's since shut the door on that chapter. "That was my last experience with method acting - where you're reprogramming your mind," Will assured. "You're actually playing around with your psychology. You teach yourself to like things and to dislike things."

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Fast forward to today, and the Fresh Prince's reality looks very different. From his relationship with Jada Smith to starting a family of their own, Will's road from West Philly to Hollywood has been one for the books - literally. Check out Will for yourself when it hits stands November 9.

Until then, stay tuned.