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Red-carpet screening of 'Seven Pounds' to benefit food bank
By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 02:08 p.m. EST, Nov 20, 2008
CLEVELAND: Will Smith grew up in sometimes-snowy Philadelphia but has been softened up by life in Hollywood.
''I've definitely been re-sensitized to cold,'' he said with a chuckle this morning during a chat with reporters in the InterContinental Hotel in Cleveland.
Smith is in Northeast Ohio to promote his new movie, Seven Pounds, and boost a local charity. A red-carpet screening of Seven Pounds at Cinemark Valley View this afternoon and evening asks people to bring nonperishable food items for the Cleveland Food Bank. (While you cannot buy a ticket to the screening, starting at 4 p.m. the first 200 food donors will have a chance at tickets to the 7 p.m. show.)
Smith, who will be at the event, is donating 200 turkeys. And he has been holding similar events at other locations on the five-city tour.
Cleveland was chosen for the tour in part because Smith has fond memories of playing there with DJ Jazzy Jeff when Smith was better known as the Fresh Prince.
But when he was looking at possible cities, Smith said, ''I didn't notice the 25 degrees.''
With a bit of a raspy voice from his visits to schools (''We've been screaming with and over the kids,'' he said), Smith recalled that he and Jeff ''played here a few times.''
Another factor was the success his movies have had in Northeast Ohio, he said, and he wanted at least one location that was somewhat northeast, because of his Philly roots. (Other cities on the tour have included Miami, Dallas, St. Louis and Denver.)
He also wanted to get back in touch with people.
On the day before the election of Barack Obama, he said, ''I was nervous. Wasn't certain at all that Barack could win. Then, when it was a landslide, I realized that I was out of touch. Like, I really didn't know what people were thinking and really didn't know what people were feeling.''
Smith said his three children were much more in tune with the mood of the people. ''I was crying,'' he said. ''They had no idea why it was such a big deal for me. Because it was a possibility for them. . . . I remember my 15-year-old [Trey, now 16] . . . was, like, 'Dude, relax.' ''
Smith's children are also as keen as Smith is about helping others. For his 16th birthday, Trey had his friends bring gifts — but so they could take them to children's hospitals.
''Our Christmas this year, our family is not doing internal giving,'' he said. ''All external. So we're giving to others, so in [wife] Jada's name, I'll give to a charity or something like that. And that's almost bubbling from the kids. It's not like something that we have to say to them.''
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://heldenfels.ohio.com. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 and rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.
CLEVELAND: Will Smith grew up in sometimes-snowy Philadelphia but has been softened up by life in Hollywood.
''I've definitely been re-sensitized to cold,'' he said with a chuckle this morning during a chat with reporters in the InterContinental Hotel in Cleveland.
Smith is in Northeast Ohio to promote his new movie, Seven Pounds, and boost a local charity. A red-carpet screening of Seven Pounds at Cinemark Valley View this afternoon and evening asks people to bring nonperishable food items for the Cleveland Food Bank. (While you cannot buy a ticket to the screening, starting at 4 p.m. the first 200 food donors will have a chance at tickets to the 7 p.m. show.)
Smith, who will be at the event, is donating 200 turkeys. And he has been holding similar events at other locations on the five-city tour.
Cleveland was chosen for the tour in part because Smith has fond memories of playing there with DJ Jazzy Jeff when Smith was better known as the Fresh Prince.
But when he was looking at possible cities, Smith said, ''I didn't notice the 25 degrees.''
With a bit of a raspy voice from his visits to schools (''We've been screaming with and over the kids,'' he said), Smith recalled that he and Jeff ''played here a few times.''
Another factor was the success his movies have had in Northeast Ohio, he said, and he wanted at least one location that was somewhat northeast, because of his Philly roots. (Other cities on the tour have included Miami, Dallas, St. Louis and Denver.)
He also wanted to get back in touch with people.
On the day before the election of Barack Obama, he said, ''I was nervous. Wasn't certain at all that Barack could win. Then, when it was a landslide, I realized that I was out of touch. Like, I really didn't know what people were thinking and really didn't know what people were feeling.''
Smith said his three children were much more in tune with the mood of the people. ''I was crying,'' he said. ''They had no idea why it was such a big deal for me. Because it was a possibility for them. . . . I remember my 15-year-old [Trey, now 16] . . . was, like, 'Dude, relax.' ''
Smith's children are also as keen as Smith is about helping others. For his 16th birthday, Trey had his friends bring gifts — but so they could take them to children's hospitals.
''Our Christmas this year, our family is not doing internal giving,'' he said. ''All external. So we're giving to others, so in [wife] Jada's name, I'll give to a charity or something like that. And that's almost bubbling from the kids. It's not like something that we have to say to them.''
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://heldenfels.ohio.com. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 and rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Posted 02:59 PM, 11/20/2008
I love Will Smith. He has got to be the kewlest Hollywood star ever. You go Will Smith. And oh so nice.
Posted 11:28 AM, 11/27/2008
i really love will smith and i think is a good person and i hope he always makes proud
