Will Smith‘s generosity was so profound on the set of the critically acclaimed movie King Richard that it produced dropped jaws and a river of tears.
Smith and the cast were angry when Warner Bros. announced they were moving their entire 2021 slate to “day-and-date” releases, which means being released in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. This means that the cast could potentially make less money due to lower theatrical profits.
That’s why Smith reached into his own bag to break off stacks to the entire cast. Tony Goldwyn, who played the president on the juggernaut TV show “Scandal,” told “Access Hollywood” that he was completely blown away by the generosity of the erstwhile Fresh Prince:
“I’ve been doing this for over 30 years. I have never worked with anyone as generous as Will. What you said [giving bonuses and gifts to all of the talent] is true. When this movie, when Warner Brothers decided not to release it, to put it out on streaming, there was a lot of controversy as people know and we just got a call from Will saying, ‘I’m going to make this right.’ I’ve never experienced it, I was floored. I just couldn’t believe it.”
There’s more. According to young actress Layla Crawford, he bought some cast members new phones and other goodies:
“He gave us Polaroid cameras and different treats all the time. He’s just such a generous and sweet person. He also gave us iPhone 12 Pro Max gifts in boxes. We ripped them open and everyone started crying. I literally cried my eyes out — it was the best gift ever,” she explained. “Will Smith is a blessing, I learned so much from working with him.”
