In what some may see as an ironic slap in the face, a street in Philadelphia is reportedly set to be named after actor Will Smith, who is native to the area.
The 2000 block of North 56th Street in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Wynnefield will soon be known as “Will Smith Way,” according to a report by NBC 10 Philadelphia.
Smith, who is “West Philadelphia born and raised,” will now have a street named after him in his childhood neighborhood.
Philadelphia City Council reportedly passed a resolution to rename a street after Smith, saying they wanted to recognize the Men in Black star’s accomplishments in the entertainment industry, and also cited his charitable contributions and advocacy for social justice and equality.
Smith graduated from Overbrook High School, just northwest of downtown Philadelphia, and ascended to fame as the rapper in the hit sitcom The Fresh Prince in the late 1980s.
That success was then followed up with the popular 1990s series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Smith eventually becoming one of the entertainment industry’s highest-paid celebrities.
Notably, the Bad Boys star tainted his career at the Academy Awards in 2022, when he infamously marched onto the Oscars stage and smacked Chris Rock across the face after the comedian made a joke at his wife’s expense.
The attack was followed up with Smith resigning from the Motion Picture Academy, saying in a statement that his “actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable.”
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
