Will Smith Opens Up On Political Future: ‘They Might Need Me Out There’

President
Will Smith? The idea may not be a far-fetched one.

The
superstar is currently generating Oscar buzz for his performance in the
upcoming sports biopic “Concussion,” but could also be getting ready
to set his sights beyond Hollywood and toward Capitol Hill.

“As I
look at the political landscape, I think that there might be a future out there
for me. They might need me out there,” he said in an interview with The
Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast released on Wednesday. 

Will-Smith-Opens-Up-On-Political-Future-They-Might-Need-Me-Out-There
(Getty Images)

He
continued, explaining that despite his accomplishments as an actor and
recording artist, it’s recent social unrest that has inspired him to try and
make a difference outside of the entertainment industry.

“This
is the first year that I’ve been incensed to a level that I can’t sleep, you
know?” he said. “So I’m feeling that at some point, in the near
future, I will have to lend my voice to the conversation in a somewhat
different way.”

WATCH: ‘Concussion’ Hollywood Premiere

Will’s
perspective shift wasn’t spontaneous. Instead, he said, it’s always been in his
nature to redirect his ambitions.

“I’m a
climber, so if I see a mountain, I have to climb it,” he said. “I’m
not a camper. I don’t like hanging in one place too long. So I think, at this
point, I’m elevating my ability to be useful in the world.”

The
47-year-old went into further detail regarding his career outlook while sitting
down for THR’s annual Actors Roundtable, and opened up about the difficulty he
faced following one of his biggest professional disappointments.

Will’s 2013 sci-fi film “After Earth,” in which he
starred opposite his son, Jaden, was considered a flop after grossing $60
million at the domestic box office. However, the actor said that more personal
turmoil was the jump-start he needed to reprioritize and refocus. 

WATCH: Will Smith’s Two-Year Crisis Of Confidence 

“That Monday morning, after the box office receipts came
out, I had about 10 or 12 minutes where I was sulking, and then I got the phone
call that my father had been diagnosed with cancer. And I was like, ‘Yup, thank
you, God. Got it. Absolutely. Got it. I get it,'” he said. “I went
downstairs, I got on the treadmill. I did my hour on the treadmill and then I
flew to Philly to see my father.” 

At that point, Will said, an awakening set in. 

“In retrospect, I realize I had hit a ceiling in my
talent,” Will told his fellow panelists, including Benicio Del Toro, Mark
Ruffalo, Joel Edgerton and Michael Caine. “I realized I had done
everything I could do with the me that I had.”

Once he channeled his energy inward, Will said, the change
began to present itself.

“Marriage counseling, 50 parenting books, all of that
type of stuff. I just dived into me, and then all of a sudden, it was like
‘Ohhh!’ I found the connection.”

Ultimately, Will said, the solution was simple.

“Your work can never really be better than you
are,” he said.

“Concussion” opens nationwide on Dec. 25. 

— Erin Biglow

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