SPOILERS are ahead for Karate Kid: Legends.

The latest of big 2025 movie releases that arrived over the weekend was Karate Kid: Legends. The new installment to the Karate Kid franchise finally ties together Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi with the 2010 The Karate Kid movie with Jackie Chan, however, you might notice one key component of the 15-year-old movie is missing: Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker.

I know I personally didn’t expect to see Jaden Smith in Legends given the son of Will Smith barely acts these days. But I do find it interesting to read about what director Jonathan Entwistle thinks about how Dre Parker fits into his new movie, if you were as curious as I am by the decision. Here’s what he told Inverse:

As Entwistle shared with the outlet, he definitely thinks Jaden Smith’s The Karate Kid character is still absolutely canon and out there somewhere in the world of Karate Kid: Legends. It seems like perhaps he wasn’t deemed necessary to the story of Ben Wang’s Li Fong and therefore is not in this new movie.

In Karate Kid: Legends, which couldn’t surpass the continued box office success of Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning over its first weekend, Mr. Han has followed his time training Dre in The Karate Kid in the 2010 movie by becoming a master to many more in China since the end of his first and only appearance in the franchise. Li Fong is one of his students over in China, but after the tragic death of his brother after a kung fu tournament, Li Fong and his mother move to New York City for a fresh start.

And when Mr. Han senses that Li Fong can use some help over in New York City, and it involves karate, he hunts down Daniel LaRusso in California to help him learn the art. Sure, it’s a bit of a meandering plotline, but Legends does finally tie together the original movies with the 2010 version by connecting Mr. Han with Mr. Miyagi. Knowing that the pair have some shared history makes it more palpable that Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso would come together.

It would have been nice to see Legends nod to Dre and the 2010 movie, but I know I found it fun on its own to see Mr. Han and Daniel in the same Karate Kid film. It’s been awhile since I saw Jackie Chan in a Hollywood blockbuster, and he is still doing his own stunts at the age of 71 (and told CinemaBlend he always will). I also had a great time seeing Daniel and William Zabka’s Johnny joke around in the post credit scene. At least Dre Parker is still allegedly canon, but I do get why he’s seemingly not part of the plotline of the new film after the director’s comments.

When I ranked all five Karate Kid movies, I put the original at number one because, you know, I like to give the people what they want. Even though The Karate Kid Part II and III each have their fans, and The Next Karate Kid…is a film that exists, I know that everybody loves the original.

Inversely, I also know that pretty much nobody thinks the 2010 The Karate Kid, starring Jaden Smith, is the best movie in the franchise. But, do you want to know a little secret that the above headline kind of already spoiled? I think it’s the best.

And, with the upcoming Karate Kid Legends (which looked awesome at CinemaCon) bridging the gap between the old Karate Kid, and the more recent one, I thought that now was as good a time as any to sing the 2010 movie’s praises.

I Actually Like Jaden Smith's Character Better Than Ralph Macchio's

We once ranked the most vicious villains of The Karate Kid franchise, and many of the characters that you might expect made the list, such as John Kreese, Johnny Lawrence, and Terry Silver.

However, while I’m not completely on board with the whole “Daniel LaRusso is the REAL villain theory” that’s been floating around the internet for awhile, what I will say is that Daniel isn’t the most likeable protagonist. For example, in The Karate Kid Part II, he asks mentor,Mr. Miyagi why he doesn’t just kill John Kreese when given the chance. I’ll repeat that. Daniel asks his mentor, who is a man of peace, why he doesn’t KILL another human being.

So, yeah. I’m not sure if Daniel has the best motives when it comes to the fine art of karate. That said, do you know what character doesn’t have murderous intent? Dre Parker, played by Castle headpiece-wearing aficionado Jaden Smith. You see, Dre, just like Daniel, finds himself being a stranger in a strange land (But this time, in China rather than California). And, like Daniel, Dre finds himself in trouble because he likes a girl.

That said, Dre's worst behavior in the movie involves throwing dirty water on some punks, and convincing the girl he likes to play hooky from school for one day. He doesn’t throw the first punch when facing his bully, nor does he seem like the kind of person who can't accept that people can change in the future.

In truth, Dre seems like the kind of kid who avoids seeking out trouble, but is willing to stand his ground if it finds him, and I really like that about him. I'm not sure if I can say the same for Daniel-san, however.

To Be Really Honest, I Also Prefer Jackie Chan As A Mentor Over Pat Morita

Jackie Chan is a legend. Everybody knows that. In fact, I grew up watching all of the best Jackie Chan movies when I was little, and I share a lot of those movies with my own children. Like I said, the man's a legend.

So, it's been interesting to watch one of the greatest action heroes of all time transition into becoming the wise old man character.

And, no offense to Pat Morita, as he carried all four of those Karate Kid movies, but I just don’t see him as being the kind of guy who could kick everybody’s butt in a room if he had the opportunity. But Jackie Chan? Well, I’ve seen him do it. In other movies, sure, but that’s how I know him.

Plus, I just like Jackie Chan's performance as Mr. Han better than Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi. Both Miyagi and Han have a dark past, and both of them act as father figures to Daniel and Dre, respectively.

However, I just have more of a connection with Jackie Chan, given my history watching so many of his movies. It's almost like, similar to Dre, I grew up with Jackie Chan as well, so I just like him better. It's a personal thing, I know, but this is a personal article.

The Stakes Also Feel Higher In The 2010 Film

I kind of brought this up with the first entry on why I prefer Dre over Daniel, but Daniel seems like he causes a lot of his own problems. Yes, he shouldn’t be bullied by the members of Cobra Kai, but he should also kind of mind his own business, especially when moving to a new area.

Daniel is also a teenager, and even turns 18 in the movie. So, in a lot of ways, I feel like Daniel could possibly make better decisions, or at least know not to spray water at Johnny as payback. Because in a lot of ways, I kind of don’t feel bad when Daniel gets the snot beaten out of him in the first movie. He kind of deserves it.

I don’t feel that way about Dre though. For one thing, Dre is only 12, so I’m more okay with him making bad decisions (like throwing dirty water on his bully). I also feel like Dre has more to deal with in his life, what with moving to a different continent, and the fact that his mentor, Mr. Han has a lot of trauma, as exhibited by the part where he’s wrecking the car that he killed his wife and child in, and that’s a lot for a 12-year-old to witness.

Finally, I think the tournament itself seems more important for Dre, even though the set-up is similar to the original The Karate Kid. Dre, being a foreigner, really only has this opportunity to find happiness in China, whereas I think Daniel would get by, even if he lost the tournament and continued to get bullied (I mean, he got a car, right? He could drive away from his troubles).

So, in every way, I just think the stakes are higher for Dre, and I like that about the 2010 film. I prefer it, even.

I Also Like The China Setting

I’ve never been to China, and I don’t see myself ever going there, unfortunately. So, that’s where movies come in (Inversely, the Chinese audience seems to like our movies, too…though, some of the movies they like might be questionable). Since I won’t travel there, I enjoy seeing characters go there, and that’s where 2010’s The Karate Kid takes place–Right in Beijing, China.

This is a great setting, because again, Dre is a kid out of his element. He originally lived in Detroit, Michigan, but once the auto industry went belly up, his mother had to move them.

And, I love this element about the film. In the original movie, Daniel moved from Newark (Whoop whoop. New Jersey, representing!) to Los Angeles, California. But, I’m sorry. As somebody who has been to both Newark and Los Angeles, I don’t feel anything is exotic about either location. Daniel moving there changes the locale, sure, but not in a way like Detroit does to China.

In fact, this adds to a lot of the conflict in 2010’s The Karate Kid. Because while yes, The Karate Kid Part II takes place in Japan, Daniel is with Mr. Miyagi. But, Dre is all alone in China, for the most part, and trying to navigate this new setting while his mother’s at work really adds to the tension.

In that way, I think China is the most interesting setting this series has ever had. But, that also adds to another reason why this is my favorite “The Karate Kid” movie.

Finally, And Perhaps Most Controversially, I Prefer Kung Fu To Karate

I put “The Karate Kid” in quotes before because it’s a complete misnomer, as this movie is not about karate, which is Japanese in origin (Which is why Part II takes place in Okinawa). Instead, it’s about kung fu, which is from China.

In fact, 2010’s The Karate Kid wasn’t even titled that in China. Instead, it was titled, Kung Fu Dream, which makes sense, since the 2010 movie was only called The Karate Kid in America since people already know the title, and it loosely followed the same events from the first film.

But, I much prefer kung fu to karate. No disrespect to Japan (I mean, I LOVE Japan…and Godzilla), but I’ve always found karate to be kind of boring. In fact, I even find it boring in the original Karate Kid movies, as the actual fighting has always been the least interesting part to me about those first four films.

However, the combat in the 2010 film is awesome. I love all of the fluid movements and martial arts that take place, and that alone makes this movie superior in my eyes, since I genuinely enjoy watching the fight scenes. I think they’re all great.

I think I've waxed on enough here, but what do you think? Does anyone else out there also love the 2010 film as much as I do? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

This past weekend, the 2025 Grammys (which CinemaBlend live blogged) were quite exciting. History was made, and I don’t just mean that when it comes to the awards that were earned. Ahead of the event, more than a few notable stars made serious fashion statements on the red carpet. Jaden Smith made headlines, too, as the actor and rapper showed up to the event in a black suit - and a Wearable Vampire Castle Headpiece. It’s an interesting accessory, and I was surprised to find out just how expensive it is.

Jaden Smith’s headwear came courtesy of Abodi, which specializes in Transylvania-centric attire. Some might assume that the eclectic item is modestly priced (at least, that’s what I assume based on its appearance). However, it would seem that I wouldn’t be able to shell out the cash for it. As noted on the fashion brand’s website, the piece is €4,500 (about $4,651) Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting that major price tag, though the piece is described as a quality item.

On Abodi’s website, the headgear is described as “a striking fusion of the brand’s signature mystique and contemporary, daring design.” It’s also touted as embodying “the brand's essence and origins, drawing inspiration from films and vampire legends, as well as historical narratives.” I’m admittedly not the most fashion-savvy person, but I’m not sure I’d pay that much for a castle that would go on my head. Of course, to each their own, as there could be clothes-minded people who would wear the piece as the Karate Kid star did.

It goes without saying that Jaden Smith has become well known for his skills as an actor and musical performer. However, over the years, he’s also been cited for his sharp and eccentric attire. Many of his looks are showcased on social media and receive high praise from his followers. One particular fit that made waves was a sheer ensemble that allowed Smith to show off his buff physique.

This sense of style, of course, runs in the family, as the star’s famous father, Will Smith, was known to sport a fresh fit or two in his day. However, the younger Smith opts not to accept advice from his pop. In fact, anytime Will tries to give fashion notes, Jaden just sends him a screenshot from a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air scene that shows the former wearing a Philadelphia 76ers crop top. Jaden does have respect for his old man, though, so much so that he actually modeled a piece from his fashion line after an “embarrassing” Fresh Prince episode.

As it so happens, the Life in a Year star wasn’t the only person to turn heads at this year’s Grammys, as Kanye West and Bianca Censori did as well. Censori showed up to the event in a completely see-through outfit, before the two left the event. Neither one will face legal consequences for what happened, but West may be out of a lucrative, Japanese concert deal. Aside from that, he also put the same kind of sheer bodysuit up for sale on his website, and fans have a lot of thoughts.

I’d say Jaden Smith’s Transylvania Castle headpiece is relatively subtle, when you consider what Ye’s wife wore. All in all, I commend Smith for continuing to push boundaries when it comes to his sense of fashion. What I’m wondering now is whether fans may be inspired to follow his lead and obtain their own Abodi pieces. Given the major price tag though, I’m not so sure it’s going to catch on amongst the general public.

The stars were out to celebrate the biggest night in music as we watched the Grammy Awards air on the 2025 TV schedule, but it’s always quite a huge event for celebrity fashion as well. Tons of musicians and singers showed up in some amazing looks, but Sabrina Carpenter was one stand-out, giving old Hollywood in a baby blue gown complete with what we’re calling a butt necklace. Jaden Smith, meanwhile, was breaking the Internet for the complete opposite reason, giving us the biggest fashion WTF of the year so far.

Sabrina Carpenter Stuns in Baby Blue With Butt Necklace Accessory

Or should I call it an "ass"-cessory? Sabrina Carpenter was hoping to “Please Please Please” take home one of those specially crafted Grammy trophies on February 2, but she was already a winner in a gorgeous baby blue gown with feathers, which was seemingly held up by what looked like a pearl halter. Rather than stopping at the back of her neck, however, the necklace fell all the way down her back. Check out the stunning look:

The look is very Cinderella-esque (evoking memories of Selena Gomez at the Golden Globes), but that butt necklace is something the Disney princess never had. Sydney Sweeney first showed us the butt necklace two years ago at the Berlin Film Festival, with her jewels flowing over black slacks. Cate Blanchett gave us her take on the trend at last year’s Venice Film Festival, with strings of pearls pouring down the back of a black dress.

Jaden Smith Wears A House As A Headpiece

Lots of celebrities got people talking Sunday night with their outfits, but nobody seemed to cause more confusion than Jaden Smith, whose black suit was accessorized with a headpiece that was a whole black castle:

The son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith had people on social media already expressing sympathies for whoever had to sit behind the house hat, which featured Jaden Smith’s face where the door theoretically would have been. It’s definitely the biggest fashion WTF we’ve seen this year so far, as fans on X (Twitter) made comments like:

• Jaden Smith looks dumb as fuck at the Grammys. – Lyric Vault
• Jaden Smith really looking forward to new season of Wednesday – MrSRTTT
• He identifies as Hogwarts? – bpardoe879

Jaden Smith may not be taking home any trophies, but Sabrina Carpenter was hoping to have some luck. She was up for six Grammys, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso,” Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n’ Sweet, Song of the Year for “Please Please Please,” and Best New Artist.

The artist already knew she wouldn't be going home empty-handed, as her win for Best Pop Solo was announced Sunday before the live portion of the Grammys.

Actors make good movies and actors make bad movies. It’s just the law of averages and part of the game. However, sometimes an actor shows up in a movie so repugnant that it becomes a detriment to their career or ruins it entirely. One day you’re winning the Oscar for Best Picture, the next you’re taking home some Razzies.

Come with us as we break down 32 movies that ruined an actor’s career and what made them so bad. The perennial A-listers who ran out of steam and up-and-comers whose rise to fame was cut short on this list are wild, to say the least.

The Love Guru (Mike Myers)

Mike Myers had a stellar career on Saturday Night Live and was one of the funniest movie stars of the latter part of the 20th century thanks to ‘90s comedy movies like Wayne’s World and Austin Powers franchises, but the 2000s weren’t as kind to the comedian. After a string of duds, Myers starred in 2008’s The Love Guru, a “comedy” so bad, so tasteless, and so unfunny that Myers never really rebounded outside of voice roles.

Showgirls (Elizabeth Berkley)

Elizabeth Berkley seemed like a star on the rise after ending her run on Saved by the Bell in the early ‘90s, but that all came crashing down after taking the lead role in Paul Verhoeven’s erotic drama, Showgirls. Sure, the movie about a young drifter finding her place in Las Vegas’ showgirl scene is considered a cult classic years later, but there’s a reason we didn’t see too much of Berkley on the big screen after this one.

Batman & Robin (Alicia Silverstone)

Alicia Silverstone was one of the “it” girls of ‘90s cinema thanks to iconic performances in the likes of Clueless, The Crush, and all those Aerosmith videos, so it only seemed natural for her to land one of the lead roles in Batman & Robin. Unfortunately for Silverstone, and everyone else involved, the movie was abysmal and resulted in a complete reboot of the franchise, one that wouldn’t arrive until Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins debuted nearly a decade later.

The Master Of Disguise (Dana Carvey)

Both before and after his SNL run, Dana Carvey appeared in classics like This Is Spinal Tap and Wayne’s World. That success would run dry with the 2002 release of The Master of Disguise, a movie that showcased Carvey’s zany characters, but not much else. 

Rollerball (Chris Klein)

Remember when Chris Klein seemed like a star in the making after great performances in Election and American Pie? Well, that was all ruined with the 2002 release of Rollerball, a remake of a better and more cohesive ‘70s movie of the same name. 

Norbit (Eddie Murphy)

Some of Eddie Murphy’s best movies were those where he played multiple characters, but Norbit is no Coming to America or The Nutty Professor. This 2007 comedy saw Murphy play an unhappily married couple and was received so poorly that people are still not convinced it didn't cost him an Oscar for his Dreamgirls performance.

Superman Returns (Brandon Routh)

It’s not like Brandon Routh never acted again after playing the titular hero in Superman Returns, but it’s safe to say his career never reached great heights after the 2006 movie either. He was great as Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, but Routh hasn’t had a remarkable go of it after having such a grand start.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (Ahmed Best)

It’s not Ahmed Best’s fault Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace was so bad. It’s not Ahmed Best’s fault Jar Jar Binks has become one of the most detested characters in the galaxy far, far away. And it’s not Ahmed Best’s fault his career was ruined by the 1999 prequel film. 

In The Cut (Meg Ryan)

Meg Ryan was coming off a string of appearing in some of the best romantic comedies of all time when she took on a more dramatic role in the 2003 thriller, In the Cut. But for some reason, Jane Campion’s thriller about a woman getting wrapped up in a series of murders just didn’t work.

Battlefield Earth (John Travolta)

Battlefield Earth, with all of its Dutch angles, terrible lines, and over-the-top performances was so bad that it canceled out all the goodwill John Travolta earned with Pulp Fiction not even a decade earlier.

Soul Man (C. Thomas Howell)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Outsiders, and  Red Dawn all made C. Thomas Howell one of the brightest young Hollywood stars in the early-to-mid ‘80s, but then came Soul Man, a movie in which he wore blackface. Howell’s been in scores of movies since, but most are direct-to-video or bargain bin material.

Son Of The Mask (Jamie Kennedy)

A sequel no one wanted, Son of the Mask brought in Jamie Kennedy to try and recapture the energy of Jim Carrey more than a decade earlier. Despite his best efforts, the Malibu’s Most Wanted and Scream star just couldn’t do it (maybe the script is to blame), and he never really rebounded. 

Sahara (Matthew McConaughey)

Though not Matthew McConaughey’s worst movie, Sahara is far from being his best. Released nearly a decade before the Dallas Buyers Club and True Detective star won all kinds of awards during the peak of the “McConaissance,” this 2005 dud was one of the straws that broke the camel’s back.

Abduction (Taylor Lautner)

Remember when Taylor Lautner seemed like one of the biggest stars on the planet and then abruptly disappeared? Well, we probably have Abduction, his 2011 action thriller to blame for that. Though he would have a few movies after the Twilight saga ended the next year, but Grown Ups 2 and The Ridiculous 6 finished off what Abduction started.

John Carter (Taylor Kitsch)

John Carter was supposed to be the biggest movie and Taylor Kitsch was going to become the biggest action star, but neither happened after this 2012 box office disaster happened. The Friday Night Lights star would show up some more on the small screen in the years that followed with True Detective Season 2 and the bonkers Waco limited series.

The Godfather Part III (Sofia Coppola)

Before becoming one of the big filmmakers of her time and crafting movies like Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, and Priscilla, Sofia Coppola began as an actress, appearing in many films by her father, Francis Ford Coppola. But that acting career pretty much came to an end following the release of The Godfather Part III, in which she replaced Winona Ryder and was then torn apart by critics.

Josie And The Pussycats (Rachael Leigh Cook)

In the late ‘90s, Rachael Leigh Cook became a massive star thanks to her take on Laney Boggs in She’s All That. But then came the 2001 adaptation of Josie and the Pussycats, a movie so bad that no one was safe from its fallout outside of Rosario Dawson and Parker Posey.

The Postman (Kevin Costner)

Kevin Costner was on top of the world when he decided to direct and star in The Postman. But unlike Dances with Wolves, which earned him multiple Oscars and a ton of praise, this 1997 sci-fi epic didn’t impress anyone and set the actor back a bit. He’s since rebounded, but it’s not hard to imagine “what if” in this case.

After Earth (Jaden Smith)

With memorable performances in The Pursuit of Happyness and The Karate Kid, Jaden Smith seemed like the next second-generation star to take over Hollywood. But then came After Earth, a forgettable (at best) sci-fi thriller alongside his dad, Will Smith. 

Pinocchio (Roberto Benigni)

For a while there, it seemed like Roberto Benigni couldn’t do anything wrong as both an actor and filmmaker. Well, that all changed with his 2002 adaptation of Pinocchio, specifically the English dub, which earned a stunning 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. He’s only appeared in a handful of movies since, including the 2019 adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale.

The Passion Of The Christ (Jim Caviezel)

Though he’ll always be recognizable thanks to his portrayal of Jesus in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, Jim Caviezel’s career was never the same after this historic film. He’s still making movies, but not on the same level as The Thin Red Line, The Rock, or G.I. Jane, though his run on Person of Interest was impressive.

Cutthroat Island (Matthew Modine)

A few years before the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise took the pirate genre to new heights, Matthew Modine starred in 1995’s Cutthroat Island, a movie that would prove to be detrimental to his career for years to come. Modine would later find success again after working on shows like Weeds and Stranger Things, but it would take many years to get there.

Catwoman (Halle Berry)

Halle Berry was an Oscar-winning actress when she took on the lead role in Catwoman, which is often considered one of the worst superhero movies of all time. And while it would take a few years for the stink to wash off, Berry did have some fun with the experience and even accepted her own Razzy.

The Lone Ranger (Johnny Depp)

The Lone Ranger somehow received an Oscar nomination, which doesn’t make sense considering it stopped Armie Hammer from becoming a massive action star and cooled off Johnny Depp’s incredible box office run. Aside from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Depp hasn’t had a whole lot of success since.

The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Sean Connery)

Sean Connery famously retired from acting after appearing in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is a shame because the late James Bond actor’s swan song was out of tune and off-key, to say the least. This abysmal book-to-screen adaptation of one of the best graphic novels of the 20th century is often forgotten 20-plus years after its release, and it’s probably for the better.

Welcome To Mooseport (Gene Hackman)

Gene Hackman has had one of the best careers in Hollywood history, but that all came to an end after the release of Welcome to Mooseport. Hackman, who seems to be living a quiet and reclusive life these days, hasn’t been on screen since this 2004 comedy starring Ray Romano. Though not the worst movie ever made, this box office and critical dud didn’t do anyone any favors.

Howard The Duck (Lea Thompson)

An ‘80s movie that has not stood the test of time, Howard the Duck is one of those comic book movies that came out before Hollywood figured things out when it came to the genre. Though Robin Williams jumped ship and salvaged his career, Lea Thompson wasn’t as lucky and went through a tough stage before finally rebounding.

Freddy Got Fingered (Tom Green)

Freddy Got Fingered was never supposed to be a good movie, but Tom Green’s bonkers big-screen gross-fest was enough to turn people off to the idea of the MTV personality and prankster ever getting a large sum of cash ever again. Those who have seen it know why, and those who haven’t should be warned.

Chairman Of The Board (Carrot Top)

Carrot Top is still making the rounds as a prop comedian, but the eccentric showman has not been given the lead role in a movie since the disaster of Chairman of the Board. Forgettable even by ‘90s standards, this movie was made for an audience of one: its star.

Boat Trip (Cuba Gooding Jr.)

Cuba Gooding Jr. in the ‘90s: Boyz n the Hood, A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire, As Good as It Gets. Cuba Gooding Jr. in the 2000s: Rat Race, Snow Dogs, Boat Trip. That last film was tasteless, awkward, and just about killed the Oscar winner’s career.

Corky Ramano (Chris Katan)

Though not everyone from SNL can become a Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, or Bill Murray, it at least seemed like Chris Katan would find some success outside of Studio 8H. However, he had to go make Corky Ramano, which is probably the worst comedy to come from the group.

The Great Dictator (Charlie Chaplin)

The Great Dictator is a great movie, and perhaps one of the best of Charlie Chaplin’s career. However, it now has a legacy of poking fun at Adolf Hitler during a time in which the Nazi leader was systematically exterminating tens of millions of innocent souls across the Atlantic.

There are some actors whose entire careers are defined by their most iconic role or by their best performance (which are not always one and the same). There are also some actors who really only have one well-known role or acclaimed performance to their name, while the majority of their career continues to live in obscurity or even ridicule. The following are some notable examples of actors who never really got to shine beyond that movie or TV show that clicked.

Sam Worthington (The Avatar Movies)

Sam Worthington's performance as Jake Sully in 2009's Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water from 2022 is not exactly "acclaimed." However, James Cameron's blockbuster sci-fi franchise is the only thing on the actor's resume that has managed to make a substantial connection with audiences and can be called a rousing success.

Hayden Christensen (Shattered Glass)

Playing Anakin Skywalker in the two latter installments of George Lucas' Star Wars prequel trilogy has earned Hayden Christensen equal amounts of fame and ridicule that has haunted him most of his career. That is because not enough people know about 2003's intense journalism drama Shattered Glass, in which he gives his best performance as real-life fraudulent reporter Stephen Glass.

Tom Arnold (True Lies)

For years, Tom Arnold's claim to fame was his marriage to Roseanne Barr and, when reviewing his filmography, it remains what he is best known for to this day. Yet, he does have the honor of playing Arnold Schwarzenegger's right-hand man in True Lies, a role he almost did not get, if not for the insistence of writer and director James Cameron.

Brandon Routh (Superman Returns)

Brandon Routh was relatively unknown when he was cast as Clark Kent in 2006’s Superman Returns — a role that should have earned immediate entry to the A-list. While he does have an amusing reputation for playing multiple comic book characters — including Todd Ingram in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast — his one-time donning the old red and blues remains the peak of his fame.

Linda Blair (The Exorcist)

One of the top horror movie Scream Queens of all time is undeniably Linda Blair for her Academy Award-nominated role as Regan MacNeil in 1973’s The Exorcist. However, the demonically possessed 12-year-old is still the only character most mainstream audiences associate with the actor.

Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects)

Stephen Baldwin has a scene-stealing turn as Michael McManus in the classic 1995 crime thriller, The Usual Suspects. However, because his remaining credits have never quite lived up to that performance — or the film itself — most would call him an unusual suspect for mainstream success these days.

Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense)

Haley Joel Osment is still a steadily working actor, appearing in notable films like Kevin Smith’s Tusk and hit TV shows like The Boys. Yet, any time he does show up onscreen, we would not be surprised if he still regularly identified as “the kid who saw dead people in 1999’s The Sixth Sense.”

Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls)

You could argue that Lacey Chabert really did come close to making “fetch” happen with her standout role in 2004’s Mean Girls as Gretchen Wieners. While she has made a name for herself elsewhere with voice acting and leading several Hallmark Channel originals, the gossipy plastic is still the singular defining moment of her career.

Steven Seagal (Under Siege)

Even most of the fans who consider Steven Seagal to be one of the top action movie stars of the ‘90s might agree that he really only has one true quality film to his name: Under Siege. Both a critical and commercial success, director Andrew Davis’ Oscar-nominated 1992 thriller stars Seagal as a former Navy SEAL serving as a cook on a battleship taken over by terrorists.

Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee)

Can you name another character played by Paul Hogan who is not the title character from the 1986 fish-out-of-water movie classic, Crocodile Dundee? The eponymous Outback hunter was also the brainchild of the Australian actor, whose career has been almost completely overshadowed by the role.

Roddy Piper (They Live)

To be fair, the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s main claim to fame was professional wrestling, but his subsequent film career was nowhere near close to on par with, say, Dwayne Johnson or John Cena. At least he can say that he was the star of one of John Carpenter’s best movies, They Live, in the memorable role of an impromptu alien hunter, John Nada.

Alicia Silverstone (Clueless)

Had 1997’s Batman & Robin been a hit, Alicia Silverstone could have been one of the best Batgirl actors ever and her career could have flourished from it. Instead, her breakthrough film role as Cher Horowitz in 1995’s Clueless is the single performance she is most acclaimed and recognized for.

Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone)

Macaulay Culkin’s career beyond child stardom has certainly had its highlights, such as his role in Party Monster, his appearance on American Horror Story Season 10, and his podcast, The Bunny Ears Podcast. However, after all these years, it is still difficult to see him as anyone other than the young, mischievous Kevin McCallister from the Home Alone movies.

Rupert Grint (The Harry Potter Movies)

We do not mean to discredit Rupert Grint’s performances in the Snatch TV show, M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant, or anything else he has done outside of the Harry Potter movies. However, the British actor will always be Ron Weasley in our hearts.

Jessica Alba (Sin City)

Anyone who does not love actor and entrepreneur Jessica Alba probably has not seen her performance as exotic dancer Nancy Callahan in 2005’s Sin City, which is the single most acclaimed title in her filmography. She did earn a Golden Globe nomination for a breakthrough role in Dark Angel, but that short-lived sci-fi series is largely forgotten these days.

Robert Englund (A Nightmare On Elm Street)

Playing Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise made Robert Englund a horror movie icon and earned him a long career of countless other spooky roles. Yet, have any of his subsequent credits — horror or otherwise — been nearly as popular as the grotesque, razor-glove-wielding boogeyman? Maybe in his dreams.

Edward Furlong (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

Edward Furlong made a stunning acting debut in the pivotal role of a teenage John Connor in one of the greatest action movies of all time, 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Unfortunately, his career never reached the same level of prowess or popularity again, which can be partially attributed to his history of substance abuse.

Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That)

Actor and model Rachael Leigh Cook has had a steady career all her life. However, none of her credits have quite stood the test of time like the 1999 teen movie favorite, She’s All That, which spawned a Netflix original gender-swapped remake, He’s All That, in which she appeared in a new role.

Anthony Perkins (Psycho)

Anthony Perkins is considered one the biggest Hollywood stars of his time, but only for one role in particular: Norman Bates in one of the greatest horror movies of all time — Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic, Psycho. He would actually reprise the murderous momma’s boy and motel manager twice more in 1983’s Psycho II and Psycho III, the latter of which he also directed three years later.

David Schwimmer (Friends)

Much of the Friends cast managed to outlive their roles on the hit sitcom with versatile projects that helped them avoid being typecast. We cannot quite say the same about David Schwimmer, whose distinct portrayal of Ross Gellar seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

Jaden Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness)

Seven-year-old Jaden Smith made a promising debut as the onscreen son of his real-life father, Will Smith, in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness, but very few of his roles since have made a genuine impression on critics and audiences. That being said, the older he got, his acting roles became less frequent as he focused more on his music career.

Carrie Henn (Aliens)

If you ever wondered what happened to Newt from Aliens, she became one of the many child stars who walked away from Hollywood, but did so quicker than most, as the 1986 sci-fi classic is her only acting credit. So, in this case, we can call Carrie Henn — who went on to become a teacher — an acting “one-hit-wonder” by choice.

Alex Winter (The Bill & Ted Movies)

Alex Winter had such astonishing chemistry with Keanu Reeves as the dim-witted, titular heroes of the Bill & Ted movies. Yet, while Reeves climbed up the A-list, Winter never really found a role as popular as Bill S. Preston, Esq. He would find some success working as director in film and TV, however.

Fran Drescher (The Nanny)

Actor and comedian Fran Drescher earned rousing success when she co-created the hit sitcom The Nanny, in which she also starred as Fran Fine. The boisterous character remains her most famous role to date, as Drescher is better known today for being elected President of SAG-AFTRA in 2021.

Adam West (Batman)

The late Adam West is, undeniably, one of the most legendary live-action Batman actors, having played Bruce Wayne in the classic 1960s TV show, its feature-length spin-off, and two animated films decades later. However, he is really the only one in that club so far who can say that playing Batman is the singular defining role of his career.

Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)

As the title hero of 2004’s Napoleon Dynamite, Jon Heder gave one of the most legendarily bizarre and uniquely funny performances in a comedy movie for its time, if not all time. The success of the indie sleeper hit would garner more roles for the actor, but none that earned nearly the same acclaim or notoriety.

Frankie Muniz (Malcolm In The Middle)

Playing the fourth-wall-breaking title role of Malcolm in the Middle in the early 2000s made Frankie Muniz one of the top child stars of his time, but his subsequent success later in life was decidedly hit or miss. He still acts to this day but has also taken up a career in NASCAR racing.

Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous)

Whatever happened to Patrick Fugit — the actor who launched his career in 2000 by leading the Almost Famous cast as young, aspiring music reporter William Miller? There’s a good chance you have seen him in one of his many credits over the years — such as Gone Girl or 2022’s Babylon — but just failed to recognize him. 

Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)

Katherine Heigl had a relatively successful run in movies, especially as the female lead of 2007’s Knocked Up, which she famously spoke negatively of. Said comments would actually have a negative impact on her career and, thus, her Emmy-winning role on in the Grey’s Anatomy cast as Dr. Izzie Stevens in the mid-2000s is still her most famous and commendable role.

Peter Ostrum (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory)

At the end of 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, poor Charlie Bucket becomes wealthy after the titular chocolatier (Gene Wilder) gives his factory to him. As for the actor who plays the lucky boy, Peter Ostrum, he immediately abandoned his acting career in favor of becoming a veterinarian.

Bo Derek (10)

Bo Derek is an undisputed legend in the modeling industry, but we cannot quite say the same about her acting career. She did have one acclaimed hit to her name, however, in the form of Blake Edwards’ Oscar-nominated, 1979 rom-com, 10, opposite Dudley Moore.

Justin Chatwin (War Of The Worlds)

If you are not sure who Justin Chatwin is, there are two movies we could name that could help you identify him. There is Steven Spielberg’s 2005 adaptation of War of the Worlds, in which he plays Tom Cruise’s onscreen son, and there is also 2009’s universally reviled live-action anime adaptation, Dragonball: Evolution, in which he was grossly miscast as Goku.

For the actors above who are still with us and are still interested in the craft, we hope to see them in another surefire hit soon enough.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reached its 33rd anniversary this year, but that doesn’t mean that star Will Smith has officially let go of sitting on the throne as the Prince of Bel-Air. He recently did some mad freestyling for his son, Jaden Smith, which proves the Fresh Prince still exists.

Performing the lyrics to the theme song of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air can bring out your inner millennial, but the best rappers are the ones that can freestyle like Will Smith. He showed off to his son that the Fresh Prince is alive and well. Take a look at the freestyles of the ‘90s TV star in his Instagram video down below.

Will Smith is laying down some impressive rhymes in this video to his son, who’s laughing the entire time as he watches his dad. The caption of his Instagram states “Sometimes you gotta remind these youngins ;-)” He created one of the best-selling rap albums of all time “Big Willie Style.” Not to mention, he won four Grammys for his rap performances. Smith spoke to young audiences that “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.” 

The I, Robot star’s right-hand man Jazzy Jeff commented on the post, “Let them forget…We’ll remind them…” That’s a good way of looking at it. A lot of the Instagram commenters praised the Hancock actor on rapping without profanity. In the past, Will Smith took a lot of heat for his clean lyrics, but he paid no mind to it as he remembered the words of his Gigi. After she took a look at Smith's original raps when he was 12, she advised him not to curse in his songs to show his intelligence better that way. It didn’t matter to Smith if fans called him “soft,” “corny,” or “not Black enough.” He cared more about what his grandmother thought. 

Since The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a big part of Will Smith’s life, I'm sure Jaden Smith is not without constant reminders of his dad’s celebrated show. But that just means The Karate Kid star has plenty of puns to throw at his dad. He once gave a major Fresh Prince burn sending his After Earth co-star a photo of him wearing a Sixers crop top on an episode. This picture can be a useful weapon against any fashion critiques his father may give him. 

Then, there was the time The Get Down star had a funny comment to a Fresh Prince post that showed a mural of his dad based on the show with graffiti in the background and a literal bush of hair. So, it appears that Jaden Smith has plenty of hilarious shade to give to his dad about his time on the show when he needs to use it.

Despite the best performances Will Smith has given us with his movies, The Fresh Prince is still here with his freestyle rapping saying it all. If you’d like to explore Will Smith’s early television roots, you can watch episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on your Hulu subscription, Paramount+ subscription, and Max subscription. Take a look at our 2023 TV schedule so you don’t miss out on the latest shows and premieres. 

Over the years, Jaden Smith has gradually been able to step out of the shadows of his famous parents. He’s not only an accomplished actor and rapper, but he’s also proven to be an influential fashion designer and community leader. There is one particular moniker he’s yet to earn, though – Marvel Cinematic Universe actor. It’s quite surprising that Smith has yet to be tapped for a major role in the expansive superhero-centric franchise. Someone may want to give Marvel Studios a call on his behalf now, though, as Smith recently showed off his newly buff physique. 

Like anyone, the 25-year-old entertainer has experienced different phases of his life and, during such periods of time, he might change up his look. The Karate Kid alum alluded to that very fact while posting to X (formerly known as Twitter). He shared two photos, with the one on the left showing him looking leaner and sporting pink hair. The image on the right was more recent and showed the actor in the gym with some impressive muscles and his natural black locks. He also captioned it with the following text: 

He definitely makes a fair point, as social media can indeed be fickle at times. When it comes to celebrities, commentators may occasionally just seek to point out certain aspects or elements of one’s life in a not-so-positive way. That aside though, we can all agree that Jaden Smith should get the opportunity to star in an upcoming Marvel movie or TV show. Based on the image he shared in the aforementioned post, he’s been putting in the work. He later shared another pic in which he’s in a see-through fit, but one can still get a solid look at those abs: 

Comic book aficionados may be aware of the fact that many have long speculated that Jaden Smith might play a certain DC superhero: Static Shock. At one point, it even seemed like Smith had been confirmed for the role. But alas, that was not the case. The star does seem to have something of an affinity for heroic fare, though. Years ago, he crafted a Batman music video and weighed in on Robert Pattison playing the Dark Knight. Smith even shared some glowing thoughts on Doctor Strange. (That point could possibly put him in the graces of Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige.) Who knows, maybe he could play an MCU character like Patriot or the X-Men character Synch.

Of course, even if the folks overseeing the MCU don’t give him a call, the Entergalactic cast member still has other professional ventures to keep him occupied. As mentioned, he’s still working within the music space and also has his fashion-related obligations. His work on the latter front has proven to be popular and eclectic, with at least one design taking inspiration from a Fresh Prince scene.

So when it comes to upcoming MCU fare, Marvel may want to, at the very least, ponder the notion of casting Jaden Smith – if it's not already considering him for a production. We might all also do well to heed Smith’s message when it comes to sharing shady content on social media. Let’s just be kind and allow people the chance to grow – and show off their buff figures at their leisure.

I have always appreciated when people follow in the footsteps of their famous parents. In fact, I think it is fun to see actors collaborate with their own children on-screen, of which there are more than enough examples. The following are 30 of our favorite movies and TV shows that proved to be a family affair for the stars involved.

Adam, Jackie, Sadie, And Sunny Sandler (You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah)

Not only did producer Adam Sandler star as the father of two girls played by his real daughters, Sadie and Sunny, in the You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah cast in 2023. The Netflix original coming-of-age dramedy also stars the comedian’s wife, Jackie, while Idina Menzel handled the role of Adam’s onscreen spouse.

Andie MacDowell And Margaret Qualley (MAID)

According to MAID developer Molly Smith Metzler, it was actually star Margaret Qualley who brought up the idea of casting her own mother, Andie MacDowell, as her character’s mother. The Golden Globe-nominated Four Weddings and Funeral star plays Paula (a woman with severe bipolar disorder) opposite the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast member in the Netflix original miniseries based on Stephanie Land’s memoir.

Angelina Jolie And Vivienne Jolie-Pitt (Maleficent)

Vivienne Jolie-Pitt gave her debut (and, so far, sole) onscreen acting performance opposite her mother, Angelina Jolie, in 2014’s Maleficent — a live-action reimagining of Sleeping Beauty from the villain’s perspective. According to Vanity Fair, the then-5-year-old got the part of a younger version of Elle Fanning’s character, Aurora, because other children were too afraid of the Academy Award winner in full makeup and costume in the title role.

Ben And Jerry Stiller And Anne Meara (Various)

Ben Stiller shared the screen with both of his late parents, legendary comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, multiple times — the first being the 1989 mockumentary, That’s Adequate, followed by 1991 horror-comedy, Highway to Hell. Ben later played a sadistic fitness guru who purchases a youth weight loss camp from his parents’ characters in Disney’s 1995 summer comedy movie, Heavyweights, before casting them 2001’s Zoolander, with Jerry as Maury Ballstein and Meara cameoing as an egg-throwing protester.

Billy Ray, Miley, And Noah Cyrus (Doc, Hannah Montana)

Both Miley Cyrus and her sister, Noah, made their acting debuts on the medical drama, Doc, which was led by their musician father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Years later, the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer took a supporting role on Miley’s smash hit Disney Channel show, Hannah Montana, which Noah would also appear on in various unnamed roles.

Brendan, Domhnall, And Brian Gleeson (Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 1, Frank Of Ireland)

Brendan Gleeson reprised Mad-Eye Moody in the penultimate installment of the Harry Potter movies, which also starred his son, Domhnall, as Ron Weasley’s older brother, Bill, in 2010. More than a decade later, the Academy Award nominee starred opposite the Star Wars movies actor and his younger son, Brian, in an episode of their Amazon Prime comedy series, Frank of Ireland, as a new boyfriend of the title character’s mother.

Blythe Danner And Gwyneth Paltrow (Sylvia)

In 2003, Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow played the title role of a biopic about Sylvia Plath. To play the renowned writer and poet’s mother, Aurelia, Paltrow’s real-life mother, Tony and Emmy Award winner Blythe Danner was cast.

Chris, Tristan, And India Hemsworth (Thor: Love And Thunder)

After his older brother, Luke, portrayed his comic book character in a play in Thor: Ragnarok, Chris Hemsworth made 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder a real family affair. Not only would Luke return, but Chris’s son, Tristan, appeared as the title character’s younger self in a flashback and his daughter, India, played Gorr the God Butcher’s daughter, Love.

Clint And Scott Eastwood (Gran Torino, Trouble With The Curve)

The first time Clint Eastwood acted alongside his son, Scott, was in 2007’s Gran Torino for a scene in which — as the Suicide Squad star claimed to Conan O’Brien — his father threw a few unscripted insults toward his character. Five years later, Scott starred in the baseball movie Trouble with the Curve as a minor leaguer discovered by his father’s character.

Damon Wayans And Damon Wayans Jr. (Blankman, My Wife And Kids, Happy Together)

Daman Wayans Jr. debuted as the younger version of his father’s character — aspiring superhero, Kevin — in the funny ‘90s movie Blankman, before landing a recurring role on his sitcom, My Wife and Kids, and later inviting him to play his dad on his own sitcom, Happy Together. In early 2023, Deadline reported that the Wayans are developing a new sitcom that will pair them up as an on-screen father-son duo once again.

Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, And Rumer Willis (Various)

Rumer Willis’ first two acting gigs were alongside her mother, Demi Moore, as Angela Albertson in the underrated ‘90s movie, Now and Then, and as the daughter of Moore’s character in the classic stripper movie, Striptease. The actor and singer’s next two roles would be alongside her father, Bruce Willis, with an uncredited cameo in the 2000 comedy, The Whole Nine Yards, and as the daughter of Willis’ character in the 2005 thriller, Hostage.  

Donald And Kiefer Sutherland (A Time To Kill, Forsaken)

The first time Donald and Kiefer Sutherland appeared in a movie together — namely 1996’s A Time to Kill — Donald played a civil rights lawyer and Kiefer played a vicious white supremacist. Nearly two decades later, the father and son played a father and son in a western called Forsaken.

Eugene, Dan, And Sarah Levy (Schitt's Creek)

The Schitt’s Creek cast has more than two related actors in it. Eugene Levy and his son, Dan (who also created the hit sitcom together), play Johnny Rose and his son, David, and Dan’s sister, Sarah, also stars as Café Tropical owner, Twyla Sands.

George And Mayan Lopez (Lopez Vs. Lopez)

Comedian George Lopez teamed up with his daughter, Mayan, and Debby Wolfe to create the NBC sitcom, Lopez vs. Lopez. The series — which  was renewed for a second season, according to Variety — also stars George and Mayan as a father and daughter forced to reconnect after year when they have no choice but to move in together.

Henry And Jane Fonda (On Golden Pond)

The 1981 film adaptation of the acclaimed play On Golden Pond was a very special moment in Henry Fonda’s career. In addition to being his final performance, which earned him a Best Actor Oscar, it saw him share the screen with his real-life daughter, Jane, who played his estranged daughter.

Johnny And Lily-Rose Depp (Tusk, Yoga Hosers)

A nearly unrecognizable Johnny Depp plays Guy LaPointe in Kevin Smith’s bizarre A24 horror movie, 2014’s Tusk, which also stars his daughter, Lily-Rose, as a convenience store employee. When Smith made a spin-off in 2016 focusing on Lily-Rose and Harley Quinn Smith’s characters called Yoga Hosers, Depp reprised the French-Canadian P.I. as well.

Judy Garland And Liza Minnelli (In The Good Old Summertime, The Judy Garland Show)

As The Guardian recalls, the multi-talented Liza Minnelli was just three years old  when she made her acting debut with a brief cameo at the end of 1949’s In the Good Old Summertime, alongside her mother — the iconic Judy Garland. The Wizard of Oz star later invited her daughter to perform with her on her variety program, The Judy Garland Show, in the early 1960s.

Kirk, Diana, Michael, And Cameron Douglas (It Runs In The Family)

It Runs in the Family, marks a rare instance of a movie starring three generations of an actor family. It stars Kirk Douglas and his former wife, Diana, as the father and mother of a man played by their real son, Academy Award winner Michael Douglas, whose own actual son, Cameron, also stars as his eldest son in the 2003 dramedy.

Leslie Mann And Iris and Maude Apatow (Knocked Up, This Is 40)

Leslie Mann’s character in 2007’s Knocked Up and its 2012 quasi-sequel, This is 40, is married to writer/director Judd Apatow in real life. Their children, Iris and Maude — the latter of which went on to star in the Euphoria cast as Lex Howard -- appear in both This is 40 and Knocked Up with Leslie Mann.

Martin And Charlie Sheen And Emilio Estevez (Various)

Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez are celebrity siblings who have acted together multiple times, including once with their father, Martin Sheen, with small roles in Badlands. However, every other time the actors appeared alongside Martin was individually — with Charlie in Wall Street, Cadence, and Hot Shots, most notably, and with Estevez in In the Custody of Strangers and The Way.

Meryl Streep And Mamie Gummer (Heartburn, Evening, Ricki And The Flash)

When speaking to Jimmy Fallon, Mamie Gummer looked back on her acting debut as a toddler in the 1986 dramedy Heartburn, which was led by her mother, Academy Award winner Meryl Streep. More than twenty years later, Gummer played her mother’s younger self in the 2007 romantic drama, Evening, before playing her estranged daughter in 2015’s Ricki and the Flash.

Ralph And Julia Macchio (Cobra Kai)

Ralph Macchio’s daughter, Julia, has made a name for herself as an actor in movies like Girl Most Likely and shows like Showtime’s City on a Hill. She would share the screen with her father on a couple episodes of Netflix’s Karate Kid sequel series, Cobra Kai, as Daniel LaRusso’s cousin, Vanessa — a young, but highly skilled, child psychology grad student.

Ryan And Tatum O’Neal (Paper Moon)

According to Collider, the record for youngest Oscar winner is still held by Tatum O’Neal for her performance in 1973’s Paper Moon. Her character in the crime dramedy directed by the late Peter Bogdanovich is a precocious, Depression-era orphan who teams up with a con artist who could be her father, played the actor’s actual father, Ryan O’Neal.

Robin And Zelda Williams (In Search Of Dr. Seuss, Nine Months, House Of D)

Zelda Williams had her first taste of show business with her father -- Academy Award winner Robin Williams -- right beside her in the 1994 TV movie In Search of Dr. Seuss and the following year with her small role in the Hugh Grant-led rom-com, Nine Months. Her first starring role in a theatrically released film was in 2004’s House of D, which also marked the third and final time she acted alongside her late father.

Sean And Dylan Penn (Flag Day)

Sean Penn and Robin Wright’s daughter, Dylan Penn, got her start as a model before she took up acting. Her biggest role to date was as the unwitting daughter of a criminal played by Sean in 2021’s Flag Day, which the two-time Academy Award winner also directed.

Sylvester And Sage Stallone (Rocky V, Daylight)

In the Rocky movies’ fifth installment, Rocky Jr. was the debut role of star and director Sylvester Stallone’s real-life son, Sage, who would later appear with his dad in the ‘90s action movie,  Daylight. Sage went on to become the founder of Grindhouse Releasing — which prevented him from reprising his Rocky V role in Rocky Balboa — and, according to CNN, sadly passed away at 36 in 2012.

Thandiwe Newton And Nico Parker (Reminiscence)

Nico Parker — known for Disney’s live-action Dumbo remake and HBO’s The Last of Us cast — is the youngest daughter of actor Thandiwe Newton and filmmaker Ol Parker. However, in the 2021 futuristic noir, Reminiscence, she appeared alongside the Westworld star as a grandmother and granddaughter. 

Tom, Colin, Elizabeth, Chet, And Truman Hanks (Various)

Tom Hanks has shared the screen with all four of his children. He cast Colin Hanks in a small role in That Thing You Do! before appearing alongside him again in 2008’s The Great Buck Howard. Elizabeth Hanks was also in That Thing You Do!, but debuted in Forrest Gump. Chet Hanks has been in Larry Crowne and Greyhound and Truman Hanks normally does technical film work, but has appeared in three of his dad’s movies — News of the World, A Man Called Otto, and Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.

Will, Jaden, And Willow Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness, After Earth, I Am Legend)

Jaden Smith has played his father's onscreen son in two of Will Smith's movies — the first being his debut role in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness and the second in the M. Night Shyamalan movie, After Earth. Willow Smith also made her acting debut as her father’s daughter in a heartbreaking flashback sequence from 2007’s I Am Legend.

If you're familiar with some or all of these films, you may agree that much of these parent-child pairings demonstrate the magic that can come from family members working together on screen. 

As one of the most famous entertainers in Hollywood — both for better and for worse — Will Smith is no doubt very used to seeing a wide array of loving tributes from fans everywhere he goes. And obviously not just for one certain topic, but for a variety of celebrated efforts in the worlds of movies, music, TV and beyond. But it’s hard to top the artistic bliss delivered by the super-talented muralist Fábio Gomes Trindade, who honored Smith’s ‘90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with his highly unique public art, and Jaden Smith had an amusing response after his dad posted about it.

The Brazilian artist has an impressive knack for painting wall murals that repurpose overhanging trees and bushes as the hair for whatever subject he happens to be depicting. he  recently shared the photo and video of his Fresh Prince homage, which is both an excellent representation of Will Smith on top of being a nifty way to make an otherwise unremarkable space pop. Check out the video of him in action below! 

Magnificent, isn’t it? Trindade has certainly captured some gorgeous visages through many other works, but perhaps none with a subject as widely known as Will Smith’s. And when it comes to fan art, few projects can compare with the scope, size, ingenuity, and public access as these finely crafted wall paintings. Which makes Jaden Smith’s response so amusing in its spot-on-ness, while also still being a major understatement.  

Like, Will Smith could already boast tons of examples of his decades of fame and mass wealth by way of houses, vehicles and other expensive purchases, but those kinds of physical goods could also be boasted by tons of other monoliths of affluence. But how many of those same people can claim they're also the subject of a stellar painting like the ones crafted by Fábio Gomes Trindade? Flex on, Big Willie Style.

Earlier in the summer, Jaden Smith addressed his and other family members’ use of psychedelics, saying that his mom Jada Pinkett Smith was the one responsible for introducing those trippy vibes to everyone. Regardless of how that started, I have to think it would be a blast to go on a shroom or LSD ride in a space near where Fábio Gomes Trindade would be working on his latest piece. 

The King Richard actor's message about the painting wasn't so flex-forward, but rather complimentary about Trindade himself. Here's how he captioned his  Instagram post:

And Jaden wasn't the only familiar face who responded to Will Smith's post. Fellow Fresh Prince vet Daphne Reid chimed in as well with appreciation for both the artist and the subject, saying:

While no one is turning a palm tree into Jaden Smith’s hair just yet, it’s always a possibility. The musician is currently in Japan to help launch the first collaboration between his clothing brand MSFTSrep and the sportswear company New Balance, which will build upon past partnerships that Smith himself had with NB. 

Anyone hoping to relive Will Smith’s ‘90s hair in its prime can rewatch episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on streaming with a Max subscription.

Jada Pinkett Smith has never been one to hold back on what’s on her mind. After Chris Rock cracked a joke about her bald look at the 94th Academy Awards, she posted a TikTok about having alopecia and has spoken about a lot of personal stuff with her family on her Facebook Watch show Red Table Talk. This is clearly a trait her son, Jaden Smith, shares in speaking candidly about personal subjects, as evidenced by his claim that his mother introduced the Smith family to psychedelic drugs. Here is what the Set it Off actress had to say about that. 

At the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver, Jaden Smith spoke about how his mother took these hallucinogenic drugs for a long time on her own and eventually introduced the family to them. As for if the After Earth actor’s claims about his mother’s involvement in the still-illegal drugs are true, Pinkett Smith spoke to People about how you can find the answer to that question.

The book that Pinkett Smith was referring to is her upcoming memoir Worthy. She further explained to the publication that the assumptions people have made about her family will be covered “extensively” in the book. According to the plot of Worthy, the Scream 2 actress will speak about her upbringing in Baltimore and the unconventional polygamous relationship with her husband, Will Smith. Most importantly, this autobiography plans on reclaiming the talented actress’ narrative in teaching readers who she is and the power of loving ourselves.

In a July 2021 episode of Red Table Talk, Jada Pinkett Smith came clean about the time she passed out on ecstasy on the set of The Nutty Professor (where she gave one of her best on-screen performances) and told everyone she took bad medicine. That ended up being the last time she took these drugs while at work, and she learned from the experience. These personal uses of psychedelics came from using this plant medicine to combat her battle with depression. Having used them for over a decade, Smith spoke in a November 2021 episode of Red Table Talk about how these mind-altering drugs have not only helped her feel better, but have helped her see how the problems in her life arose in the first place. In the same episode, this actress/author said she considered taking the plant-based psychedelic Ayahuasca to increase her self-esteem. 

As for how Jaden Smith benefitted using psychedelics, he described at the conference that he and his siblings, older half-brother Trey and younger sister Willow, have gotten into sibling spats in the past. Through the use of hallucinogens, the Pursuit of Happyness star's psychedelic experiences enabled a “level of love and empathy” in his siblings that he expressed as “profound and beautiful.” A 2017 study in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology would back this up as the hallucinogenic compound psilocybin has been known to heighten empathy.   

It's important to note that psychedelics are still considered illegal, with only a handful of states decriminalizing them, and more research needs to be done about the long-term effects of these drugs. According to the Bad Moms actress, it looks like we’ll have to get a copy of her memoir Worthy to see whether Jaden Smith’s claims of his mother bringing psychedelics to the family is accurate. You can get your copy of this book yourself on October 3rd.

Jaden Smith appears to be very close with his family. He made his film debut starring with his dad, Will Smith, in The Pursuit of Happyness (which can be watched with a Netflix subscription) and was on a mission to save his father in After Earth. While working on film projects together was one method of collaboration, the Smith family apparently does psychedelics together with the 24-year-old rapper/actor claiming it was his mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, who introduced the family to them.

Psychedelic drugs are substances that can change a person’s perceptions, mood, and cognitive functions. They can also cause you to see or hear things that aren’t there and make your world appear very distorted. As reported by USA Today, Jaden Smith spoke at the Psychedelic Science Conference in Denver about how he and his family were introduced to these psychedelic drugs, saying:

According to E! Online, Jada Pinkett Smith shared that she started using psychedelics (particularly plant medicine) a decade ago to treat her depression. She felt like the substances helped her feel better, and she gained a new perspective on why she sensed the need to take them in the first place. 

In the past, Pinkett Smith has been open about using drugs. On an episode of Red Table Talk, the Girls Trip actress spoke of how she passed out on ecstasy on the set of The Nutty Professor, and went on to explain that that was the last time she went to work like that. 

Just like Will Smith released his memoir Will over a year ago, his wife will be following suit soon. While being interviewed by People, the Hawthorne actress announced her upcoming memoir Worthy (expected to be released on October 17). During that interview, she was asked about her son’s statement about her introducing psychedelics to her family. While Pinkett Smith didn’t confirm or deny this piece of information, she had a response of her own that followed:

While we'll hear Jada's story later this year. The Life in a Year actor spoke more in detail at the conference about how psychedelics have helped him in terms of getting along with his siblings, 30-year-old half-brother Trey and 22-year-old sister Willow. He said that he and his siblings have argued a lot over the years, but taking these substances has promoted “the level of love and empathy that I can feel for them [...] that's profound and beautiful.” 

According to, many psychedelics like psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and mescaline have been said to increase emotional empathy since they’ve been proven to boost open-minded thinking, per USA Today. Smith continued saying he felt these substances have helped him make room for how to work out arguments until the problem is gone. Celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Chelsea Handler, and Megan Fox have pushed for these substances to have a mainstream audience. 

However, researchers would like to point out that more studies need to be done about the long-term effects psychedelics can have on a person, and that they’re not quick fixes to all problems. It’s also important to point out that these groups of substances are mostly illegal with a handful of states having legalized or decriminalized them. Potential harms of psychedelics can include psychosis, memory impairments, sleep problems, and short-term depression. 

Jada Pinkett Smith reportedly introduced her son, Jaden, and the rest of the family to psychedelic drugs who have found real benefits in using them. But, it’s vital to note that professionals like Dr. Alex Dimitriu believe that while psychedelics can be beneficial to some, it doesn’t mean they’re good for everyone or should have recreational use.  

Kylie Jenner is not only the youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner siblings, but one of the most private — at least when it comes to her love life. The makeup mogul’s partners have rarely shown up on the family’s reality series, even as her sisters have endured divorces and huge cheating scandals in front of The Kardashians’ cameras. That makes it all the more exciting when rumors start swirling about the possibility of new romance in her life. Let’s take a look at Jenner’s dating history with a timeline of her relationships — both confirmed and rumored. 

2011: Kylie Jenner Rumored To Be Dating Cody Simpson 

Kylie Jenner’s first brush with public romance rumors came when she was 14 years old and was thought to be dating Australian pop star Cody Simpson, who was also 14. The two were photographed together at the mall, E! News reported, and Jenner called him her “rumor boyfriend” when she and sister Kendall interviewed him on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show. Neither of their representatives ever confirmed the news. 

2013: Jaden Smith Confirmed To Be Dating Kylie 

In March 2013, the Kylie Cosmetics boss was confirmed to be dating Jaden Smith (per US Weekly). It’s unknown how long the relationship lasted or why it ended, but the couple had been friends for years before they got together, and they remained friends after.

2015: Kylie Jenner And Tyga Confirm Relationship With Extravagant 18th Birthday Gift 

Speculation that the youngest KarJenner was dating then-24-year-old Tyga started in 2014, when she was still 17, but momager Kris Jenner insisted her daughter was single, People reported at the time. When her 18th birthday rolled around the next year, however, their relationship was confirmed, with Tyga presenting his girlfriend with a $320,000 Ferrari 482 Italia. 

Blac Chyna, who shares a son with Tyga, has accused him of ending their engagement to be with Jenner. She went on to get engaged to Jenner’s brother, Rob Kardashian, with whom she also had a child, before their relationship came to a tumultuous end.

November 2015 - April 2017: Kylie And Tyga Have On-Off Relationship 

Meanwhile, the next couple of years was no walk in the park for Jenner and Tyga either. In November 2015, People reported the lip kit queen and Tyga were broken up, after she was conspicuously absent from his birthday festivities. The two reunited a few days later but broke up again for a few days in January 2016 amid rumors that he had cheated. In May, the on-off couple went off again, this time for over a month, before getting back together, per Cosmo. It wasn’t until April 2017 that they called it quits for good. 

April 2017: Kylie Starts Dating Travis Scott, Giving Birth To Their Daughter Less Than A Year Later 

The same month that she and Tyga split for good, Kylie Jenner started dating another rapper — Travis Scott. After hanging out at Coachella, which was part of Scott’s tour, Jenner chose to hop on the bus and join him for his remaining dates, the couple told GQ. Pregnancy rumors began to spread just months into the relationship, and in September it was confirmed that the 20-year-old was pregnant with her first child. Stormi Webster was born February 1, 2018. 

March/October 2019: Travis Scott Cheating Rumors, Increased Fighting Lead Couple To Take A Break 

In March 2019 — a little over a year after the birth of their daughter — the Astroworld rapper was hit with cheating allegations that prompted Travis Scott to delete his Instagram account. He vehemently denied the accusations, postponing a concert date in Buffalo, New York, to fly back to Los Angeles and patch things up with the mother of his child. They didn’t break up; however, later that year the couple decided to take a break. 

That October, E! News reported that Jenner and her partner weren’t “calling it quits on their relationship, but are taking space apart.” The couple had been fighting, and with Scott reportedly stressed about his new music, they chose to cool things down, with the artist moving back into his house in Beverly Hills. 

November 2019: Rumors Spread About A Fling With Drake 

They may not have called it quits on their relationship, but that apparently didn’t mean Jenner wasn’t free to pursue other interests. Soon after their cooling off period, the Life of Kylie star reportedly started spending a lot of time with longtime friend of the family, Drake. After she attended his birthday party and Halloween party in October, some insiders said the couple was hanging out “romantically,” while other sources said they’d known each other for a long time and remained “just friends.” 

Summer 2021: Kylie Jenner And Travis Scott Are Back On, Preparing To Welcome Their Second Child 

Reconciliation rumors between Jenner and the father of her child started as early as March 2020, and sources reported at the time that the couple were quarantining together through the pandemic. It’s unknown when exactly she and Scott officially became an item again, but by summer 2021 they were back on, with Baby No. 2 on the way. Jenner gave birth to a son on February 2, 2022, and after some back and forth about what his name should be, they decided to name him Aire. 

January 2023: The Couple Split Again After Spending Holidays Apart

The reunion didn’t last, however, and their breakup was confirmed in January 2023, after they spent the holidays apart. Fans had become suspicious that trouble was afoot after Jenner posted several photos from an end-of-the-year getaway in Aspen sans Scott, and one TikToker pointed out that the rapper had unfollowed all of her friends who were present on the trip.  

April 2023: Timothée Chalamet Said To Be Hanging Out With Kylie Jenner

Although Jenner has been known to have on-off relationships, it seems like her last breakup with Scott might just stick, as she’s recently been connected to Academy Award-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet. In April, People reported that the couple were “getting to know each other” after meeting in January at Paris Fashion Week. Page Six also reported that they had dinner in March with her sister, Kendall Jenner, and her rumored beau, Bad Bunny.

Neither half of the rumored couple has commented on the nature of their relationship, but after they were seen in April on a taco date, she seemed to drop a big hint with her Met Gala collaboration. Both of her looks at the big event were created by Chalamet’s longtime friend, Haider Ackermann. Might the two be bonding over their love of fashion? Later in May Page Six reported that Jenner was seen leaving the Wonka star’s house, and at least some of her followers think he’s been hanging out at her place too, possibly in the background of her TikTok videos?

September 2023: Kylie Jenner And Timothée Chalamet Make First Public Appearances Together

It took a few months, but on September 4, Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet gave their fans the confirmation they'd been waiting for, when they attended Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour in Los Angeles together. Concertgoers posted video of the couple on social media, with one showing them laughing and talking in the VIP section as Kendall Jenner stood nearby. Other people caught them on video packing on the PDA, so even though neither of them has said anything regarding the relationship or featured each other on social media, it would seem this couple has been confirmed.

Less than a week later, on September 10, the duo attended the U.S. Open together, with photographers again catching the low-key lovebirds seemingly enjoying each other's company. Photos showed them sitting with their arms around each other, taking pics of each other and making out. 

Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet are both pretty private people when it comes to their love lives, so who knows if or when they might clue the public into the seriousness of their apparent relationship. In the meantime, fans can always keep up with at least part of the reality star’s life, as well as the goings-on of the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner family tree, on The Kardashians, which can be streamed with a Hulu subscription.

Jaden Smith has been setting the fashion world on fire with his gender-defying style and looks for years now. The emerging designer channeled all those moments into his current clothing line -- MSFTSrep, which he co-founded with his sister, Willow, and two friends. Of course, Smith's creations were influenced by multiple sources, from science to history. However, the actor-musician also found inspiration in an unexpected place – his famous father, Will Smith. Well, not his father exactly but his breakthrough role from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The Entergalactic cast member revealed just how a "super embarrassing" scene from the '90s sitcom helped inspire his latest collection of fits.

Hearing that the 24-year-old's dad served as fashion inspiration for him is surprising, given that the younger Smith clowned the elder Smith’s Fresh Prince fashion at one point. But then again, Jaden is known for out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to clothes, and that style has attracted retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue. His latest collection, “Trippy Summer,” focuses on 1960s counterculture and features psychedelic colors and odes to nature. One piece – the sunflower hat – is part of that motif, as he wanted consumers to become one with nature:

The sunflower hat holds a deeper meaning for the multifaceted entertainer, though. Jaden Smith admitted to Footwear News the design came to him after he watched the Fresh Prince Season 3 finale, “Six Degrees of Graduation.” In the episode, his superstar dad dressed up as a sunflower for a kids’ musical program in order to pass high school and graduate. While the moment was funny and embarrassing, the Get Down alum explained why the scene inspired his latest collection:

The episode in question is one of the funnier episodes from the classic show. The sight of Will Smith towering over a group of young children while dressed as a plant is nothing short of hilarious. The pure “over-it” on the elder Smith’s face made the scene but, during the performance, Smith leaned right into it. All in all, one might call it one of the most memorable moments from the show's six-season run.

Surprisingly, Jaden Smith didn’t look toward the character’s iconic shoe game as an influence. Just recently, Will Smith revealed that he begged Michael Jordan to let him wear a pair of exclusive Air Jordans on the show. The shoes became so synonymous with his character that they’re referred to them as The Fresh Princes. Aside from Will, Hilary Banks was known for her fashion moments (as her wedding dress alone deserves a moment). I'm not sure if Jaden will look to any other fits from the sitcom, but he surely has a lot to pull from if he chooses to do so.

You can check out all the outrageous fashion moments by watching every season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air using an HBO Max subscription. Once you're done, look over CinemaBlend's 2023 TV schedule to learn about the new and returning shows that are premiering.

These last few months have been very interesting for Will Smith. It was in March that the star went viral after he slapped Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, and his actions have been heavily debated since. Following a wave of backlash and retreat from the spotlight, Smith is now out and about once more and promoting his latest film, Emancipation. The star has also been addressing the slap during the press tour, though, as well as aspects of his personal life. On that note, Smith is discussing what parenthood has been like for him in the aftermath of the Academy Awards debacle. 

Will Smith is father to three children: 30-year-old Trey (born from Smith’s ex-wife, Sheree Zampino), 24-year-old Jaden and 22-year-old Willow (with the latter two born from the actor’s current wife, Jada Pinkett Smith). The A-list actor seems to have a firm relationship with his kids but, as he recently explained, things haven’t always been easy. Yet Smith has seen improvements in his relationships with his children and even calls this past year “the greatest period of [his] fatherhood.” He also dropped some wisdom that he’s picked up:

Many people will tell you that parenting isn’t always easy and that one really has to work at it. The King Richard star seemed to be conveying that very notion during his appearance on Showtime’s ALL THE SMOKE and, apparently, he was thinking about his parenting style even before the Oscars situation. He went on to explain that he first experienced a bit of distance between him and one of his kids a couple of years ago: 

One can only imagine how difficult it is to balance your domestic and professional goals when you’re one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. When you’ve achieved as much as Will Smith has, you can definitely be tempted to let the latter set of objectives consume you. He clearly wants to be a firm father and, as he also mentioned in the same interview, that connects to the fact that Smith saw his own dad abuse his mother as a child. It would be an understatement to say that positive family ties are incredibly important, especially when you’ve been going through a turbulent period like Smith’s.

Shortly after the slap occurred, the Oscar winner faced an array of backlash from a number of people in Hollywood. However, he did receive support from a number of people, including his children. Both Willow and Jaden Smith posted cryptic messages in the aftermath, yet they seemed to indicate that they were in their dad’s corner. During a recent interview with Trevor Noah, Smith got candid about the night of the televised moment, calling it “horrific.” He also indicated that he’s used the last several months for self-analyzation and has been reckoning with the fact that he (like many others) is a flawed individual. 

Of course, people only continue to evolve as time goes on, and the star will more than likely seek to work on himself even more – as both a man and as a parent. If anything, it’s good to hear that the bond between him and his kids has further bloomed over the last several months. 

You can see Will Smith’s Emancipation is now playing in select theaters and will be available to stream with an AppleTV+ subscription starting December 9.

As a companion piece to his new album of the same name Kid Cudi, also known as Scott Mescudi dropped an animated movie called Entergalactic. It’s animated in a Spider-verse-esque style and uses Kid Cudi’s new tracks to supplement the story being told. 

The special is a unique addition to the 2022 movie schedule and stars a fun ensemble cast of musicians, actors and even Kid Cudi’s family. Big names like Timothée Chalamet are also involved.   

Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi 

Scott Mescudi (also known as Kid Cudi) plays Jabari, a graffiti and comic book artist who is trying to make a name for himself. While Kid Cudi is best known for his music -- like his album Man On the Moon: The End of Day, and being featured on tracks by Kanye West and Travis Scott -- he’s also acted in a few movies. He’s recently shown up in Ti West’s X, which just got a prequel, and last year’s Don’t Look Up. 

Jessica Williams 

 Jessica Williams plays Jabari’s love interest and neighbor Meadow. She’s a photographer who is working to put up her first exhibit. The actress has shown up in multiple comedies like The Incredible Jessica James and Booksmart. In 2021 she starred opposite William Jackson Harper in Love Life. She also plays Eulalie Hicks in the Fantastic Beasts movies.  

Laura Harrier 

Laura Harrier plays Jabari’s ex, Carmen. Let’s just say she makes things complicated. The actress is best known for her work as Liz, Peter Parker’s crush, in Spider-Man: Homecoming and was in Spike Lee’s movie BlaKkKlansman. 

Ty Dolla $ign 

Ty Dolla $ign is one-third of Jabari’s friend trio, his name is Ky. As a rapper, Ty Dolla $ign has worked on tons of movie soundtracks, including F9: The Fast Saga, Suicide Squad and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. He’s also done a few cameos, including two episodes of Insecure. 

Timothée Chalamet 

Jimmy is the other third of Jabari’s friend trio, and he is played by Timothée Chalamet. Likely the most well-known actor on this list, Chalamet is known for his work in Call Me By Your Name, Little Women and Dune. He will soon be back as Paul Atreides along with the rest of the Dune 2 cast. He also recently dropped the trailer for Bones and All, and will star in the upcoming movie Wonka. 

Vanessa Hudgens 

Meadow’s best friend Karina is played by Vanessa Hudgens. She is pregnant and she provides advice to Meadow and Jabari during their relationship. Hudgens recently appeared in Tick, Tick…Boom!, and she is a holiday staple with Netflix’s The Princess Switch movies. Back in the day, she made a name for herself by playing Gabriella in the Disney Channel classic High School Musical. 

Christopher Abbott 

Christopher Abbott plays Reed, an art dealer working with Meadow. The actor played Yossarian in the mini-series adaptation of Catch-22. He’s also appeared in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and the show Girls.  

Keith David 

Mr. Rager is Jabari’s smooth-talking character he is working to turn into the star of a comic book series. He’s played by Keith David, whose iconic voice has also appeared in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, where he played Dr. Facilier. He’s also known for his roles in The Thing and Armageddon.  

Arturo Castro 

Arturo Castro plays Len, Jabari’s co-worker at Cosmic Comics. While Castro hasn’t appeared in much, he’s known for his role on Broad City, and he will be playing Pablo Escobar in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. He’s also had small roles on American Dad! and Terminal List.  

Jaden Smith 

 Jaden Smith plays Jordan, a BMX superstar, who talks with Jabari and Jimmy about their relationships. The actor-turned-musician is the son of Will Smith. Jaden is known as an actor for his work with his dad in the Pursuit of Happyness. He’s also a musician who has his own music and has been featured on tracks with Young Thug, Tyler, The Creator and A$AP Rocky.  

070 Shake 

070 Shake plays Nadia, an artist who is showing an exhibit in the same museum as Meadow. 070 Shake is know for her music, Entergalactic her first foray into acting. She has appeared on various movie soundtracks though, including the HBO series Industry and the movies Scream and Black Is King.  

 Macaulay Culkin 

Downtown Pat is a stoner man who the boys run into at the skate park. Voiced by Macaulay Culkin he tells the boys a story of a girl he met at the club. Though it’s just a cameo, Culkin is one of the better-known actors in this cast. Obviously, he’s best known for the Home Alone movies and My Girl which he starred in at a very young age. Recently he’s appeared on shows like American Horror Story and The Righteous Gemstones.  

 Maisha Mescudi 

Maisha Mescudi plays Ellie, Jabari’s older sister. Maisha is Kid Cudi’s older sister in real life too. Entergalactic is the only movie she’s appeared in and she’s not in the music business.  

 Francesca Reale 

Francesca Reale plays Sydnie, an artist and friend of Reed’s. The actress has appeared in supporting roles on a lot of Netflix’s popular projects. She played Heather Holloway in Season 3 of Stranger Things and recently had a supporting role in the movie Do Revenge.  

 Kenya Barris 

Kenya Burris makes a small appearance as a moderator. Burris also worked closely with Kid Cudi to create the Netflix special, as a writer and executive producer on Entergalactic. He mentioned that he learned a lot making it, and liked working on a “musically-driven project.” Along with this special, he created the hit TV shows Black-ish and Grown-ish and wrote the 2022 version of Cheaper by the Dozen.  

 Luis Guzmán 

In a quick cameo, Luis Guzmán shows up as a huge mover who helps Jabari move into his new apartment. Guzmán is best known for his roles in movies like Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love. He’s also been on quite a few shows, he was a recurring character on Narcos, and he can soon be seen as Gomez Addams on Wednesday.  

 Teyana Taylor 

Teyana Taylor makes a cameo as a boxing instructor in the movie. She is known for her work in Coming 2 America and Kanya West: Fade. She’s best known as a musician and has quite a few albums including K.T.S.E. and The Album. 

There are lots of recognizable names and voices throughout Entergalactic. Barris has spoken about the possibility of continuing the story of these characters, which would be super fun, especially with such a great cast from the music and film industries. For now, though, you can check out Kid Cudi’s animated feature with a Netflix subscription. 

The 2022 Academy Awards are mostly being remembered for one viral moment involving Will Smith and Chris Rock. And now more members of the Smith family have come forward after the Will made headlines for slapping Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars ceremony last Sunday. 

Willow and Jaden Smith have both seemingly responded to their parents’ night at the Oscars. After her father Will Smith slapped Chris Rock during the latter’s awards presentation, Willow shared a message on her Instagram story that many interpreted as a reaction to the ceremony. Check out her post below: 

According to E! News, Willow Smith’s story told her followers that everyone is ‘going through a lot right now’ and advised them to "just be kind." Meanwhile, Jaden Smith simply shared a short tweet that seemed to sum up his feelings on the matter. Take a peek here: 

Neither Willow nor Jaden specifically mentioned the incident at the Oscars, although their social media posts seemed to hint at the viral event. They have made no other comments at this time, instead focusing on their upcoming projects (more music for Willow and an ongoing tour for Jaden). 

Their responses come in the wake of Will Smith’s Instagram statement that apologized to Chris Rock and the Academy for his behavior. Jada Pinkett Smith also broke her social media silence with an Instagram post that read "This is a season for healing and I’m here for it."

While both Willow and Jaden avoided addressing the moment directly, plenty of other celebrities did not hesitate to make their feelings known. Several actors and comedians appeared to condemn Will Smith’s actions, including Alec Baldwin, Jim Carrey, and Zoë  Kravitz, who decried the scenario on Instagram. 

Others claimed they understood his motivations. People reported that comedian Tiffany Haddish, who was in attendance at the 2022 Oscars ceremony, said that the "world might not like how it went down" but Will Smith’s defense of his wife was "the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Since last Sunday, the Academy has announced that it will be conducting an investigation into the actions of Will Smith, who took home the prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in King Richard. In a statement shared by Variety, members of the Academy decreed that they will meet this week to “make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith.” 

While he may not be exempt from consequences from the Academy, Will Smith will not face legal repercussions. The LAPD reported that Chris Rock has declined to press charges for the alleged assault. Other bystanders weren't worried about the pair’s relationship: Sean "Diddy’"Combs even stated that they had already made amends. 

Caught the Oscars ceremony but not the Best Picture hopefuls? Find out how to watch all of the nominees for Best Picture, including King Richard and the winner, CODA. 

Like many '90s sitcoms, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is known for its fashion – the good, the bad and the ugly. Of course, those clothing statements were a sign of the times, as pop culture transitioned into a brand-new decade. Many of the show's moments came from Will Smith, whose character had a distinct style. Looking back now, some of Smith’s fashion ranged from fly to okay to the arguably questionable. While the Hollywood star is far removed from his Fresh Prince days, his fashion left an impression on his son, Jaden Smith. More specifically, the younger Smith doesn't take his father's advice and instead serves him with a burn whenever he tries to give it.

Most people know Jaden Smith is all about challenging gender norms when it comes to fashion, but even he has his limits. He, like so many other's is aware of his father's '90s fashion choices. Today, The Fresh Prince has actually spawned memes that roast the Oscar nominee for his questionable fashion decisions. But one of his most infamous choices of attire is that Philadelphia 76ers crop top:

Seeing the image above, one can see why Jaden Smith wouldn’t take his father’s fashion advice. Will Smith recently revealed that his son uses the image to shade him when he disagrees with the younger Smith’s fashion choices. While referring to the crop top while speaking with GQ, the Hollywood star said about his son’s objection to his advice:

Honestly, the Sixers crop top wasn’t as bad as Jaden Smith and the internet have made it out to be. It was in fashion at the time, especially for athletic guys and those immersed in hip-hop culture. Still, the younger's Smith diss is pretty funny and a sweet way to troll his dad. And you have to give his dad credit for hilariously owning up to the fashion faux pas and apologizing to his hometown and the home team. Though ironically enough, crop tops like the Fresh Prince alum’s are back in fashion, along with other '90s staples.

Will Smith's fashion past isn't the only thing Will Smith he's contended with as of late. The Bad Boys star has been spilling his guts on everything from his worst film to his open marriage with his wife. And of course, between his personal and professional revelations, he has multiple projects lined up. Fans will actually be able to see the actor take a trip back to the '90s when King Richard arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on Nov. 19. And for his true vintage looks, you can check out The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on the streamer as well.

Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s son Jaden hasn’t been shy about his love for Batman. The 20-year-old rapper/actor has dressed in a white costume of the Caped Crusader for three special occasions: his high school prom, San Diego Comic Con, and Kim and Kanye West’s wedding. The latter he said he wore to "to protect everyone there." He’s also released a song called “Batman” too.

So, as you can imagine, he’s watching closely for the Dark Knight’s return to the big screen. Robert Pattinson was recently cast to don the cape and cowl for the Matt Reeves’ 2021 film. Here’s how Jaden Smith has weighed in:

Well, this is an amazing reaction! Jaden Smith is so happy with the casting choice that he was at a loss for words during his Rolling Stone interview. He even went so far to say that Pattinson will be the “best Batman” to date! It’s a refreshing remark amidst a petition made against Pattinson and early judgments based on the actor’s infamous Twilight role.

There are tons of reasons to be as excited for “Battinson” as Jaden Smith! Since Twilight, the actor has taken on some interesting and critically-acclaimed roles such as The Lost City of Z, Good Time, and High Life. As his recent Lighthouse co-star and superhero blockbuster alum Willem Dafoe recently pointed out, he’s got the chin for it too!

Robert Pattinson also joins Matt Reeves’ vision, which includes a noir-driven detective story for Bruce Wayne, where he’ll be facing off against a rogues gallery of villains that could include Penguin, Catwoman, Riddler, Firefly, Two-Face and Mad Hatter. A line of actresses interested in playing Selina Kyle has already formed, including Vanessa Hudgens and Aubrey Plaza showing interest.

Robert Pattinson was reportedly neck-and-neck with X-Men’s Nicholas Hoult for The Batman, but Pattinson edged him out for the part, in a quick casting turnaround for picking a superhero actor. While we’re at it, basking in Jaden Smith’s excitement, take a look at his music video for his song “Batman”:

That is quite a take on the Caped Crusader! It’s also sure to get stuck in your head the next time you hear the hero’s name. The music video came out in tribute as the original Batman, Adam West, who died the same month as the release of the video.

Robert Pattinson will suit up for production on the project at the end of the year or early 2020 ahead of The Batman’s current release date on June 25, 2021.

Are you joining the hype train with Jaden? Let us know in the comments below!

Today, in "WTF, This Is Bizarre But Actually Kind Of Makes The Most Sense In The World" news, it was revealed that a baffling new TV series is in the works at Showtime. Called Omniverse, it comes from the unpredictable brain-space of mega-entertainer Kanye West. and at the head of the project, taking on the role of a young alternate-reality version of West, will be actor and rapper Jaden Smith. This is either all too perfect, or...well, there's no alternate for that.

Few will be surprised to learn that Omniverse's central hook is far beyond what traditional scripted series use as narrative foundations. Here's its base-level description, which doesn't really need expanding upon in order to cause people to scratch their heads with curiosity.

Omniverse examines the many doors of perception. Season One explores the Ego through an alternate reality Kanye West.

While CBS All Access has Jordan Peele opening up pathways into the subconscious on The Twilight Zone, Showtime is apparently game to take a deep dive into various levels of perception through the prism of Kanye West. (A sentence I didn't expect to write today, this week, this year, etc.) Only, it won't even be the "real" West, but rather a version from an alternate reality, which makes it impossible to predict what Jaden Smith is getting into. Besides "weirdness," in any case.

Jaden Smith is set to play Kanye West at an age before he blew up and became one of the most famous (and consistently controversial) rappers and entrepreneurs on the planet. Of course, it's possible that in this other reality seen on the show, West isn't destined to reach the same superstar status. Perhaps he's meant to turn into pure enlightenment at some point.

The plan is for Omniverse to be a limited anthology series that utilizes half-hour episodes, which isn't the normal route for most cable dramas. (I co-champion Amazon's Homecoming for trying to normalize short-form drama series.) Not that it's been confirmed that this will strictly be a drama. Considering how off-kilter both Kanye West and Jaden Smith can be, it might be smart to add levity Omniverse in applicable doses, so that the project doesn't come cause unintentional hilarity with an overly self-serious tone.

Maybe even some dance sessions?

Actually, the bigger creative force behind Omniverse might speak to the show's more comedic approach to its subject matter. The project will be written by Lee Sung Jin, whose past writing efforts have been for shows such as HBO's Silicon Valley. He's also working on Netflix's upcoming animated series Tuca & Bertie and BoJack Horseman creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg's new Amazon series Undone.

Even in Lee Sung Jin's statement about the project, per THR, it's hard to get a read on what Omniverse will be like.

He has his hands in a variety of different business ventures, but Kanye West is embarking upon his first behind-the-scenes television role with Omniverse, though he's been seen on screen plenty of times already this season on E!'s Keeping Up with the Kardashians. There's no telling at this time whether West will join Jaden Smith on screen at any point, or even if he'll supply the music for the series, but it's hard to imagine West holding himself back from those creative decisions.

On the half-hour front, Showtime recently renewed its financial crisis comedy Black Monday, giving Don Cheadle and Regina King another year of coked-up chaos, and the network also has the Jim Carrey dramedy Kidding coming back for Season 2. Otherwise, it's already cancelled all of its other half-hour projects from recent years, with SMILF most recently getting the axe after its behind-the-scenes drama.

Omniverse doesn't yet have a release date, or even a production start. But stay tuned to CinemaBlend as we learn more about this intriguing new project.

It's pretty crazy to think that it has been 15 years since the sequels to the seminal sci-fi film The Matrix first dropped. The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions both came out way back in 2003 and expanded out the mythology of the franchise as well as the cast, adding new faces like Jada Pinkett Smith's Niobe. In keeping with movie stars having better throwback Thursday photos than the rest of us, Jada Pinkett Smith shared an image from the set of The Matrix sequels, including a look at a very young Jaden Smith getting to hang out with his mom at work. Check it out.

If knowing that The Matrix sequels were 15 years old didn't make you feel old, seeing a young Jaden Smith here will certainly do it. The future Karate Kid, musician and sayer of strange things looks super young in this photo, and since The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were filmed back to back from 2001 to 2002, he was probably only between like three or four in this picture. As Jada Pinkett Smith mentions in her Instagram post, her son will be turning 20 in July.

This is a fun picture too because we see a young Jaden Smith sitting still and quiet, a difficult feat for any kid, while he gets to watch his mom be a no-nonsense character in a huge action sci-fi movie, probably looking and acting much different than he is used to seeing her at home. One of the benefits to having an actor as a parent is that sometimes you get to visit the sets of huge blockbuster movies, and Jaden Smith's parents have certainly been in their fair share of them. I like that Jada Pinkett Smith is fully decked out in Niobe attire here, looking cool and badass, but with a smile on her face as young Jaden gets to watch her do her thing.

The Matrix may seem like such a long time ago (because it is), but what's old may become new again soon. As with just about everything that was once popular these days, The Matrix franchise looks like it will be returning in some fashion. There has been talk of this for a little bit and we still know very little, but we do know that Ready Player One screenwriter Zak Penn is working on a new Matrix movie. What form that will take is unclear since we've heard about everything from a young Morpheus movie, to a reboot that's not a reboot, to Michael B. Jordan starring and more. The possibilities are seemingly wide open at this point. Maybe we'll even get to see Niobe again, and since Jaden Smith is an actor now too, who knows, maybe he could be in front of the camera this time.

Jaden Smith will next appear in the Sundance hit, Skate Kitchen, in theaters on August 10. For all of the biggest movies still to come in 2018, check out our release schedule.

Netflix has brought a lot of odd anime to mainstream audiences, and Neo Yokio has to be one of the strangest. The series was relatively devoid of any stars popular with anime fans, but absolutely loaded with celebrity voice actors like Jude Law, Susan Sarandon, Jason Schwartzman and Jaden Smith. Boasting a unique story, Neo Yokio gained a cult following after its release, but Season 2 news has been surprisingly absent. So is Neo Yokio Season 2 actually happening? Creator Ezra Koenig said the following on his Beats 1 radio show Time Crisis:

Ezra Koenig also added that further news about Neo Yokio would be coming soon, so it does sound as though a Season 2 announcement is imminent. And there are a few reasons why it may be taking so long to get a new season underway. Koenig is the front-man for the rock band Vampire Weekend, which has been hard at work on completing their fourth studio album. Additionally, Jaden Smith has been on the move promoting his rap album Syre, which doesn't allow for much free time. So if Koenig has a big announcement to make about the series, his words to Pitchfork imply the two have managed to get their ducks in a row to work on the anime series' future.

If something new is happening with Neo Yokio, star Jaden Smith hasn't been teasing anything. The rapper and actor, who is known for his bizarre rants and other random shenanigans, hasn't tweeted out anything that would indicate Season 2 is officially a go. (Unless he's being extremely esoteric with the clues.) But while Smith has been silent, one of the show's other voice actors may know a little something about what's coming. Here's what Desus & Mero's Desus Nice tweeted following Ezra Koenig's cryptic statement:

Desus Nice's response is a reference to the titular city Neo Yokio, which is divided by the old money of the east side of town and the neo-rich of the west side. In the Season 1 conclusion, Jaden Smith's Kaz Kaan escaped the city and realized that Neo Yokio was not the amazing home he once thought it to be. Where Season 2 would go is as good as anyone's guess. But if we had to speculate, there are probably going to be more demons to fight, more pop culture references, and lots more Toblerone product placement.

Neo Yokio Season 1 is currently available to stream on Netflix. Head to our 2018 Netflix schedule to see what other new and returning shows are hitting the streaming service soon. For information on upcoming shows in 2018, head on over to our midseason premiere guide.

Even if you have a cursory awareness of Will Smith's son, Jaden Smith, you probably know that he is, well... different. The young actor is known for dressing ridiculously and saying confusing, nonsensical things. But that hasn't dulled his fame or parentage, and thus he still works on a variety of projects. One opportunity that he would love to have, though, is to work with director James Cameron on Avatar 2. Listen to him talking about his desire to collaborate with James Cameron, as well as his sister's Na'vi linguistic skills, below:

Hey, who doesn't want to work with James Cameron? He may be a legendarily terrifying director on set, but he has created some of the most successful films of all time. Avatar 2 might be taking forever, but you can never underestimate James Cameron, and given the original movie's performance, there is every chance that the sequel will be a massive hit. But Jaden Smith's comments to Variety that his sister speaks Na'vi as reasoning he should work with the director, are just fantastic. Your run of the mill person who constantly says weird stuff might have said that they themselves speak Na'vi in this situation, but not Jaden Smith. Jaden Smith cites that his sister speaks Na'vi, which, even if it is true, is of questionable benefit to him should he be in the film.

Mentioning Willow Smith's fluency in a fake alien language is hilariously irrelevant. That's like saying "My mother in law has big hairy feet, can I be in the next Hobbit movie?" Or like saying "A guy I know has read the Harry Potter books three times, can I be in Fantastic Beasts 2?" Oh Jaden Smith, don't ever change. It would be kind of neat though if Willow Smith was actually fluent in Na'vi, and with her and Jaden cut from the same cloth, it is certainly possible. I can't imagine the fluency rate is very high. Avatar remains the highest-grossing movie of all time, but it hasn't exactly had a major pop culture presence in the years since. Plus, who would she even speak to? Her brother speaks an abstract and rare form of English, but apparently not Na'vi, so the practicality and applicability of such a skill is somewhat limited. This also raises the question of how many people speak a fictional language worldwide. I figure Na'vi must be near the bottom of total speakers, certainly below Klingon and Elvish, but possibly ahead of Dothraki.

I don't know if James Cameron will have a spot for Jaden Smith in Avatar 2. The director is already hard at work on the sequel, and there will be a huge cast of new and returning faces for the journey back to Pandora. But with the possibility of up to five Avatar sequels on the horizon and new amazing alien worlds to explore, maybe Jaden Smith's pitch will not fall on deaf ears. Avatar 2 is currently scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2020. For movies coming out a little sooner, check out our 2018 release schedule.

If you watch one anime this year, make it Jaden Smith's Netflix Show Neo Yokio. The series, which was created by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig, stars Smith as a wealthy teen who can expel possessed spirits, as well as distinguish the difference between the color black and the darkest shade of midnight blue. If THAT statement doesn't convince a lot of wary audiences, perhaps these next few highlights of the series will:

The Jaden Smith-isms Are Top Notch

Those who watch Neo Yokio expecting Jaden Smith to say some off the wall shit will not be disappointed. Jaden's weird lines in this show might just be because he's playing a character trapped in a fashion-obsessed supernatural blending of Tokyo and New York City, or it could just be because he's a weird kid. Regardless of which is true, Smith's Kaz Kaan goes from episode to episode discussing his existential dread or the importance of fashion all whilst slaying demons or attending a fancy party in the Hamptons.To be quite honest, he still sounds just as goofy as he is in real life, but at least his character is living in a world that somewhat justifies his pseudo-intellectual teenage philosophies.

The Voice Acting Cast Is Phenomenal

For what Neo Yokio may lack in big-name anime voice actors from the industry, they more than make up for it with Hollywood star power. Susan Sarandon voices Kaz Kaan's aunt Agatha, Jude Law his mechanized butler Charles, and Jason Schwartzman is the obnoxious but hilarious rival Arcangelo Corelli. Even on the lesser side of characters, we have the hosts of Desus & Mero playing Kaan's best friends, and Steve Buscemi in a small but worthwhile role. Suffice to say, Neo Yokio's voice acting cast is phenomenal, and it's truly a treat to hear all this talent come together for a genre few would've ever expected any of them doing.

The Focus On Style And High Society Living Is Insane

A large part of Neo Yokio's story is based on a portion of the city's obsession with style and high society living to the point of insanity. Brand names like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Giorgio Armani are name-dropped early and often, as Jaden Smith's Kaz Kaan strives to become the top bachelor of Neo Yokio. There's even a point where Smith's character interrupts an old man spraying his wife's favorite perfume on her grave to engage in a lengthy discussion about the importance of scents and the transition of women's interests in perfumes throughout the decades. It's truly bonkers, but when real life brands and art like Damien Hirst's "For The Love Of God" (pictured above) find their way into the show and fit seamlessly, it almost feels like an exposé on the way we live.

Neo _Yokio_ is currently streaming on Netflix. For more on Jaden Smith and his odd behavior, be sure to check out this bizarre Batman music video he did a while ago, or how there was once a point where people didn't associate him with the word "weird." For a look at other new shows that are returning or making their debut this fall season, visit our fall premiere guide.

Jaden Smith has released a new creative project, a music video of a track called "Batman." In the video, the 18-year-old son of Academy Award-nominee Will Smith and actress Jada Pinkett Smith gets weird. He sports a white Batman costume, rides around town in a luxurious white Tesla that looks like the Batmobile, and has a mock battle with street performers who are dressed up as Batman and Superman on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It's a spectacle, for sure. Check it out:

So, the song itself is similar to Drake's "Jumpman," as Jaden Smith uses three repetitions of "Batman, Batman, Batman" in place of "Jumpman, Jumpman, Jumpman." The delivery and style are also similar to Drizzy's track. No, the lyrics are not Shakespearean, but the background has an engaging beat, and the video is interesting to watch because it is evident Jaden Smith enjoyed himself a lot while working on the project from start to finish. Still, there are plenty of weird moments.

Perhaps Jaden Smith posted the video as a tribute to Adam West, the actor who played Batman in the 1960s television series Batman and its 1966 movie. Adam West passed away on June 9, 2017. After posting the "Batman" music video, Jaden Smith took to Twitter to post a series of tweets about the project, and in one of them he thanked Adam West and tweeted,

Moises Arias was the director of the "Batman." Arias was a child star on Hannah Montana with Miley Cyrus before he became a successful Instagrammer. Also, in the video, Jaden Smith still has his dreads. It suggests he filmed this video before he cut off his dreads and brought them as an accessory to the 2017 Met Gala at the beginning of May. If you haven't actually watched the video yet, here's Smith in all his Batman glory.

It is not the first time Jaden Smith has worn the white Batman costume. He wore it to Comic-Con in San Diego in July of 2016. He wore it to prom and accessorized it with a cream blazer and a matching tie. In fact, he even wore it to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's wedding. Despite regularly wearing the unusual getup--or perhaps for that reason--Jaden Smith found himself among accomplished Hollywood celebrities such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Kanye West on GQ's list of the 20 Most Stylish Men Alive.

Over the years, Jaden Smith and his sister, Willow Smith, have made headlines for their statements, which sometimes border on boasting. Both have dipped their toes into acting and music, and now with this track, we have a better glimpse at what a music career by Jaden Smith might sound like if he decides to pursue it in earnest. We'll have to stay tuned to see if he decides to continue following in his dad's early footsteps and make more music.

Previous generations had Andrew Sarris or Pauline Kael to help them dissect film. After that, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert blazed their own trail through film criticism. Today? You get Jaden Smith, weighing in on Twitter following a screening of Marvel's Doctor Strange. And truthfully, what more do you need?

Jaden Smith, son of mega movie stars Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, admits in the previous Tweet that Scott Derrickson's Doctor Strange blew him away. But it wasn't just that Smith was impressed by the visuals, enamored with the 3D, or swept up in the origin story of neurosurgeon turned superhero Stephen Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). It's more that Jaden Smith swears he's going to change his lifestyle based on what he saw in the movie. "I'm going to dedicate the rest of my life to those practices," he states in the Tweet. Meaning, it's time for someone close to Jaden -- possibly his parents, who pretend for a living -- to sit down and explain to the boy that what he's seeing on the movie screen isn't real... and also isn't possible.

Jaden Smith's Twitter followers helped point that out to him:

While MANY others jumped on the fact that Jaden Smith is supporting a film that practiced whitewashing with its casting of The Ancient One (a traditionally Asian character who is played by Tilda Swinton in the film), even thought that "controversy" has been addressed over and over again by the cast, the director and the studio.

You know who really should be annoyed that Jaden Smith is head over heels in love with the new Marvel movie? His father, who plays Deadshot in Suicide Squad... a DC joint:

That's going to make for an uncomfortable conversation around the dinner table.

Doctor Strange is now in theaters. The fourteenth Marvel Studios movie, Doctor Strange introduces audiences to the Sorcerer Supreme, while also opening up the universe to a bold new corner involving magical realms and multi-dimensions. No matter how close to his heart Jaden Smith keeps the practices professed in the film, he'll never be able to manipulate the fabric of reality the way that the sorcerer's in the film are able to. But if I'm being totally honest, I do want to see him try.

Back in October rumors of Warner Bros first live-action web series based on DC Comics’ Static Shock were leaning towards Jaden Smith taking on the titular role. And it looks like that casting choice was set into motion, as Walking Dead actor, Tyler James Williams confirms (or lets slip) the decision in a recent interview.

Tyler James Williams discussed everything from his own activity in the Marvel universe to the lack of young black superheroes in his interview with Flicks And The City. And when the crowd shouted back to him two possibilities for young black actors, including Static Shock and Spider-Man, Williams responded:

This is the first real confirmation of the rumor we heard back in October, but without the official announcement from DC and Warner Bros, we do have to take this with somewhat of a grain of salt. Williams seems pretty sure of the project though, and it sounded more like a slip than misguided information.

As Warner Bros. gears up to introduce some more superhero-based content, Jaden Smith as Static Shock is a welcome addition. With his father, Will Smith, taking on the role as Deadshot in the upcoming Suicide Squad, and his mother Jada Pinkett Smith who played Fish Mooney in Fox’s Gotham, the Smith family certainly has a connection with DC.

The only official information so far on Static Shock is that it will be a digital series produced by The Boondocks and Django Unchained producer Reginald Hudlin. Hudlin has spoke in length on the project and its current timeliness with Comic Book Resources:

Jaden Smith would play lead Virgil Hawkins, a self-professed teenage geek with a love for video games and possesses electricity-based powers. Smith fits the age bracket of said superhero, and would certainly be a strong choice for the series based upon his recent acting endeavors. We’ll keep you updated with any further confirmation on the casting, but as of now, sounds like Jaden Smith has joined the DC family.

After Earth was a disaster of cataclysmic proportions, and Will Smith knows it. The sci-fi post-apocalypse film that starred the Wild Wild West star and his son Jaden was bashed by critics and audiences alike. Though, recently Smith Sr. had some choice words to say about the film that he calls the "most painful failure in my career."

The actor/rapper recently spoke with Esquire for an in-depth interview about his career, during which he let what he really thinks about After Earth be known:

Will and Jaden have worked together on The Karate Kid (which is currently getting a sequel) and The Pursuit of Happyness. But After Earth only made half as much money as the former release did its opening weekend. The film was made on a $130 million budget, and it only hit $27.5 million on its opening weekend. To put that into a more painfully real perspective, this number falls in line with other sci-fi box office bombs, such as the Taylor Kitsch movies John Carter and Battleship. To this day, it sits at $60.5 million (domestically) and an underwhelming 11% rotten on Rotten Tomatoes.

As Smith describes, he was depressed to read the opening weekend box-office results. However, working on something like this taught a valuable life lesson. Shortly after the After Earth bomb dropped, he got a phone call informing him that his father had cancer. It was this event, combined with drive to have #1 movies, that forced him to look inwards and reevaluate his life. As he says, he stopped working for about a year and a half, and realized -- in a very rom-com (or poetic) sort of way -- that love was all he needed to fill that gap in his heart.

While out on a press tour for his latest film, Focus, which co-stars Margot Robbie, he talked a little bit more about the After Earth experience. As quoted by The Daily Beast:

On the docket coming up, Smith will feature in Peter Landesman’s football concussion drama opposite Alec Baldwin and Luke Wilson. But perhaps his most highly anticipated work in progress is Suicide Squad. He’ll appear as the iconic DC comic book villain Deadshot, while his Focus co-star will be Harley Quinn, Jared Leto will be our new Joker, Jai Courteney will be Boomerang, model turned actress Cara Delevingne will be Enchantress, and Viola Davis and Jesse Eisenberg will reportedly appear as Amanda Waller and Lex Luthor.

Warner Bros. is busy getting some new superhero-based content on the air. The company recently announced a slew of new animated and live action projects, one of which happens to be a live action take on DC Comics’ Static Shock. The show is moving forward, and this weekend Static Shock may have found a lead in none other than Jaden Smith.

Smith is reportedly being looked at to play Static Shock lead Virgil Hawkins, a teenaged boy and self-professed geek with a love for video games. He also just so happens to have electromagnetic powers that come in handy when taking on criminals. Static Shock has been made into a series before, via an animated show that was created in New Zealand and aired more recently in the US on Disney XD. Obviously, a live action show would rely more on a bigger lead than a non-animated program and Smith sounds like he would be a good fit for the gig. Here's a look at the character inspiring the series.

The report comes from Flickering Myth, who notes that Smith’s involvement in a DC Comics series would not be all that far-fetched. Currently, his famous mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, is working with Warner Bros. as part of the FX series Gotham. His famous father, Will Smith, has also been listed in the names of actors rumored for DC’s Suicide Squad movie. Maybe DC Comics projects will just run in the family from here on out.

We first heard about the Static Shock remake a few days ago. At the time, we also found out Static Shock will be a digital series and will be produced by The Boondocks and Django Unchained producer Reginald Hudlin, although other details have yet to break.

Jaden Smith has mostly been a feature guy, appearing in The Day The Earth Stood Still remake in 2008, and starring in The Karate Kid remake and After Earth. The latter didn’t exactly help to boost his box office potential, and since then he hasn’t appeared in any large films, although this summer he did sign on for The Karate Kid 2.

Obviously, we are a step or two away from Jaden Smith actually deciding Static Shock is his next big career move, but obviously the 16-year-old is the right age to take on the role and could be a good fit if he's willing to lead a TV series. We’ll let you know as soon as Virgil Hawkins is cast.

America's antebellum south has been the setting of two recent Academy Award winning films, 2012's Django Unchained and 2013's 12 Years A Slave. Looking to continue the trend of celebrated slavery-centric American drama is The Good Lord Bird, which, as has just been announced, will feature Liev Schreiber and Jaden Smith in lead roles.

The Good Lord Bird is an adaptation of the bestselling historical-fiction novel of the same name, penned by James McBride. Deadline reports Schreiber will take on the portrayal of outspoken (and real life) abolitionist John Brown, while Smith will play Henry "Little Onion" Shackleford, a young slave. The film will focus on the friendship that evolves between the two men, and Shackelford's coming-of-age in a pivotal period of American history. Here's the book's plot synopsis, courtesy of Amazon:

According to Deadline, other real-life inspired roles that have yet to be cast include Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. While its premise might make The Good Lord Bird seem poised to be a drama, the book's tone has been compared to Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. So anticipate a certain lighthearted satirical edge that may even play well to younger audiences.

If appealing to teens is part of the plan, the casting of Smith makes sense, as he was the star of the hit action-comedy reboot The Karate Kid back in 2010. Notably, he followed that critically praised vehicle with the critically loathed After Earth, a bloated science-fiction that cost $130 million to make and took in only $60 million domestically. Nonetheless, some producers still consider the young Smith a draw, as evidenced by the fact that The Karate Kid 2 is currently in the works. Of course, that might have something to do with the fact that Overbrook Entertainment, founded by Jaden's father and recurring co-star Will Smith, is producing the sequel. This might just be why we tend to think of Jaden as Will Smith's son, instead of as an actor.

If Overbrook is involved in The Good Lord Bird, the production company is keeping quiet about it for now. Regardless, Smith has to start proving himself as an actor outside of his father's shadow if he hopes to forge a reputation of his own. From the sounds of it, the role of Shackleford will be a demanding one. Can the fifteen-year-old child star pull it off? We'll be watching.

No plans have been announced regarding The Good Lord Bird's production start date.

A picture's worth a thousand words, or so they say. But those words may end up getting shuffled up a bit sometimes, as was the case for the Smith family photo that was circulating after last night's MTV Video Music Awards. The image showed Will Smith and his kids in seeming shock or discomfort as they reportedly watched Miley Cyrus work the stage in a skimpy outfit during her performance with Robin Thicke.

BuzzFeed posted the photo below, in an article titled "Will Smith's family reacting to Miley Cyrus is perfect."

And let's face it. It is perfect. Or it would have been if they really were reacting to Miley Cyrus. We have Jaden looking uncertain, Willow with her jaw dropped and Will looking uncomfortable. The woman next to Will has her hand over her mouth in seeming horror. Or so we're made to think. A screenshot can be misleading if titled out of context, and that seems to be the case here, as MTV has clarified the situation by sharing an update that notes that the Smiths were actually watching Lady Gaga's opening performance when this screen was grabbed, and that they were having a great time. Don't believe them? Watch the tape…

Pause it right around the 25-second mark and you'll see something pretty close to the screenshot posted above. Jaden and Willow are rocking out, Will seems to be enjoying himself. And the woman has a nose-itch. Pause it at just the right moment and everyone looks stunned. Unpause it and they're back to enjoying the performance and chewing their gum, the latter of which may have contributed to the awkwardness of their facial expressions in the screenshot.

BuzzFeed has since posted an update citing MTV's clarification that they were watching Gaga's "Applause" when this shot was taken. The photo was making the rounds on Reddit last night, which may be where the image and the misinformation originated. Either way, MTV has cleared it up.

In the meantime, I'll be completely honest and admit that if someone had a camera on my face last night during Cyrus' performance, I'm pretty sure screenshots would reveal that I was making all of the faces the Smiths are in that photo.

Watch Miley work the stage with Robin Thicke here, and catch the Lady Gaga opening performance that had the Smiths so engaged here. Also not to be missed is the 'N Sync reunion performance, which you can check out here

You have to figure that having Will Smith be your dad has to have its perks. No doubt, it's helped young Jaden Smith get his acting career off the ground, and there are surely regular opportunities for some Independence Day movie-quote riffing, which I like to imagine happens all the time in the homes of Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman. But the downside for a teen in the spotlight might be having a parent so overcome with adoration and pride that they might go out of their way to embarrass their child in front of millions of people. Such was the case for the After Earth stars this week when the father-son duo visited The Ellen Degeneres Show. It's hard not to smile, watching those two together.

No 14-year-old kid wants their parents gushing over them in public or embarrassing them with enthusiastic displays of affection, but Jaden Smith grinned and bore it on Ellen's show this week, even as his father adorably pounced on top of him to demonstrate just how much he loves his son.

The video has gone viral, racking up more than two-million views and working its way up YouTube's charts since going online earlier this week. Will and Jaden Smith are set to star in the upcoming sci-fi thriller After Earth, in which they'll play father and son, which shouldn't be that much of a stretch for the two. But give that they're both military rangers, something tells me there will be a bit less PDA among these two on screen. After Earth arrives in theaters May 31.

When a movie is directed by M. Night Shyamalan you might expect a twist somewhere near the end, but a twist right there in the trailer? That's some next-level shit. The first trailer for the Will Smith-Jaden Smith collaboration After Earth has arrived online, and takes you all over this lush but deadly planet that the father and son have crash landed on before dealing the twisty blow in the end. Take a look below.

OK, so you probably could have guessed it was Earth based on the title, but it is pretty satisfying to see all these Avatar-style visuals of a strange world and be told that it's the planet we're sitting on right now. Yes, I know Shyamalan has squandered almost all the good will he earned with his early career, and that his version of The Last Airbender is still considered hate speech in some nerd circles, but it's hard not to get sucked into a glimpse at a sci-fi world on this scale. I'm also more enthusiastic than most about the star power of jade Smith, who held his own in the Karate Kid remake a few years ago, and who seems to have learned a lot from his dad about how to hold on to the screen.

The movie isn't entirely about the Smith men-- Sophie Okonedo, Zoe Kravitz and Isabelle Fuhrmann all have supporting roles-- but they'll certainly be carrying the brunt of it, and it could be fascinating to see how two Smiths might wind up being better than one. We'll find out for ourselves when After Earth comes to theaters June 7 next year.

Headed into theaters next summer (June 7, 2013) is M. Night Shyamalan's After Earth, a sci-fi film that'll have Will and Jaden Smith once again teamed up as father and son. The After Earth panel here at Comic Con in San Diego will not only focus on the upcoming movie, but also the comic book After Earth: Innocence, which will introduce Smiths' characters Kitai and Cypher Raige.

Set to appear on the panel are Garry Whitta (screenwriter of the movie), Peter Suschitzky (director of photography), comic book artis Beni Lobel, and writers Robert Greenberger and Michael Friedman. along with Peter David, who's writing the After Earth prequel novel and also helped create the After Earth bible with Greenberger and Friedman.

Here's the official synopsis for the story:

The panel should be starting at 10:00 a.m. PST so stick around and we'll have updates coming soon!

10:00 a.m. - Moderator says this panel will be a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the world that's the setting for the movie and comic book. They started by showing us a video. Starts with a sequence of scenes, showing Jaden Smith training. Comic scenes of space settings. Will Smith talking while we see him being dressed in a futuristic looking white shirt. Smith talking about how the story is about a father and son that go away and crash-land. "Cypher is the greatest ranger that's ever lived." Jaden's character wants to be a great ranger like his dad. Looks like Jaden has done some serious weapon training (looked martial arts). Glimpses of the costumes, fabrics and (mention of "smart fabric" - fabrics that can change shape and have different uses." Jaden talking about a sword-like weapon. More shots of him training. Glimpse of him wearing a reddish fitted jump-suit.

10:09 - (I'm having some wifi issues.) Earth is "Jurassic planet" in the absence of humans. It's become the most hostile place to humans in the universe. We were evicted by nature because we were no longer welcome There. A thousand years later, earth has built all of these defense mechanisms to keep humans out.

10:10 - Screenwriter says working with Will was interesting. He says Will interested in visual effects, spectacle and action. He's done those things before. He knows the visual effects will be great. But the movie "lives" in the scenes with him and Jaden and the relationship between the father and son. Will would get up and do scenes to become the character.

They're showing us a slideshow. Jaden in a jungle setting. They said they knew it was going to be a tough place to shoot because it's deep in the jungle. Very little light. Next shot is a volcano, though the top is covered in smoke. Next is a shot of a forrest. NExt is a futuristic room. Strange looking walls. Everything is white.

10:17 - Peter David talking about creating the world. Starts by talking about coming up with a plan for the story. Makes a joke about Lost and X Files. Talking about wanting to develop a "full, complete, coherent universe." They want to do a lot with it. Flesh it out with comic books and a whole science fiction universe for books, comics (possibly video games?) Talking about coming up with a bible that would cover from 1908 through a thousand years hence. Their bible ended up starting a billion years BC. They were really thorough. It's over 300 pages long, singled spaced! Every family member. Every major character and their descendants and ancestors. They know how fans appreciate seeing how things fit together. You can't do that kind of stuff if you're doing it on the fly. They're doing something that they'd like to see as fans.

10:22 - They had to work backwards on the bible. Reverse-archeology, working back through the generations until they came back to earth and the disaster that caused mankind to leave the planet. The drew on real-life events for the bible. Created a "secret history" that they were really thorough with. Sounds like 2050 is the point at which humans leave earth in the timeline they have.

The Raige family (Will and Jaden's characters) goes all the way back to a white Polish scientist. Talking about all of the racial blending that would happen over the course of a thousand years. The name Raige has evolved through immigration similarly to how it happened at Ellis Island.

10:26 - Talking about the comic book. After Earth: Innocence - Tells the story of when humans discover that they're not alone in the universe. Aliens in the movie are called the Screll (sp?) The aliens witnessed humans colonizing on their new planet. They're called the Screll because the teen kid Conor featured in the story saw markings on the ship and thought it said Screll.

10:30 - There's a prequel novel in the works. That story is set at a different time, when the Screll first introduce one of their greatest weapons onto Nova Prime. At that time, humans have fought back and the Screll have come up with a new angle to battle human beings. They're also working on six short stories to come out closer to the actual film and published online.

10:33 - Fan questions - There was an early version of the script there were other people on earth "treasure hunting" but they changed it so Will and Jaden are the only two people on the planet. There's a threat that's genetically designed to fight humans and Jaden will have to face it at some point. "This thing is so scary, even we don't want to look at it." It's creepy, they say.

10:36 - Global warming played a part in what happened to earth to drive humans away. Their are other civilizations in the universe. We won't see them in the first film. (Sounds like they're hoping this will be one of numerous films). Worth mentioning that they're giving away cupcakes here for the people with the best questions. So far everyone's getting cupcakes so far.

10:40 - Fan asks how much we're going to see of "old earth." Humanity lives on Nova Prime now (filmed in parts of Utah). Humanity is starting over in many ways. They movie is making a "very positive ecological statement." There's a whole universe to explore (in a possible sequel).

10:43 - Someone asks about M. Night Shyamalan and if there will be a twist. Night came on after the first draft of the script was done. He joined in on the writing afterward.

10:45 - Talking about a rival family for the Raige family. They're in the bible for the story. They'll be in the novellas and the prequel novel and the comic.

10:47 - Talking about how hostile earth is toward humans. There's a scene where Will and Jaden are trying to get water. They put their canteen in the water and it dissolves because the water is so acidic. (Unclear if that'll make it into the movie). Another scene has Jaden's character going blind from touching a tree.

10:49 - The comic and the novel will be out before the film hits theaters. The introduction to Will and Jaden's characters will be the movie. After that, they'd like to see subsequent films go beyond that point (moving forward as opposed to exploring the story on film with prequels).

10:52 - Sorry for the delays on this. Still having wifi issues. They discussed Will Smith being uncertain about starring in the film (he might have only produced it)

10:53 - Someone asks if Eddie Murphy could be an uncle or something in a future movie.

11:02 After all those wifi issues, the panel is now over! Thanks for reading.

For the next two months or so you might know Isabelle Fuhrmann as "the creepy little girl from Orphan," which is fair-- her performance in that movie, not to mention her face on the truly intimidating poster, are hard to forget. But Furhman has a role in the upcoming potential mega-hit The Hunger Games, and if you see here there you might not recognize her-- she's all grown up now at 14, and looks almost nothing like the little girl who terrorized Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard. But make sure and get a good look at her in The Hunger Games because Fuhrman is an actress going places-- places that Will and Jaden Smith are also going, as it turns out.

According to THR, Fuhrman has been cast in M. Night Shyamalan's next film After Earth, starring the Smiths as a father and son who crash land on earth 1,000 years after the planet has been abandoned. Fuhrman plays the younger Smith's friend, named Rayna, but since the film is largely about the father and son stranded on a hostile planet, it's unclear how she'll fit into the narrative. Then again, Zoe Kravitz and Sophie Okonedo are both part of the cast already, so there's clearly room for a lot of women in the story who aren't necessarily part of this specific adventure.

Shooting starts this March in Pennsylvania-- which has been home to all of Shyamalan's productions, including The Last Airbender-- and in Utah, with a release set for June 2013. Though it's novel, I suppose, to see Jaden and Will teaming up for the second time after The Pursuit of Happyness, the real question about this film is of course Shyamalan, and whether he can finally make up for a career that seems to have gone steadily downhill in the last few years. Hopefully Fuhrman and all the other actors haven't boarded a sinking ship.

(Isabelle Fuhrman image via Featureflash/Shutterstock)

Trying to define the term “A-lister” with any sort of consistency is like trying to describe why ninety-five percent of the population seems to think Jennifer Aniston is sexier than Kate Winslet. If you were listing their features on paper, I’m not sure you’d have ninety-five tally marks next to Aniston. Kate Winslet has stunning eyes, a beautiful smile, a nice figure, but she’s more classically beautiful, which, oddly, works against her on the sexy scale. Jennifer Aniston just is sexier. And using that full-proof logic, let me now bring forth the rambling, semi-coherent definition which we’ll be using for the purposes of this piece of ordered deliciousness.

An A-lister is the person Hollywood goes to when they want a sure thing. Their name goes on the poster along with their face. Everyone else ends up somewhere in the background. They’ll carry at least a strong portion of the running time (though sometimes less than half), and ultimately, the success or failure of the film will affect their earning power more than anyone else’s. They’ll have an uncanny knack for getting their ideal projects greenlit and it wouldn’t seem weird if you heard two different tables at the same restaurant having a conversation about said person. They don’t necessarily need to be on a Julia Roberts level, but they do need to be better known for their acting than Jeff Daniels. He’s the cut off point. My mom knows who Jeff Daniels is, and has seen some of the stuff he's been in, but I guarantee I will never in my life hear her ask when his next movie is coming out.

None of the actors and actresses on this list are more known for their acting skills than Jeff Daniels is, but we, the visionaries here at Cinema Blend, believe someday they will be. We believe someday our moms will be asking when their next films will be out, and three, perhaps even four, separate restaurant tables will be espousing some sort of opinion on which of their movies they like best. We believe they will leave us with an amazing collection of brilliant movies and quite a few we’d rather forget. We believe someday we’ll be able to say things like “That wasn’t as good as Aaron Paul’s last movie” without getting blank stares. We believe there’s a Tom Cruise in here, a few Vince Vaughn’s and maybe even a Lauren Bacall. We believe these things because we can’t help ourselves and because one of us is one-sixteenth Gypsy. Here’s a look at twenty up and coming actors who will one day lead big-budget event films and Oscar-worthy dramas. Their mere interest in a film will inspire rewrites and the removal of studio tape, and by their forties, we’ll be playing Sporcle quizzes trying to remember all their acting credits.

Amber Heard

Amber Heard is one of the most devastatingly beautiful girls in a town full of devastatingly beautiful girls. Her A-list looks have helped get her this far, and odds are that alone won't be enough to get her farther. Still, I'm betting Amber has something bigger and better than early-life hotness in her. Not because she can act necessarily, the jury's still out on that, but because she seems willing to try. See Amber could very easily sit back and be another Blake Lively, but she hasn't done that. Her career so far makes one thing very clear: She's a gamer. She's good looking, yes, but she keeps getting work because she's pretty much up for anything. Got a weird indie-movie where she'll be engaged in a naked threesome? Count her in and forget the body double. Nic Cage doing some crazy, hell-themed, car-revenge movie and you need someone to play his badass chick sidekick? Sign her up. Need a babe to play Seth Rogen's underage girlfriend in a stoner-action comedy? Amber Heard is there. Amber Heard's approach is no-holds barred, an actress who's actually there because she seems more interested in acting than being a brand. She doesn't have a list of things she won't do in her contract and because of that I think her big break will happen at any minute. I'm betting it'll be as frequently naked muse Chenault in The Rum Diary, if that long since finished Johnny Depp movie ever released. But even if it isn't, she'll be big some day anyway, because Amber Heard is up for anything.

Anton Yelchin

Remember that scene in Step Brothers where Rob Riggle tells Will Ferrell he wants to punch him in the face? Not for any particular reason, of course, there's just something about that suck hole that needs punching. That's how I feel about Anton Yelchin's passive-aggressive, one hundred and eight pound frame at the start of every movie. There's just something about him that bothers me, makes me want to yell “man up” during random intervals until he feels self-conscious and changes, but as the movie goes on, I always start to hate these Anton Yelchin characters a little less. Then by the end, I'm cheering as they go skinny dipping with Amanda Seyfried and make out with Kat Dennings. I don't know why it happens, perhaps it's because Anton Yelchin's emaciated frame is Oliver Twisty, but more than likely, it's because these characters are supposed to come off as effeminate douches until they slowly start to figure it out. Such is the power of Anton Yelchin that he could convince me to hate him, the bastard.

Donald Glover

Donald Glover is the next Tina Fey. I mean that. He's a creator as much as he is a performer, a guy who when he wants to do something is willing to simply step up and make it happen himself. He's prolific. A fountain of creative genius. He already starred in, co-wrote, and produced one of the funniest movies of the decade. It's not Donald Glover's fault that people weren't smart enough to see it. You really should run out and buy a copy of Mystery Team. On Community he's one half of the funniest comedic duos since Larry and Balki, but he's destined for bigger things than Bronson Pinchot. People were half-joking when they started a grass roots campaign to convince Sony to make Donald the next Spider-Man, but would anyone have minded if they'd taken the internet seriously and actually cast him? Probably not. He's too talented, too likable, for just about anything (even something as ill-conceived as Sony's Spider-Man reboot) he does to suck. He'll be huge, he'll do it all on his own, his way, through talent, hard work, and sheer likability. No, he's not related to Danny Glover.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone has proven she can be a charming-ish love interest (Superbad), a solid supporting actress who can occasionally carry a scene (Zombieland), and now, with last month's release of the enjoyable Easy A, she's proven she can topline an above-average comedy that actually makes its budget back. That leaves her with a choice. She can either attempt to become Anna Faris, a not really worthwhile goal she will fail at, or she can try to be the next Jennifer Aniston, a more reasonable use of her talents she can definitely succeed at. It'll all come down to genre choices. I can't tell you how many reviews of Easy A I've read that have called Emma Stone a funnywoman. She's not. Gilda Radner was a funnywoman. Emma Stone is a good actress with excellent comedic timing. She's more than capable of servicing comedic material, but trying to force laughs on her own will ultimately prove a different story. Here's to hoping she goes the Jennifer Aniston route, and in doing so, takes a few more Office Space's than Along Came Polly's.

Terry Crews

I'm voting for Camacho. That needs to be on a bumper sticker, somewhere. Terry Crews is heading into his mid-forties and he's been working non-stop in film and television for more than a decade on more than forty different projects. You might think that at his age, after so much work, if he was going to make it big it would have happened by now. But Samuel L. Jackson was forty-six before Quentin Tarantino recognized what he could do, and made him a mega-star by casting him in Pulp Fiction. That's where I see Terry Crews. He's the kind of actor who only really gets big late in life, the kind of guy whose talent doesn't really mature until he's long past his sexual prime. Terry Crews is just getting going. He's becoming that guy that everybody recognizes from somewhere, and would probably like to vote for in a dystopian future where everyone's dumb and our president is a retired wrestler. He can play the warm and caring father, or kill with comedic timing. He can flex his muscles and hold his own with the likes of Stallone and Rourke. Everything, whether it's an Old Spice ad or a gun battle, is a little bit better with Terry Crews in it. It's just taking the world a little while to figure it out and now it's only a matter of time before he hooks up with the right filmmaker and gets his own Royal with Cheese.

Tom Felton

I'm not convinced, but if interviews and Youtube videos are any indication, Tom Felton sucks. Which doesn't mean he's a terrible actor—the opposite in fact is true. While his cameo in Get Him To The Greek gains him more street cred with me, his incredible performances in the Harry Potter franchise are what gains him street cred with 95% of everyone else. Which is sort of funny, because Tom Felton/Draco Malfoy only accounts for like 7% of Harry Potter references. Outside of Harry Potter, Felton's been writhing in the muck of a bunch of gritty indie flicks that only like 3% of the population has seen (.5% accounted for by Felton's family members) —case in point, you ever heard of 13 Hours or The Disappeared? This equivocating has caused Mr. Felton to be about as popular as banana peppers on a Subway sandwich. Of course, Vegas odds says there's like a 4% chance of him somehow ending up on the A-List. Because I'm a risk taker, and because I'm pretty sure Felton might just be an acting genius, I'd take the over in a second (22% of you should be smart enough to, too).

Anna Kendrick

On the surface Anna Kendrick seems eternally suited to be pigeonholed in the thankless role of best friend to whoever it is they've hired to play the movie's lead. The girl she's playing best friend to will have better hair, and Anna Kendrick would be doomed to spend her character actress life in a world revolving around the part someone else is playing. But Kendrick's better than that and while she may not have the best hair in whatever movie she's in, no matter how she's used there's always the sense that she's that girl you know, and will probably meet again. She seems real, in a way so few others have, and when given the opportunity to do something other than play the best friend, she knocked it out of the park. Maybe she'll keep playing the supporting role for a few more years, but when you watch Anna Kendrick there's the sense that she has something pretty great inside her somewhere. She seems real, in a way too few Hollywood actresses do. She's more than just the lead character's best friend, she's your best friend too, and too rare to leave her stranded at fourth billing in someone else's film.

Kieran Culkin

Eighty percent as cute and every bit as talented as his more famous older brother Macaulay, Kieran Culkin took a seven year hiatus from Hollywood after his Golden Globe-nominated lead performance in Igby Goes Down, only to recently return in a few juicy supporting roles including off-beat man whore Wallace Wells in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World. Brooding, angsty and always delightfully eccentric, Kieran Culkin usually comes off like that kid in Honors Math who ditches out the side door to chain smoke and read Phillip K. Dick novels. In all honesty, it's probably bad for society that we romanticize those underachievers, the Will Hunting's of the world, but how could we not when people like Kieran Culkin tinge their middle fingers with infectious rebellion and at-all-costs individuality.

Chloe Moretz

We stopped being amazed by child actors who actually seemed good at their job, some time not long after Haley Joel Osment proved it was possible for kids not to suck on screen in The Sixth Sense. Haley Joel was a big deal, and every kid actor that came after him, no matter how good, is not. But Chloe Moretz is at least as good as Osment and as a bonus, she has parents who don't really seem to care about traumatizing her all that much. It's probably not good for her eternal soul and I worry that all that time she spent covered in sticky red entrails during the filming of Kick-Ass may have turned her into Dexter, but if she can avoid the massive drug problems of similarly treated child actors then Chloe Moretz could grow up to be something pretty good. Or even if she does turn into a coked out party kid as she gets older, there's still the chance she'll end up turning into Drew Barrymore, hopefully minus a starring role in Poison Ivy 7.

Gillian Jacobs

Gillian Jacobs is the kind of woman who looks like she doesn't need to wear makeup, the kind of girl who you feel certain rolls out of bed looking that way, and only looks cuter when her hair is messed up. She's one of the most underrated components of NBC's Community, going toe to toe with Joel McHale as the empowered female who secretly would rather be the girl next door. Gillian has wicked comedic timing and she's versatile too. Whether she's playing a day-shift stripper in Choke or a British party crasher in Helena at the Wedding every scene sparkles just a little more when she's in it. One look at her and she just seems like she's destined for something bigger, like she should be replacing Julia Roberts as the new queen of rom-coms, or at the least providing a less uptight, judgement-free alternative to the ones starring Katherine Heigl. At some point Jacobs is going to hook up with Judd Apatow and blow the world away, until then enjoy her on TV and plan for the day when your wife will own all of her movies on DVD.

Clark Duke

The first time I saw Sex Drive, I turned to my roommate and said, “Hey, that's the kid at the party in Superbad.” “No,” he said, “That's the kid from Greek.” Such is the it factor of Clark Duke, that his second feature film and first major supporting role would immediately remind me of his only other film, a one-off bit part he's not even credited for, and remind my roommate of a show on ABC Family. There's just something about his mannerisms that is really funny, like if a 1976 Chevy Chase took two years off to eat excessively and somehow grow more sure of himself. Clark Duke is a throwback. He's the chubby, cocksure, loud idiot for the internet generation. God only knows if he'll reach the lofty heights of Belushi, but I'm pretty sure he'll smash a few guitars along the way.

Michael Pitt

I've known Michael Pitt was going to be famous for the last ten years. Remember Finding Forrester? He's the kid who can't come up with Coleridge, even though his last name is Coleridge. I remember watching the nervous sweat pool around his cheeks and thinking this kid's got it. Then, the next year he showed up in Bully, playing a stoner that impulsively joins a murder plot because he wants to have sex with one of the girls involved. Again, awesome. Same thing in Hedwig And The Angry Inch and The Dreamers and Funny Games. Now, Michael Pitt is the second lead on Boardwalk Empire, Scorsese's new HBO Prohibition drama. Do I really even need to tell you he's awesome in it? This kid has literally been the best thing about almost every film he's been in, the only thing holding him back has been his penchant for taking obscure indie films most people don't see. There's a way to be groundbreaking and at least partly mainstream. Someday Michael Pitt will mark his territory in that place and at that point, he'll have turned into his generation's Gary Oldman.

Mia Wasikowska

In the space of a single year, this year, Mia Wasikowska has managed to play the lead in one of Hollywood's most financially successful blockbusters while at the same time tackling a pivotal supporting role in one of the year's most critically acclaimed indies. And still, almost no one seems to know her name, let alone how to spell it. That won't last long. She has too much range. She does quietly complex almost unlike any other young actress you've seen lately on screen, and she has a knack for channeling that into bravery and strength when it's needed. Mia has a kind of ethereal grace, the kind you'd get from Grace Kelly, combined with an inexplicable layer of Christina Ricci oddity. She's beautiful, without looking exactly like anyone else you've already seen on screen. Maybe she'll get caught up in corset dramas, that seems to be where she's most comfortable, but expect to see more of her.

Aziz Ansari

A good comedy needs three things: a funny premise, talent and momentum. Sometimes that momentum can come from a flawless script, but more often than not, it channels from the main actor either through energy or cleverness. Jim Carrey, Chris Farley, these guys are house of energy comedians, they come at you with all they've got, hoping to infect you with their determination. Woody Allen, Christopher Guest, these guys are clever, improving and subtly bouncing off what's given with a relentless wit that builds throughout a film. At twenty-seven years old, I've seen Aziz Ansari do both. From the brilliant Funny People Randy spin-off to the low-energy retorts of Tom Haverford on Parks And Recreation, Aziz Ansari is quietly one of the most talented comedians we've seen in years. He can carry the show like at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards or he can steal a scene here or there like in Observe And Report. It's like young Bill Murray and old Bill Murray fucked and had a dark-skinned baby. Good God, people would not pay money for that sex tape.

Joel McHale

Now nearly 40, you have to think with a hit TV show like Community under his belt that Joel McHale is more interested in putting a new pool in his backyard than getting even more famous, but it's probably going to happen to him anyway. His eerily perfect combination of easygoing charm and biting, sarcastic wit in a Hollywood ready body is too much for anyone, let alone a studio exec sure to see dollar signs, to resist. The current incarnation of Saturday Night Live isn't going to crank out any more new movie stars any time soon and we have to find the next Adam Sandler somewhere. Maybe it'll be Joel McHale, who probably believes he's far more likely to end up mirroring Rodney Dangerfield's career path than Billy Madison's, but you never know when he'll hallucinate a girlfriend stealing penguin. He did a good job in Soderbergh's otherwise blah The Informant! last year. It's only a matter of time before the movie world starts to notice, and craves more of his lanky, cynical talents.

Ben Foster

Ben Foster has played a psychotic prisoner in My Name is Earl, a learning disabled teen in Freaks and Geeks, and a confused and sexually frustrated artist in Six Feet Under… and this eclectic bibliography only accounts for his early television work. Whether he's playing a psychotic, erotic cowboy in 3:10 to Yuma or a panicked yet determined brother in Alpha Dog, Foster always keeps his audience in rapt attention. Maybe it's the nuance of crystal eyes. Maybe it's that dreamy/scary effect he shrugs out like its nothing (somewhere there's a girl all ready to change him). All I know, is back in the day Foster and fellow coworker Jewel Staite (of Stargate: Atlantis fame) were on this show that nobody remembers, with a title everyone knows (Flash Forward). It was about two kids, one a class clown, one a girl who tried to act grown-up, trying to make it through the ups and downs of middle school together. When Foster's teenage self entered that set, he walked on-screen like he was some Ellis Island immigrant knowing he had arrived. He may make famous for his off-kilter good looks, he should make famous for his acting skills, but I think he could make it on charisma alone.

Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul is a brilliant actor, but perhaps more importantly, he's handsome and creepy and depending on how he's dressed and how his face looks, either an intellectual member of high society or a learning-disabled product of inbreeding. He easily waffles between extremes with the slightest alterations. Johnny Depp can do that too, one minute a conquering hero, a merciless villain the next, all while never saying a word. It's all in the face, that handsome, yet up to no good smirk, the one that won Aaron Paul an Emmy for his work on Breaking Bad. Do yourself a favor and check out the remake of The Last House On The Left or his turn as Sarah's ex-Mormon boyfriend Scott on HBO's Big Love. I haven't the slightest idea where Aaron Paul will end up in ten years, but I can promise you the path to get there will be littered with a lot of strange films.

Jaden Smith

Jaden Smith is going to be a massive movie star, whether you like it or not, and whether he deserves it or not. His dad is Will Smith, one of the only big Hollywood box office draws left on the planet, and Will has sort of made it his mission to turn Jaden into his heir apparent. It's happening, you can't stop it. The good news is that Jaden might not actually be bad at it. The Karate Kid remake was one of the few movies worth seeing this summer and while most of the credit goes to the brilliant work of Jackie Chan, Jaden wasn't half-bad for a 12-year-old. He has a famous Dad, he probably doesn't have to try that hard, but he seems to be trying hard anyway. Maybe Jaden has inherited enough of his father drive, determination, and flat out talent that we won't mind all that much when he's shoved down our collective throats. At least he hasn't tried to become the next Jonas Brother, he could have done that you know, and it would have worked. The kid, for now at least, seems genuinely interested in acting. He'll be a star and maybe this is one case when nepotism isn't such a bad thing.

John Francis Daley

John Francis Daley is either going to be huge, or he's going to be exactly as big as he is now for several years to come before fizzling out. I really can't make up my mind. You see, common sense tells me his time has passed. Even though he's barely twenty-five years old, the last half-decade has been dominated by hyper-intelligent, socially-awkward, shyly cute nerds like Michael Cera and Jesse Eisenberg. John Francis Daley is nothing, if not that character. He's been playing that character since he was called Sam Weir on Freaks & Geeks. Hell, he's still playing that character (now named Dr. Lance Sweets) on an above-average crime show on network television. He's like the bizarre-o Matthew Grey Gubler. For the love of God, those two should be churning out scientist double date comedies like Harvard-educated Cheech and Chong's, but alas, the two crime crushers have yet to connect. I think maybe John Francis Daley might headline a few thinking man's Rom Coms at some point, but maybe that's only because I've learned what the likes of Seth Rogen, James Franco, Linda Cardellini and Busy Phillips had to teach me: being associated with Judd Apatow gets you a couple of Scooby Doo flicks and an invitation to the Hanks Family Thanksgiving, at worst.

Justin Timberlake

Like Michael Vick, John Travolta and Disney's non-Pixar animation department, Justin Timberlake has been written off an almost uncountable number of times. He went from Star Search to The Mickey Mouse Club to N Sync to pop superstardom, all of which involved handsomeness, likeability and singing. Then, out of nowhere, he went from Saturday Night Live guest host to Alpha Dog to Black Snake Moan and now to The Social Network, literally crushing every performance like acting was his primary skill. And the sick thing about it is, it just well may be, all while ignorant purists keep writing him off. I can't tell you how many times before The Social Network came out people told me, "Yeah, it sounds great, but it's got Justin Timberlake." We need to face facts, people. Justin Timberlake is not only handsome beyond words, he's an excellent actor who throws himself into the work. If you gave me three possible outcomes for JT's future: fading away, continuing on as an above-average supporting performer or achieving Hollywood success beyond his musical achievements, I would undoubtedly put it all on the latter, even if he did start his career as a Mouskateer.

This poll is no longer available.

Suggest candidates of your own in the comments section below.

It's hard to get away with remaking a movie that was popular enough the first time around to merit sequels, but if you manage it, you've guaranteed yourself a franchise. There was pretty much no doubt the minute The Karate Kid became a hit that Sony would follow in the footsteps of the original and greenlight a sequel. Now, according to Deadline, that process has begun. They're meeting with writers now and asking them to pitch ideas for where the second movie will go.

It's safe to assume that the next film won't go the Hilary Swank route and recast Jaden Smith, but it is a little hard to guess what they might have planned, given that the original second film transplanted the action to Asia, and they've already done that the first time around this time. I wonder if they'll pursue another Chinese-American co-production, given that it was an effort to save money the first time around, and now they'll be able to get pretty much all the funding they'd need. The Chinese landscape played an integral role in the first film, but facing the need to shake things up for the second go round, they may switch locations entirely.

Feel free to pitch your ideas for another Karate Kid sequel below. Right now I'm counting on a Ralph Macchio cameo and another variation on "wax on, wax off."

The challenge of remaking a beloved classic like The Karate Kid is one thing. Taking that remake to China, filming on location in the streets of Beijing with stars like Will Smith and Jackie Chan on the set, and taking the whole show to the Great Wall? That's not a challenge; that's insanity. But director Harald Zwart, after a career spent filming commercials and movies all over the globe, wasn't just up for the challenge of filming in a complicated country like China-- he was downright excited.

Zwart came on board the project well after it was in development with Overbrook Entertainment and the Smith family in charge, but says he immediately connected with the story's emotional elements and brought in ideas of how to incorporate the stunning Beijing scenery by filming the movie as if it were an independent film. Hey, I promise it makes sense when he explains it. Check out our exclusive interview with Zwart below, and catch The Karate Kid in theaters this weekend.

The movie was in the works before you came on, and it was in some ways the Smith family's production. How did that affect your work as a director?

Overbrook is a great company who really respects a filmmaker. They want to have the filmmaker come on board and give his vision. What really responded to me with the project was the emotional connection I had with the story, and also the visual side of it. China opens up huge possibilities for just making it a visually stunning movie. In addition to the obvious story points, I wanted to shoot it as if it was an independent movie, but with a huge scope.

What do you mean by independent movie?

It's the whole approach to how you do a scene. The handheld, the camera is not interfering, shoot on existing locations. I had a 550-man crew but most of the time we left them back at the studio, because when we were shooting in the streets of Beijin or up in the mountains, I had drilled everybody to bring as little equipment as they could. Will came in disguise with a basketball hat and sunglasses. You can't really go anywhere, especially with Jackie Chan in China, without creating a mania. We just had to get a different approach. You treat it as if you don't have all the money, and you just bring exactly the lenses you need, the equipment you need. You're able to be a flexible, fast crew. That's how we managed to shoot the Forbidden City, the busiest airport in China. It was all done with this mythology, which worked well.Everyone was great sports. I had Will Smith carry lens cases up the top of a mountain.

Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan have really different levels of acting experience. How did you prepare both of them for the movie, which required so much of them?

Jaden started training about four months before the shoot, or maybe more. He went through a gruesome training period, five times a week, several hours a day. I was up there almost every day, filming him, watching him train. It was very helpful in the sense that this became the road map and model for how his training would be in the movie. Jaden had to learn Chinese, he had a bunch of lines, he's in every scene of the movie. And he goes places emotionally that I think are very very impressive. There's not a false moment in the movie.

So how did you get that performance out of him?

That's what's great about great actors, whether they're young or old. If they have it in them-- obviously Jaden with the DNA, the pedigree, is terrific. It's not so much teaching them how to do it, you've just got to help them to get there. It's all about creating the right circumstances sometimes to let them go the last mile themselves.

We haven't seen a performance this dramatic from Jackie Chan in English before. It's interesting to see him stretch that way.

The first time I met Jackie, we had conversations not so much about the movie but about life in general, and you very quickly discover that he's a man with the heart in the right place. He can get emotional, he has childhood memories like the rest of us. You learn something about the person. He also had a strong willingness to go there.

The movie is dramatic overall, and more than you might expect for a Karate Kid movie. How did that decision get made?

That's where I connected with Overbrook. I think the studio too had hopes that it would be a true emotional movie. There's no way you can get the chills at the end unless you're emotionally invested in the characters. I think we al felt that that was the direction to go. Will's a terrific actor himself, he's a genius in how to steer all of us and inspire us to go to places. We all had the same vision in the drama I think.

What is Will Smith's role on the set, maybe different than what an average producer might do?

First of all he was a dad to Jaden. And to me he was a producer who had a great-- he's just an incredibly inspiring guy. You really get inspired by being around him. He does it with positive energy. There were days when I felt like, oh my God-- you have good days and bad days as a director. Just having WIll take me for a little walk, pep talk-- it's the kind of stuff a really great producer is made of. Like I said, the whole Overbrook spirit is to support the filmmaker. No idea is a bad idea. We all agree it's better to just try than discuss it to pieces. He was constantly thinking of ways to make it better. He was just a really fantastic creative producer who I loved working with.

How did you guys balance the references to the first movie and making something that was your own?

I always felt like I wasn't remaking a movie, I was retelling a story. To me it's a really good story. We were all kind of aware-- I know that everybody's waiting for these iconic moments, and there's no way we can really top them, because they were really well done in the original.

How did you change it to "Jacket on, jacket off" instead of "Wax on, wax off."

That was actually born out of my first meeting with Jackie. We were looking for a movie-- in karate it's almost mechanical, at least in the original movie. Whereas in kung fu, one swooping move consists of five different moves. It's sort of like a ballet, where all the other moves are buried inside one move that looks so simple from the outside. It was in conversations with Jackie where we discussed this jacket, taking off the jacket. We explored every possible normal move a kid would do during the day. It was Jackie who came up with the idea that when you take your jacket off and hang it up, it could also be the blocking and the pushing away. Then I got chills-- I have it on video when he does it, and I said "There it is. That's the move." Then we worked backwards and made that into the one thing his mom is trying to teach him.

Even hours before today's screening of The Karate Kid, Sony was setting itself apart from the rest of the studios showing films at ShoWest. The main ballroom where lunch was served was decked out in Chinese imagery and a giant statue of the film's logo, and wandering the halls of the convention center were masses of women in red traditional Chinese dresses.

But as it turned out, that was just the very, very beginning. Before the screening began over 100 performers took the stage, wearing masks and dragon costumes and uniforms, carrying spears and drums, doing everything from turning cartwheels at the center of the stage to simply flanking the entire audience. It was a remarkable spectacle, capped off with a shower of confetti from the ceiling and a parade back out. The only thing imaginable that could have topped it was a star like Will Smith taking the stage-- and as it turned out, that's exactly what happened.

Along with Karate Kid director Harald Zwart, Jada Pinkett Smith and Sony exec Rory Bruer, Smith was on hand to present his son Jaden with ShoWest's breakthrough star award. Jaden, who would be showing plenty of the family star power in the movie to come, kept it brief onstage: "My dad prepared a whole speech for me and it had a bunch of funny stuff in it, but I'm 11 and I'm nervous. So thank you!"

In The Karate Kid, though, Smith had no trouble talking, playing the smartass Detroit kid Dre who winds up living in Beijing when his mom (Taraji P. Henson) takes a job there. If you've seen the 80s classic this movie is based on, you know what happens next-- a wise martial arts master (Jackie Chan) takes Dre under his wing not only to teach him kung fu, but to help him survive in this strange new culture. Filmed on location in Beijing and the surrounding area, The Karate Kid carries a great sense of Chinese authenticity and a great late-career performance from Jackie Chan, who is moving on from martial arts star to wise guide-- a smart move. As for Smith, he's still clearly learning the family trade, but the Smith genes travel-- kid holds his own.

It's hard to say exactly what the movie's run time was, given that it was preceded by the giant dragon spectacle, but it felt at least two hours long, which is far too long for a very devoted remake of The Karate Kid. I would expect to see a good bit of the film cut before its June 11 release, putting more focus on the fight scenes and the relationship between Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Nothing in the new Karate Kid makes a convincing argument to leave the original behind, but with a little bit of streamlining Sony could easily make this a hit for both the people who loved The Karate Kid the first time around and their children.

It's absolutely inevitable. Only hours after the King of Pop's unexpected demise, Hollywood's major television networks were scrambling to fill their airwaves with Michael Jackson related programming. Tonight for instance, TV Land is dragging out the old made for TV movie The Jacksons: The American Dream. It's only a matter of time before the movie industry gets in on the act. The Michael Jackson biopic is coming, it's not a question of when, it’s only a question of how badly they'll screw it up.

Will they focus on his earlier life, his brilliance as a musician, his success in spite of an abusive father… while glossing over all the really weird stuff at the end? Whose version of the truth will Hollywood subscribe to? Michael's hazy fantasy of never-ending youth or the world we saw from the outside, of inappropriate behavior and spiraling excess? Or perhaps most importantly, who will they cast to play him?

Before Tinsel Town botches it, we're stepping in preemptively to give them a little friendly advice. If you have to make a Michael Jackson movie Hollywood, then consider these casting choices before you do it.

Free Willy & Final Years Michael

Casting late-life Michael Jackson is all at once easy and complex. There's no shortage of talented, high-profile, proven, age-appropriate African American actors who might be willing to take on the role (assuming you want to cast a black actor that is). Some of them can even sing and dance. A few like Chris Tucker have, in fact, actually built their entire life around doing some sort of Thriller-era Michael Jackson impersonation but sorry Chris, we can do better. Whoever lands it will have to be able to play Free Willy Michael right on through creepy guy who engages in inappropriate contact with minors on national television Michael.

LIKELY TO GET THE PART: Eddie Murphy

It has to be Eddie Murphy, doesn't it? Sure they'll have to slather him in freakish prosthetics but if Robert Downey Jr. can get away with blackface then Eddie can certainly pull off whiteface. He has the right build (or close enough), he can sing (sort of), he can dance (or at least simulate it), and by the time they start casting this thing he'll be ready for another one of his twice a decade dips into serious movie making. Eddie will smell Oscar and lobby for this part hard knowing that his usual competition, the likes of Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith lack either the physical build or the musical chops to pull off the part. Plus Eddie's no stranger to prosthetics. If he wants to play MJ, he'll land it. It just makes sense.

BETTER CHOICE: Crispin Glover

Sure he's white but so was Michael, sort of, by the end. Nobody captures freakish insanity better than Crispin and in the last decade, in the public eye at least, that seemed to be all that was left of the man. Jackson's journey is almost Howard Hughes' like in nature and there's nobody better than Crispin for walking around with Kleenex boxes for shoes. Would he do it? Probably not, he's more interested in bizarre filmmaking projects that no one wants to see, and of course there's no way Hollywood hires anyone who's not a big name, bankable star for this part. Still, if you've seen Willard or even paid attention to the few moments he shows up on screen in the Charlie's Angels movies, then you know there's no one more perfect than Crispin Glover to portray Michael Jackson at his lowest of lows. Insanity is Crispin's reality.

Thriller Michael

This is the tough one. The temptation here will be to cast someone who can play both Thriller era Michael and late-life, crazy Michael. Yet they're such completely different people, it's hard to imagine that working. Sure you could digitally de-age Eddie Murphy and dress him up like Captain EO and yeah, maybe you can spray paint Crispin Glover and teach him to moonwalk, but I say you're better off going with someone else entirely and I feel certain (for no particular reason) that Hollywood will agree with me.

LIKELY TO GET THE PART: Damon Wayans Jr.

You've probably got a bad feeling about this. Me too. Damon Wayans Jr. is the son of Damon Wayans Classic and he's already started climbing the Hollywood ladder as the one of the leads in the early year parody flop Dance Flick. He's a comic, which means he probably already has an MJ impersonation (don't all comedians?), he's a martial artist, snowboarder, and apparently he can dance. He's one of a dozen names which could easily end up with the role (and if Denzel Washington is somehow involved in producing then get ready for Derek Luke) but to me, he seems like exactly the kind of talent sleazy Hollywood producers might go for.

BETTER CHOICE: Andre 3000

Sure he's getting a little long in the tooth, but shave off his beard and Andre will instantly lose a few years. He's got the build, he's got the moves, and even though he's yet to really prove it I've long had this sneaking suspicion that Andre could, if he really put his mind to it, actually act. Look it was either Andre 3000 or My Name is Earl's Crabman. Andre is the right decision.

Little Jackson 5 Michael

This is the easiest Michael to cast. Throw a net over Los Angeles, scoop it up, and then pick out the cutest black kids at your leisure. If they can sing that's a bonus, but you're probably better off casting for cute factor and then hiring a eunuch to do voice over. Or better yet, just play MJ's old tracks. It's not like you're going to find someone who can sing “ABC” better.

LIKELY TO GET THE PART: Jaden Smith

He's Hollywood's official cute kid poster boy and even though he doesn't exactly look the part, at least he’s already halfway to the hair. Plus his dad's Will Smith who, if you play your cards right might sign on as a producer or, whatever it is he does whenever Jaden's got a new project.

BETTER CHOICE: Bobbe J. Thompson

I really have no good excuse for casting the foul mouthed, trash-talking kid from Role Models in this movie, or in any movie. I'm pretty sure he can't sing and he definitely looks nothing like Michael. I wouldn't however bet against him having awesome dance moves but mostly I'm casting him for my own amusement and because he's probably not going to take any of that shit from his Dad. Let's rewrite history a bit. Have Michael kick Joe Jackson in the nads. That asshole has it coming for what he did to him.

Other Genius Casting Decisions

Joe Jackson played by Samuel L. Jackson

Macaulay Culkin played by Dakota Fanning

Paul McCartney played by Dame Judi Dench

The Rest Of The Jackson 5 played by Cash Money Millionaires With Lil' Wayne As Tito

Oprah played by Oprah

Will Smith and his kid Jaden have a guaranteed formula for taking over the world. First, star in the heartwarming The Pursuit of Happyness, and get the entire world to love you. Then take on something as ballsy as a remake of The Karate Kid set in China, and impress everyone with your moxie. Then you hire the screenwriter from Pursuit of Happyness, Steven Conrad, ensuring that you'll warm everyone's heart again and escape the whole mess unscathed.

THR's Risky Biz Blog is reporting that Conrad has signed on to write the script, despite the fact that production starts next month. Either that means they'll be lifting whole scenes from the original movie, and therefore don't have that much writing to do, or this whole scriptwriting process moves a lot faster than I'd thought.

Columbia Pictures has also confirmed that Taraji P. Henson will play the mother of Jaden Smith's character, who is mentored by a kung fu master (Jackie Chan) when he and his mom move to China. The Risky Biz article makes no mention of the movie's supposed title, The Kung Fu Kid, but I'm really, really hoping that doesn't mean they've decided to just call it Karate Kid after all. It's one thing to remake the movie and set it in China and all that, but another entirely to just pretend that karate is a Chinese thing and leave it at that. I know Smith and company are shrewdly assuming that we'll go along with whatever they offer us, but that really might be one step too far.