An ode to Will Smith's perfect Instagram account
If you ask me, there was only one good thing to come out of social media in 2017 and it came with three weeks to spare.
It wasn't the tide pod craze, it wasn't Chrissy Teigen and John Legend's strange flight, and it wasn't the drama involving the royal wedding's guest list either — it was Willard Carroll "Will" Smith Jr. and his brand new, fresh out the box Instagram account. It's perfect in every way, and if 2018 keeps going the way it is, it might just be the best thing about this year too.
The beloved Smith has always discussed why he's grateful he didn't come up in the time of timelines and avatars. "Fortunately, most of my career, I was shielded from that level of scrutiny. There actually was privacy. There was actually the ability to create mystery," he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015.
That level of mystery dissipates when you've reached the god-like status of the Smith and his family, and either transforms into a well-oiled, PR-fueled life (with an Instagram account to match) or nothing at all, a là Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt. (Side note: imagine how beautiful the world would be if Meryl Streep had an Instagram account.)
But sometimes, famous faces bless us all with Very Good Celebrity Instagram accounts (ie., Tina Knowles, Chris Pratt, and Drake -- the king of hilarious Instagram captions). Thank goodness Smith falls into the second category.
There are a few key things that make a celebrity Instagram account good: self-deprecation, behind-the-scenes access, and quality throwbacks — and the Fresh Prince passes all of these tests with flying colors.
Exhibit A: the ugly holiday sweaters, worn with pride and disbelief at the audacity of Jada for making the family be festive.
Then there's the reading glasses. Your beloved favorite actor is getting old, folks, but he isn't afraid to show it off. Weak eyes but make it fashion.
In the brief time he's been at this, he's managed to let us in on some wholesome family fun. Still can't believe we ever lived without knowing the lengths the Smith family goes to manifest the holiday spirit.
His behind-the-scenes work is what debuted on the 'gram first, thanks to Ellen DeGeneres, who filled the void in our heart by instigating the birth of his account. The only thing better than pre-cut interview previews that tease us is pictures with the queen of celebrity selfies.
All of this is fun and games, but there's something that Smith does that even the greatest of them, like The Rock, can't do.
As a man who has been in the spotlight for so long, Smith has racked up a thrilling rolodex of friends and lucky for us, he isn't shy about shouting them out for their birthdays or just because. So far we've got some quality throwbacks of Jaime Foxx and Denzel Washington. That's two heavyweights in less than a month. Who knows what other ageless face we'll witness next. Isn't this thrilling?!
Despite the seemingly authentic nature of it all, Smith's PR people would probably be mad if a couple plugs weren't thrown in the feed, even if Bright isn't that great of a film. The best of them, however, do it with grace and humor instead of pumping out well airbrushed film stills and clips from talk shows to their followers who are bound to see those things elsewhere, regardless.
But really, it's not just me who feels this way. Everyone is in love with Will Smith's Instagram account.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
All that to say, thank you Ellen. Thank you @kevin. And thank you, Will, for letting us into your life one double-tap-heart at a time.
Topics Instagram Celebrities
