Men in Black

Will Smith, 40, Sept. 25: This is how you build a "Legend": Create your body of work as a performer and a producer thoughtfully and carefully. Smith started out as rapper Fresh Prince, then starred in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." In 1993, Hollywood sat up and took notice of ... morehis splendid, understated performance in "Six Degrees of Separation," which began Smith's launch into the stratosphere. He does action, comedy, romance, animation, biopic, sci-fi, thriller and gentle fable, all equally well (see "Independence Day," "Men in Black," "Ali," "Hancock," "The Pursuit of Happyness"). All this and one of Hollywood's most solid marriages, to Jada Pinkett Smith, with three of the cutest kids on camera. It's true: He is legend.

(Retna Ltd.)