Hoda Kotb sat down with actor Will Smith for what turned out to be a slightly unconventional interview. He was there to talk about his new memoir, “Will,” and to talk about his new movie, “King Richard,” where he plays Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams.

The interview was unconventional because we never knew Smith was so deep, and we’ve never seen him so open and raw. Kotb actually told Smith that she felt like she was in therapy, and she meant that in the best possible way.

The bulk of the interview involved Smith talking about why he was so open and honest in his book. He revealed family secrets that had previously been swept under the rug. The main secret that had a big impact on his personality happened when he was a 9-year-old boy. What he witnessed and the way he reacted shaped the way he acted for the rest of his life.

When Kotb asked Smith why he was willing to be so open and honest in his book, especially when it was going to be read by people Smith didn’t know, he responded, “I want to make it okay to not be perfect.”

Watch the video below to hear Smith’s family secret that had a huge impact on his life, and see if you agree with Kotb that the interview feels like “the best therapy ever.”

 

The movie “King Richard” will be released on November 19, 2021. Smith’s memoir, “Will,” has already been released. You can buy it on Amazon or find it at a book store near you.

Does it surprise you that Smith was so open and honest in his memoir and in this interview? Did you feel like you were in therapy watching this interview? Do you feel like you hide parts of yourself from the world? Are you planning on reading Smith’s memoir? Are you planning on watching his new movie, “King Richard”?