Will Smith Celebrates 'Mommy' on 86th Birthday — Their Dance to Whitney Houston's Hit Got Fans Crying

• In his 50s, Will Smith still has a close bond with his beloved mom Carolyn and enjoys spending time with her.

• His mother did everything for him and his siblings and taught him to respect women.

• The "Men in Black" actor thanked his mom and grandma for making him the man he is today.

The "I Am Legend" star Will Smith has recently celebrated his mother's birthday. He marked the occasion by posting a photo on Instagram of himself with his mom, Caroline Bright. The pair smiled broadly at the camera as they wrapped one arm around one another in a tight hug.

The actor captioned the post simply by wishing his mother a happy 86th birthday. Will has made it a point to show his appreciation for his mother by making a post dedicated to her each year. For her 85th birthday, the actor shared a video of them dancing together to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."

For her last birthday, Will paired the post with a caption that wished his "Mom-Mom" a happy birthday, and he said he hoped they would "dance [their] way to 100." In the video, Will and Caroline showed off their moves as they held hands and bounced from side to side to the beat of the music.

After every post, Will's fans reacted by saying how lovely it is to see the actor devote so much love to his mom. After seeing Will and his mom sharing a dance, one fan commented, saying, "Beautiful priceless moments." Another remarked that the heartfelt moment made them think of their own mom:

"That's the best feeling you got me crying because my mom is my life and she's 80 she is everything to me."

On May 9, 2021, Will posted a photo of him and Caroline in a loving embrace. The post was meant to celebrate Mother's Day, and the actor captioned it by wishing his mom a lovely day. In the post, Will touchingly referred to Caroline as "Mommy" and wished every mother the best.

Will Thanked Mom and Grandma in Front of a Crowd for Making Him a Real Man

Will was raised by his father, Willard Smith, along with his mom. The actor's mom made a living working for the Board of Education, and his father was an ex-serviceman. Will had three siblings, an older sister named Pam Smith and two younger twins, Harry and Ellen Smith.

After the divorce, Will lived with his mother, and she did everything in her power to ensure her kids had everything they needed to get ahead in life.

Growing up, the actor was greatly influenced by his mother and his grandmother, Helen Bright. Will credited these two for inspiring him to believe in himself and follow his dreams. The "Hancock" star recalled how his mother and grandmother always encouraged him and assured him "God is going to make everything ok.".

Helen's faith in her grandson had a tremendous influence on his life. Knowing how much she believed in him pushed him to do his best in everything he attempted. Sadly, Helen passed away in 1998, leaving Will distraught. The actor reminisced about his grandmother:

"She held me in such high esteem that I never wanted to fail her. She and my mother were central in my life."

Sadly, Will's relationship with his father was much less empowering. The actor shared that his dad was violent and "alcoholic," which often made the household a challenging place for the young Smith children. After years of toughing it out with Will's dad, Caroline and Willard ended things when Will was 14.

After the divorce, Will lived with his mother, and she did everything in her power to ensure her kids had everything they needed to get ahead in life. She encouraged her children to play an instrument, and soon all the Smith kids were proficient piano players. Will's younger brother even took up the saxophone.

Caroline also ensured all her children had the opportunity to be educated. All the Smith kids had the chance to attend college, since Caroline believed college and education were the keys to success. She also "taught him how to respect women" and turned him into the man he is today.

In 2005, at the American Music Awards, Will publicly thanked his mother for her excellent parenting and the lasting influence she had on him. He stood in front of his fans and his coworkers and lauded his mother for making him the respectful, hardworking man he is.

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