JAPAN: Will Smith mesmerizes Japanese fans at "I Am Legend" world premiere in Tokyo

Record ID: 464149

  • Title: JAPAN: Will Smith mesmerizes Japanese fans at "I Am Legend" world premiere in Tokyo
  • Date: 8th December 2007
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 4, 2007) (REUTERS) PAN DOWN FROM BUILDINGS TO RED CARPET WILL SMITH GREETING A REPORTER VARIOUS OF FANS SCREAMING AS SMITH APPROACHES THEM WIDE OF RED CARPET SMITH TAKING PICTURES WITH FANS WIDE OF SMITH SPEAKING TO A REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) WILL SMITH SAYING: "It has a wonderful action. There are really big scares. So you want to watch this movie with a big audience 'cause there are some terrifying parts of this movie and I think my performance is pretty good, too." SMITH TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WILL SMITH SAYING: "You know, it's great to work with kids and to have the opportunities to teach them. This is what I do. You know, I make movies and I'm an actor. So It's the most knowledge that I have in my life. So to have my kids come along is the best place and the best environment for me to teach them the things that I think are important." MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN HOLDING HER CELL PHONE SMALL VIDEO CAMERA'S SCREEN SHOWING SMITH ON RED CARPET FAN MANAMI ARAKI SHOWING SMITH'S AUTOGRAPH (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) MANAMI ARAKI, 21, FAN, SAYING: "I'm so excited. I've got autographs from all the cast." FAN AYA NAGATOMO SHOWING PICTURE WITH SMITH ON HER DIGITAL CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) AYA NAGATOMO, 28, FAN, SAYING: "He gave me his autograph, a hug and even a kiss. This is the best day of my life. It was an early Christmas present for me."
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVAAZYKSDJ5F0HHZHGXZHIPTGSF1
  • Story Text: Hollywood star Will Smith walked the red carpet in Tokyo and mesmerized screaming Japanese fans as the world premiere for his latest movie was held in downtown Tokyo Wednesday (December 5).
    The American actor Smith arrived in Japan on Monday to promote his new psycho thriller "I Am Legend," which will hit American and Japanese theaters on December 14.
    "It has a wonderful action. There are really big scares. So you want to watch this movie with a big audience 'cause there are some terrifying parts of this movie and I think my performance is pretty good, too,"
    Smith said on the red carpet.
    In the movie, Smith plays the role of a brilliant scientist who happens to be the last human survivor in New York City and maybe in the world after a deadly man-made virus nearly exterminates mankind.
    In "I Am Legend, "Smith's daughter Willow acts with her father, making her movie debut. It follows Smith's 2006 movie "The Pursuit of Happiness," in which his son Jaden co-starred with him.
    "You know, it's great to work with kids and to have the opportunities to teach them. This is what I do. You know, I make movies and I'm an actor. So It's the most knowledge that I have in my life. So to have my kids come along is the best place and the best environment for me to teach them the things that I think are important," Smith said.
    A generous and friendly Smith kept many fans happy who waited outdoors for many hours despite chilly weather.
    "I'm so excited. I've got autographs from all the cast," said Manami Araki, 21, a college student.
    Aya Nagatomo, a 28-year-old consulting firm employee, left his work early this day to see the Hollywood star first-hand. And she says it was worth it.
    "He gave me his autograph, a hug and even a kiss. This is the best day of my life. It was an early Christmas present for me," Nagatomo said.
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