Will Smith Teary-Eyed During SAG Awards Acceptance Speech For ‘King Richard’

28th Screen Actors Guild Awards - Red Carpet

Source: Emma McIntyre / Getty

Will Smith is on a winning streak!

After sweeping up a Golden Globe award last year for his stunning role as the father of champion tennis players Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard, the iconic actor snagged a few more honors in celebration of the film over the weekend.

Smith took home the award for Outstanding Actor in a motion picture during the 2022 NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 26. A day after, the Fresh Prince alum won in the Outstanding Performance by a leading actor category at the SAG Awards. The 53-year-old grew emotional during his acceptance speech, noting how significant it was to be awarded for his role as Richard Williams while sitting next to the legendary coach’s iconic daughter Venus.

“That may have been one of the greatest moments of my career just now,” he said while tears began to form in his eyes. “Because my name was called for King Richard sitting next to Venus Williams.”

Smith was up against some tough competition. Actors like Javier Bardem, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Denzel Washington were also up for the big accolade. The first-time SAG Award winner took to the podium and gushed about his career-defining role as the father of the Williams sisters.

“Richard Williams is a dreamer, like no one you’ve ever known,” he said. “He has a power of belief that borders on insanity and sometimes, tips over the border which is absolutely necessary to take something from impossible to possible.”

The emotional star thanked the Williams family for trusting him to bring their powerful story to life on the big screen.

Watch Will Smith’s full acceptance speech below.

So well deserved. Will Smith takes home his first Actor® for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role! #sagawards pic.twitter.com/gD6I4GTVLs

— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) February 28, 2022

Now, with three awards underneath his belt, some Oscar critics predict the Philadelphia native will win big at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, which will take place on March 27. Will has been nominated for the Best Actor category. This is his first Academy nomination in 15 years. Smith was nominated two times–once in 2002, for his outstanding portrayal of boxing icon Muhammad Ali in the stunning biopic Ali– and again in 2007, for The Pursuit of Happyness.