Will Smith honored with an 'academy' award

Jet, March 17, 2008 by Marti Parham

Box-office king Will Smith can now add academy award winner to his long list of accolades.

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The actor recently became the first celebrity to be honored with the Cadet Choice Movie Award, bestowed by the cadets of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY.

The award recognizes a fictional screen character who best personifies West Point leadership qualities. Smith, who received 27 percent of 2,200 online votes, was chosen for his portrayal of Army virologist Robert Neville in the hit action thriller I Am Legend, about a zombie-making virus that destroys New York City.

Smith has been nominated twice for an Oscar, the other Academy Award, but has yet to take home the golden trophy-once for his role in Ali (2001) and the second time for his part in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).

In Smith's next movie, Hancock, he plays a down-and-out superhero who is trying to repair his image with the public. The movie is scheduled to open in theaters nationwide the week of July 4.

--Marti Parham with AP reports