Will Smith experienced one of the most emotional moments of his visit to Brazil when he received a previously unseen work by renowned Brazilian muralist Eduardo Kobra. The homage took place on Friday, July 24, on the main stage of Expert XP, an event hosted at the São Paulo Expo, where the Hollywood star couldn’t contain his emotion when he saw the painting for the first time.
The work, entitled “Bliss”, was kept secret until its delivery. Measuring 2.15 meters high and 1.35 meters wide, the painting pays homage to Will Smith’s career and life. While recalling the famous film “The Pursuit of Happyness” (The Pursuit of Happyness, 2006), the work contains elements that retrace the different phases of his existence, from his beginnings in hip-hop culture as The Fresh Prince until winning the Oscar Award.
According to Eduardo Kobra, the intention was to represent much more than a film character. The canvas celebrates values such as perseverance, transformation, the courage to start over, and the pursuit of personal fulfillment—principles that, according to the artist, perfectly reflect the actor’s personal and professional journey.
“Thank you. Your extraordinary career inspired me to create this painting for you. My dream is to turn this work into a large mural on a building, perhaps somewhere in the world. I also got my start in hip-hop culture at twelve. I portrayed you as the little Fresh Prince,” Kobra said during the award ceremony.
Visibly moved, Will Smith thanked the artist several times for the gift, hugged the Brazilian artist in front of the audience and called the painting “magnificent”, calling Kobra “brother”.
“You truly inspire so many people. Thank you, brother. Thank you so much. I love it. It’s magnificent. Thank you so much,” the actor declared, drawing prolonged applause from the audience.
In addition to the award ceremony, Will Smith participated in a meeting with the public during Expert XP, in which he retraced some of the most significant moments of his career, talking about the friendships that have marked his life, the most important professional decisions and the challenges he faced in maintaining confidence and determination at different stages of his journey.