Will Smith wore a burden to represent perfection for many years, Nia Long says

Written by: Vasantha Cover.Metalnation.org ENTERTAINMENT

[{"selector":"#anim-0460423c-fd5e-4d7a-bf99-e719ec678e52","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57e1ee20-03d2-4ea5-9ca0-8351c0b1bd2d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(117.49175%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org After the cheating scandal and subsequent split from her longtime partner, former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, Nia Long spoke of the "devastating" moments of her recent past.

[{"selector":"#anim-7b6d0900-af86-40b2-832c-8b987e8a6f97","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-760f537d-c141-41ca-a242-daf5524a92ab","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(117.49175%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org Will Smith's progress makes Nia Long proud. Long praised Smith, 54, for the way he handled himself in the spotlight after leaving Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

[{"selector":"#anim-e18434d6-5333-4aaa-ba7f-7c5d3d4c7619","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3c13ee0-8b44-44d9-a879-04a68b327861","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(118.15181%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org Long, who played Smith's character's girlfriend and fiancée Beulah "Lisa" Wilkes on the show, said "I'll always love him. He's had an incredible career, and he's carried a burden to try — to represent what perfection is." Long added.

[{"selector":"#anim-c0bd22e1-88d8-41bc-aeea-049df0ab5f4e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bde4fd9c-6623-482e-9f27-ca43038208d9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.51156%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org Smith also fit into Long's concept of 'celebrity'. During our childhood, I don't think there was any room for him to be human. He's now able to be human, she said.

[{"selector":"#anim-3049e239-06c5-4032-84bc-1a681e37a738","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1e11e77-b3af-4cb6-8f56-0fdafc8b4156","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(117.49175%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org During the Oscars last year, Smith slapped Chris Rock. In the unscripted moment, Rock mocked Jada Pinkett Smith's alopecia-induced shaved hairstyle.

[{"selector":"#anim-69ac86c2-d171-4c66-8863-eaa8ea2eff64","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-028591dd-61ec-4a62-bbfe-384859a22938","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(117.82179%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org As a result, Smith faced much backlash before apologizing. Long compared life in the spotlight to strict routine, which sometimes doesn't allow authenticity.

[{"selector":"#anim-5a2d93e7-af89-49bb-a573-13d239186425","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3e27c6e-31d8-4740-8574-0f2ffe549fb6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(118.48184%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org "We all have our moments in life where we need to reconcile things that we suppress," she said. "And I think — it's hard growing up in this business and being front and center every day, all day."

[{"selector":"#anim-74511dd0-ca53-44ff-ac96-9295e33fe57b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b299ef0-cf51-478d-913c-630d55ea5d33","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(118.48184%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org She talked about her own career and the backseat spotlight. "I still have my anonymity, and I appreciate that about my career." "I can go to the grocery store whenever I want. People usually say "Hey, Nia Long."

[{"selector":"#anim-ac8f288d-18e4-4565-aa4b-a420c72dd473","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6f47659-d1bf-4e98-8c62-a5edd1047af2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(118.48184%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org As she discussed her difficulties in recent months, Long got emotional. Last year, Long and her fiancé, former Boston Celtics Coach Ime Udoka, broke up after 13 years together. During his tenure with the Celtics, he had an affair with a female subordinate.

[{"selector":"#anim-a070c002-9d26-429d-82b7-7e29120b7576","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f87bb18-d4e9-4662-884a-6738f5eb5831","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(118.48184%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover.Metalnation.org "I've had some pretty devastating moments in my life over the last couple of months, and I've had to just say 'It's alright. You'll pick yourself back up' — oh, my God I'm about to cry," Long added. "You pick yourself back up, and you keep it moving."

FOR MORE WEBSTORIES

Cover.Metalnation.org THANKS FOR READING TO KNOW ABOUT Johnny Depp's 8 awesome facts CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE SWIPE UP