Willow Smith Will Rock 'A Hard Knock Life' in 'Annie' Remake
by Elizabeth Sexton
Imagine the potential for mash-ups: “Tomorrow” meets “Whip My Hair.”
And one can only guess what hairstyle Willow Smith will be donning in her upcoming portrayal of Annie.
Smith is set to star as the wide-eyed, adorable orphan in the first film project to come from a new join venture between Will Smith, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and others.
The movie will be developed by Sony and produced by Jay-Z and Overbrook Entertainment. Willow Smith, age 10, has been signed to Jay-Z’s label.
Confirming the growing rumors about the casting, Sony issued a statement from Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad, Wednesday.
"The time is right to bring back 'Annie' to the big screen. Of course, we're true believers in Willow's talent and believe she will be perfect in this role," Belgrad said.
Jay-Z’s previous experience with the musical score may come in handy, having sampled “It’s the Hard Knock Life” for his 1999 hit song “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).” The single went gold in March of ’99 and was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 41st Grammy Awards. It also ranked number 11 on VH1’s “Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop.”
It looks like actor-producer Will Smith could be taking notes from his previous singles, as well. After overseeing the career launch for son Jayden in the remake of “The Karate Kid” and now advocating for daughter Willow, Smith’s classic “Parent’s Just Don’t Understand” comes to mind.
He just might be onto something. Sarah Jessica Parker, who also began her acting career at age 10, was once seen jumping into the spotlight for the lead role of Annie on Broadway.
