Recently, rumors circulated online claiming that Will Smith—the celebrated Hollywood star known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Men in Black, and Bad Boys—had died in a car accident. These rumors, accompanied by doctored images, spread rapidly across social media platforms, causing concern among fans.
Social Media Post
Multiple Facebook users have shared posts claiming that the Hollywood actor has died in a car accident, accompanied by an image of a crashed car and the caption “RIP, Will Smith.” One of these posts has gained traction with over 8,900 shares so far.
Fact-check
Lack of Credible News Reports: As of March 24, 2025, no reputable news outlets—including CNN, BBC, AP News, and CBS—have reported Will Smith’s death. Major news organizations typically report on the deaths of prominent public figures within hours, including official statements and details. The fact that no established media outlets have covered this story suggests the claim requires further verification.
Source of the Claim: Looking at the most-shared post about this claim, we noticed the comments contained links to online shopping sites – a classic sign that this is just another clickbait hoax designed to get clicks. Upon examining the user’s profile, we found they had created multiple clickbait posts across the platform (see another example here), each with similar promotional links in the comments.
Irrelevant Accident Image: A reverse image search revealed that the photo was from an unrelated 2022 car accident in San Francisco, where three people were hospitalized with serious injuries after a vehicle struck a building at San Bruno Avenue and Mansell Street (Read the news here). This incident has no connection to the renowned actor Will Smith.
Will Smith’s Recent Activity: Earlier today, Will Smith just posted a video promoting his new song on his official Instagram account, which he performed tonight at the Concacaf Nations League event at SoFi Stadium tonight, clearly demonstrating he is alive and well. This social media activity directly contradicts the death hoax claims circulating online.
Will Smith is not the first celebrity to face a death hoax. Similar rumors have surfaced periodically over the years—a common phenomenon for high-profile celebrities—which we’ve also covered in our articles about Justin Bieber and Sylvester Stallone (read here and here).
Conclusion
Based on our investigation, the claim of Will Smith’s death in a car accident appears to be a hoax designed to generate link clicks. No major news outlets have reported the incident, and the circulating images have been found to be unrelated to Smith. Additionally, Smith’s recent social media activity, including a post about his recent performance at SoFi Stadium, suggests the claim is false.
Title:Will Smith Is Not Dead: Car Accident Death Claim is a Hoax
Fact Check By: Cielito WangResult: False
