Will Smith covers the March issue of Esquire to promote Focus, his heist film with Margot Robbie. Will’s aiming for a comeback after some underperforming films. This is probably Xenu’s fault. Will’s bummed at how After Earth didn’t strike gold. It’s no wonder. Critics described the film was incredibly obvious Scientology propaganda. Hollywood still hasn’t learned lessons from Battlefield Earth. Get thee behind me, Xenu.

This is a long interview. Smith waxes philoshophical about his career, fame, fitness, Ferguson, and parenting. Will’s haven’t attended school in years. Remember the whole quantum physics discussion with Jaden and Willow? They said “education is useless.” Will says Jaden is basically living like a monk (in a fancy mansion) because “the younger generation is less of an ownership generation.” HA. My feeling on Jaden not caring about money is this — it’s easy to think money isn’t necessary when you aren’t hurting for it. Some highlights:

On fame: “I have the spirit of desire to make people’s lives better. Being famous is such a gift for me because small things make people’s lives brighter. You just shake somebody’s hand. You just smile and write your name and people will talk about it for the rest of their lives.”

On Ferguson: “It’s been rough for me trying to find my position in the struggle and where my voice is needed and helpful. You know, I grew up in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia has a really rough police-brutality history. I grew up in a neighborhood where it was very clear that the police were ‘them’ and we were ‘us.’ I also know that when I was seventeen years old, I had a $20,000 car, which made it certain that I got pulled over all the time. I had a red IROC-Z, the full stereo system and the rims and the paint job.”

On staying “cut” at age 46: “I like to look good, but I like my body to function well more than anything. For me, it’s as spiritual and intellectual as it is physical. And emotional. I enjoy pushing myself. There is nothing like having to change your physical form to put you in contact with every weak part of yourself, to train yourself in discipline. You get confronted with all of the things you’ll be confronted with in your marriage, confronted with in your parenting, confronted with in your job. Put somebody on a treadmill and I’ll tell you how good they are at any other thing they do in life.”

On living like a pseudo monk: It’s such a strange thing. Jaden, my sixteen-year-old, he has one pair of shoes. He has three pair of pants and he has five shirts. Total. He has refused to be a slave to money. I so respect that. The younger generation is less of an ownership generation, anyway. And it’s such an interesting thing to watch, because I came from a middle-class background, but, you know, our lights and gas would be cut off from not paying the bill. I grew up in a house where you would need the kerosene heaters in the winter in case the bills didn’t get paid. And he’s from the complete other end of the spectrum. And it’s so interesting to me that from growing up in that space, he could see the need for things in a way that he’s rejecting. He’s like, ‘I’m not gonna let myself need things in that way’ — but I would like him to get another pair of shoes.”

[From Esquire]

Smith also says, “I’m past cars and jewelry, you know? I don’t even wear a watch.” Well not as many people wear watches anymore. Everyone has a clock on their phone. Unless you enjoy wearing a watch or need GPS capabilities, there’s no reason to wear one. Yahoo says Will is full of it because he and Jaden raved about Cartier watches in a 2013 interview.

I don’t think it’s a matter of Will consciously lying about Jaden’s austeric ways. Will is simply clueless and has no idea what’s really going on with his kids. Jaden is extremely materialistic without realizing it. He pitched a fit on Twitter about not being invited to the Grammys. Oh, and he definitely has more than one pair of shoes. Jaden Instagrammed photos of himself wearing both Uggs & Nikes during the past week.

FLOSSIN With My Uggs

A photo posted by Jaden Smith (@theaquaticstevezissou) on Jan 22, 2015 at 9:40pm PST

A photo posted by Jaden Smith (@theaquaticstevezissou) on Jan 19, 2015 at 10:27am PST

I’m including some photos of Will with Margot at the Focus UK premiere.

Photos courtesy of Max Vadukul/Esquire, Jaden Smith on Instagram & WENN