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Will Smith recalls 'terrifying' moment with daughter Willow Smith at the height of her fame

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star is a doting dad to children Trey, Jaden and Willow

will smith reveals terrifying story daughter willow
Hanna Fillingham
US Managing Editor
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Will Smith has been getting candid about his family life as he promotes his new book, Will, and revealed a lesson he learnt from his youngest child during a public appearance on Tuesday night.

MORE: Will Smith left in disbelief over drastic change to daughter Willow's appearance

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star hosted a storytelling event at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, titled Will Smith: An Evening of Stories with Friends, where he recalled how he handled Willow's rise to fame.

"I felt like I was doing really, really well," he explained. However, Willow - who was just ten when she began touring with Justin Bieber following the success of her song Whip My Hair, was not happy.

VIDEO: Will Smith prepares to take a dive in the world's deepest swimming pool

"Thank you, Daddy. I'm finished," Will recalled his daughter responding when he said she had to continue performing, "It doesn't matter to you that I'm done, Daddy?"

MORE: Will Smith opens up about heartbreaking moment involving son Jaden

MORE: Inside Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's jaw-dropping £32.3million mansion

Willow went to drastic measures to get her dad to listen to her and shaved her hair in protest. "I'm looking and I'm like, 'Got it, I got it, baby. I'm sorry. I apologise. You can stop,'" the actor recalled telling his daughter.

will smith terrifying experience daughter willow

Will Smith learnt a valuable lesson from daughter Willow Smith

"It was terrifying. I felt like I had been texting looking at my phone and stepped out into the street in front of a bus and Willow snatched me back. As strange as it sounds, in that moment I discovered feelings.

MORE: Jada Pinkett Smith's engagement ring from Will Smith cost more than a Ferrari

SEE: Will Smith's daughter is his double in remarkable new photo

"Because of my childhood, because of how I was raised… I didn't care about how I felt so I damn sure didn't care about how somebody else felt. My feelings didn't matter in my childhood home.

"You did what you were told to do. I had to really think about the question she was asking me. The question she was really asking was 'Daddy, does it matter to you how I feel?' it was so explosive to my mind. That was a deep, existential question."

will smith emotional family video

Will is also dad to sons Jaden and Trey

"My parenting style changed in that moment," he added.

MORE: Will Smith’s daughter Willow turns heads in a birthday look no one saw coming

MORE: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett celebrate wonderful news involving daughter Willow

The Hollywood star shares Willow, 21, and son Jaden, 23, with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. The actor is also father to Trey, 29, who he shares with ex-wife Sheree Zamino.

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