Will Smith’s five best UAE moments as actor turns 53

Will Smith is a regular visitor to the United Arab Emirates and an avid promoter of the many attractions in the emirate. From enjoying a round of golf with his wife to skydiving to mark his 50th birthday and diving in the world’s deepest pool, here are some of the actor’s best moments in the United Arab Emirates.

Post-pandemic training in Nad Al Sheba

Will Smith spoke for many of us when he posted a photo of his stomach on Instagram earlier this year, with the caption: “I’m going to be real with you – I’m in the worst shape of my life.”

Proving that even Hollywood’s biggest stars have not been immune to putting on a few pandemic pounds, Smith said, “It was the body that took me through a whole pandemic and countless days in. browse the pantry. I love this body, but I want to feel better. No more midnight muffins.

He then vowed to get into the best shape of his life, which included the odd training at the Nad Al Sheba sports complex on trips to Dubai. The site is also the go-to training destination for soccer players visiting the UAE, with stars from clubs including Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea sharing clips of the resort in the past.

“Trying to remember how to use a gym after quarantine,” was the title of one of Smith’s self-deprecating videos, which showed him rushing into the gym and then improperly using different machines.

Take a deep dive

Smith was one of the first people to try the UAE’s latest underwater attraction, Deep Dive Dubai, in July. The new sports site features the world’s deepest swimming pool, with a depth of 60.02 meters, as well as a sunken city, where divers can explore an underwater world, with an abandoned streetscape, an apartment, a garage, an arcade and other interesting features. The 1,500 square meter facility, which was designed to resemble a giant oyster, also houses a dive shop, gift shop, as well as a variety of meeting, event and conference spaces and large viewing areas.

Smith, who is used to indulging his adventurous side in the UAE, posted a video of him sitting by the pool, apparently about to take a dip. “Deep Dive Dubai, I’m about to go down. The deepest pool on Earth… it’s madness, ”he said.

Royal gifts

Smith developed close friendships with members of the Dubai Royal Family during his frequent trips to the emirate over the years.

In May, Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai, posted photos of gifts the Hollywood actor sent to celebrate the arrival of the royal’s newborn twins, Rashid and Sheikha. The photo showed Smith posing with the important gifts, although it was not revealed what was inside the pink and blue wrappers topped with balloons.

Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith are avid golfers and have been spotted playing a round or two on the Colin Montgomerie-designed 18-hole championship golf course at Dubai’s Montgomerie address. “I play golf every day. This is the first time in my life that I have taken the time to do something fun every day. Golf is not only fun, but there are so many practices. spiritual for me on the course, ”Pinkett Smith said of the sport on her Instagram page. “[Will] and i love to play golf together. It’s a fun moment of bonding. “

Smith forced Pinkett-Smith to join him for a sky jump in Dubai to celebrate his 50th birthday in 2018. The adventure was recounted on Smith’s six-episode Facebook Watch show, Will Smith’s Bucket List, which saw the actor embark on thrilling adventures across the globe to mark his milestone birthday.

Speaking from Dubai on the show, Smith said, “They don’t just put on anything. When they do it has to be spectacular, it has to inspire wonder and awe. It’s the only one. place on Earth where I would bring my wife to parachute for the first time. “

Pinkett-Smith revealed his fear of heights before the jump, telling the camera: “It was truly a test of the years of spiritual work I have done, and how much I trust this source above. me… I’m scared of heights, I don’t like to fly and I never thought jumping out of a plane was fun, but because he asked me, I couldn’t tell him no.”

Update: September 25, 2021, 8:46 a.m.