Pudgy Will Smith vows to get back into shape
This is the body that carried me through an entire pandemic WILL SMITH, ACTOR
Dad Bod Will Smith, we hardly knew ye.
After showing off his round tummy recently on social media and inspiring others to do the same, the Bad Boys star, 52, has vowed to get into the “Best Shape of My Life” for a new YouTube series wit that title.
The six-episode, unscripted project will see the Aladdin actor embark on a fitness quest to conquer middle age and “get his groove back along the way”, according to the streaming platform.
The programme will also feature guest stars in the form of professional athletes, popular YouTube creators, scientists and other “experts”, who will help Smith better “every aspect” of his health, including power and agility.
“This is the body that carried me through an entire pandemic and countless days grazing thru the pantry,” Smith wrote in a recent post on Instagram.
“I love this body, but I wanna FEEL better. No more midnight muffins … this is it! Imma get in the BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE !!!!! ”
Last week, the Fresh Prince of
Bel Air alum encouraged others to join him on his fitness journey after sparking the #BigWillieChallenge, which saw several people recreate a viral photo of Smith posing in all his Dad Bod glory, a pair of boxer briefs and nothing else.
“Let’s go get it!” Smith captioned some of his favourite entries from fans flaunting their flabulous torsos. “After pics due in 12 weeks!” (“Nah I’m good,” musician Questlove quipped in the comments.)
In a since-deleted Instagram post, actress Jamie Lee Curtis got in on the fun by resurfacing a 2002 photo shoot for More magazine, which saw the Halloween star embrace her curves and reject retouching and airbrushing techniques often used to alter celebrities’ appearances.
“My old MORE @_moremagaphysical zine story was both a testament to ‘The way things were for me’ as well as a way to show the artifice of magazine advertising and airbrushing but also a chance to look in the mirror and make some changes,” Curtis, 62, wrote, according to Today.
“None of us should be unhealthy … We ALL have fallen into bad habits. The GOAL is self acceptance, self love. Realistic, attainable self acceptance.”
A release date has not been revealed for Smith’s forthcoming YouTube series, which marks his second collaboration with the video giant.
The rapper turned actor previously partnered with the streaming service for 2018’s Will Smith: The Jump, which saw Smith celebrate his 50th birthday by bungee jumping from a helicopter over the Grand Canyon. Smith’s daredevil dive for charity racked up nearly 18 million views within 48 hours of its premiere.
In his latest Instagram post, Smith announced that all six instalments of his educational Netflix limited series Amend: The Fight for America are also available on YouTube for free. The series explores the 14th amendment to the US Constitution, which guaranteed all citizens “equal protection of the laws”.
“I got so many comments and messages from teachers and students after we released #amend on @netflix saying this is what should be shown in history classes – so we took that to heart,” Smith wrote. “Went to our team at Netflix trying to figure out a way to make Amend accessible to everyone. So today, all 6 episodes are streaming free on YouTube...”