Will Smith is a regular visitor to the UAE and an avid promoter of the emirate’s many attractions. 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 UAE.
Post-pandemic workouts at Nad Al Sheba
Will Smith spoke for many of us when he posted a picture of his paunch on Instagram earlier this year, with the caption: “I’m gonna be real wit y'all – I’m in the worst shape of my life.”
Proving that even Hollywood’s biggest stars haven’t been immune to putting on a few pandemic pounds, Smith said: “This is the body that carried me through an entire pandemic and countless days grazing thru the pantry. I love this body, but I wanna feel better. No more midnight muffins.”
He then vowed to get into the best shape of his life, which has included the odd workout at Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex during trips to Dubai. The venue is also the go-to training destination for football players visiting the UAE, with stars from clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea sharing clips from the complex 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 dashing into the gym and then proceeding to use different machines incorrectly.
Taking a deep dive
Smith was one of the first people to try out the UAE’s latest underwater attraction, Deep Dive Dubai, in July. The new sporting venue features the deepest pool in the world, with a depth of 60.02 metres, as well as a sunken city, where divers can explore an underwater world complete with an abandoned streetscape, apartment, garage, arcade and other interesting features. The 1,500-square-metre facility, which has been designed to look like a giant oyster, is also home to a dive shop, gift shop, as well as a variety of meeting, event and conference spaces, and large viewing areas.
Smith, who has a habit of letting his adventurous side run wild in the UAE, posted a video of himself sitting on the edge of the pool, seemingly about to take a dip. “Deep Dive Dubai, I’m about to go down. Deepest pool on Earth … it's madness,” he said.
Royal gifts
Smith has developed close friendships with members of Dubai’s royal family during his frequent trips to the emirate over the years.
In May, Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai, posted pictures of gifts that the Hollywood actor had sent to celebrate the arrival of the royal's newborn twins, Rashid and Sheikha. The picture showed Smith posing with the sizeable gifts, although it was not revealed what was inside the pink and blue balloon-topped packages.
Golfing at the Montgomerie
Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith are avid golf players and have been spotted playing a round or two at the Colin Montgomerie-designed 18-hole championship golf course at Dubai’s Address Montgomerie. "I play golf every day. It's the first time in my life I make time to do something fun every day. Golf is not only fun but there are so many spiritual practices for me on the course," Pinkett Smith said of the sport on her Instagram page. "Will and I love playing golf together. It's fun bonding time."
The big birthday skydive
Smith famously forced Pinkett-Smith to join him on a skydive in Dubai to celebrate his 50th birthday in 2018. The adventure was chronicled in Smith’s six-episode Facebook Watch show, Will Smith's Bucket List, which saw the actor embark on thrilling adventures around the world to mark his milestone birthday.
Talking about Dubai on the show, Smith said: "They don’t just put up anything. When they do it, it has to be spectacular, it has to inspire wonder and awe. It’s the only place on Earth I would bring my wife to skydive for the first time."
Pinkett-Smith revealed her fear of heights ahead of the jump, telling the camera: "This wasreally a test of the years of spiritual work I’ve been doing, and how much faith I have in that source higher than me... I’m afraid of heights, I don’t like flying, and I never ever would think of jumping off a plane as being fun, but because he asked me to, I couldn’t tell him no."
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Test squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan(wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah
Twenty20 squad: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz
SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
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