Source: Westbrook Media / YouTube Originals
Will Smith opened himself up in a stunning vulnerable moment in the trailer for his YouTube series where he revealed that he once contemplated taking his own life.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star and globally beloved entertainer made the admission during his documentary series, Will Smith: The Best Shape of My Life. The series chronicles his journey to lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks, although there was something else he stumbled upon along the way. “When I started this show, I thought I was getting into the best shape of my life, physically,” Smith says in the preview. “But, mentally, I was somewhere else. And I ended up discovering a whole lot of hidden things about myself.” He then goes on to reference a conversation that he had with his loved ones including his children Trey, Willow, and Jaden and reveals his thoughts about self-harm in a tearful moment: “That was the only time in my life that I ever considered suicide.” There isn’t any further context given afterward.
The series does coincide with the impending release of Smith’s upcoming memoir this month, where he has stated that the book will give the public a more detailed and intense look at his journey to being a global superstar. Smith also wants to give the world a look into how he addressed his struggles with mental health spurred by the pandemic. “What you’ve come to understand as Will Smith, the alien-annihilating MC, bigger-than-life movie star, is largely a construction, a carefully crafted and honed character designed to protect myself, to hide myself from the world. To hide the coward,” he says in the trailer.
Will Smith: The Best Shape of My Life will air in six parts beginning with the first episode on YouTube on November 8th. Check out the trailer below.
