It’s fair to say that Will Smith has seen his share of professional and personal peaks and valleys over the past several years. He won his first Academy Award in 2022 and, earlier this year, he headlined the box office hit Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Yet, on the other hand, he also received negative press after slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, and rumors have swirled around his marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith. Nevertheless, it would seem that the 55-year-old A-lister has rolled with the punches and moved forward with positivity. Not too long ago, Smith pulled a Taylor Swift and handed out tens of thousands of bracelets during an event, and he explained his reason for that.
Taylor Swift fans have been exchanging bracelets amid her ongoing Eras Tour, and the trend has become well-documented on social media. Swifties do it as a way to not only create a special link of sorts with the singer but to also build camaraderie with each other. That’s a sweet way of connecting with others, and the same can be said for Will Smith recently did. The King Richard star teamed up with the Dance In Your Darkest Moments (an initiative he inspired) and Spanish media personality Ibai Llanos to hand out bracelets during an event in Madrid. Smith posted about event on Instagram and, via the video he shared, he explained that his decision to hand out the accessories stems from his personal experiences:
Over the past couple of years, I’ve had to learn a different way to be with adversity. I created this bracelet as a reminder to always stay strong in the middle of the storm. This past Saturday in Madrid, we gave away over 50,000 bracelets. Thank you for being a part of this really special moment, and remember that whatever it is, you can make it.
That’s truly a sweet sentiment to share, and one that could serve as a bit of encouragement for someone who’s currently going through a tough time. It’s also quite amazing that the Emancipation actor and his collaborators were able to hand out 50,000 bracelets. Their efforts are on display in the video post down below, which also includes a caption in which the star expresses gratitude:
“Adversity” is indeed a word that one can associate with Will Smith, and it’s especially apt when considering the aftermath of the Oscars slap in 2022. Shortly after it occurred, Smith was criticized by a number of celebrities for his actions and was banned from the Academy as punishment for what transpired between him and Chris Rock. Over a year later, there were still reports regarding how Smith was allegedly re-establishing his career.
Now, the Men in Black alum seems to be thriving from a career standpoint. This past February he lined up a thriller film called Sugar Bandits, which was written by The Town’s Chuck Hogan. He also landed a sci-fi movie, Resistor, amid the box office success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die. And, of course, there’s still the matter of the long-awaited I Am Legend 2, which is still in development and will see the Fresh Prince icon star alongside Michael B. Jordan.
So, all in all, Will Smith has a lot to be grateful for, and it seems that by handing out the bracelets, he’s seeking to share the love and serve as a beacon of hope for those in need of it. Should he continue to do so, one has to wonder if the trend will become as far-reaching as Swiftie’s tendencies to share bracelets during Taylor Swift concerts. That’s hard to say right now, but it does, at least, appear that Smith has something of a movement on his hands.
You can check out Will Smith on the big screen now by going to the theater and seeing Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which is one of the major titles on the 2024 movie schedule.