Will Smith went viral in 2021 when he posted a shirtless photo of his “dad bod” physique and declared that he was in the worst shape of his life, before committing to losing weight and becoming the fittest version of himself possible. Smith chronicled his fitness journey in a series of social media posts and YouTube videos. And he has just revealed that he ended up losing a total of 30 pounds throughout the entire process, while preparing to play a formerly enslaved man named Peter Smith in the new movie Emancipation.
“The ‘dad bod’ picture was my beginning of preparation to lose weight for Peter,” Smith said during a recent episode of Red Table Talk. “I was probably 225-ish when I started and at the lowest, on the movie, I got to 195.”
He went on to explain how losing weight was an important part of him being able to fully embody his character, as well as achieving his own personal fitness goals.
“For me, the physicality is a big part of what makes people go ‘woah!'” he said. “To be able to transition and manipulate your body as an actor is a big part of the suspension of disbelief for people.”
Emancipation marks Smith’s first on-screen performance since he portrayed Venus and Serena Williams’ father in King Richard, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. That performance, and Smith’s recent physical transformation, were both overshadowed at the 2022 Oscars ceremony, when Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke at his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s expense.
Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV.
