Will Smith reveals why Dubai made him fearless in spirit: 'I did sky diving here in my 40s and it changed my life'

Dubai: “When I land in Dubai, I wake up. I’m ready to create.”

That’s Will Smith, not speaking from a movie set, but from the edge of possibility itself.

I was there, watching it unfold firsthand at Dubai's Sustainable City ahead of his Middle Eastern premiere of his Nat Geo docu-series 'Pole To Pole With Will Smith' on January 9.

The Oscar-winning actor was full of energy, the kind that comes from someone who has leapt — literally and figuratively — far beyond fear. This wasn’t the Will Smith of Hollywood glamour. This was an explorer, a thinker, a man inspired by cities, ideas, and audacity.

He told me about skydiving in Dubai for the first time — in his forties. For most of us, that might feel like a midlife thrill. For him, it was a recalibration.

“I had always been fearful,” he said. “I was trying to open myself up. That jump — it changed something inside me.”

Dubai, he explained, has always been more than a backdrop. For decades, it has been a laboratory for possibility, a city designed to challenge the limits of imagination.

“I’ve been coming here for 30 years,” he said, “since there were cranes on top of all the buildings. There’s something about the spirit of this place. Dubai feels like a second home to me.”

And the city’s ambition mirrors his own. Smith’s journey in Pole To Pole -- is proof. He spoke to me about how scaling the Himalayas made him a better person. He crawled at 14,000 feet while a 70-year-old woman walked easily beside him.

“It taught me how much the human body can acclimate,” he said. “We’re capable of so much more than we think.”

But it wasn’t just physical. It was a lesson about fear — how it constrains the mind, the heart, the soul.

“Fear destroys your ability to experience beauty,” he said. “If you’re scared, you can’t experience the heights of anything — in nature, in relationships, in life. Fear really destroys your ability to be happy.”

This is where Dubai’s influence becomes clear. The city itself is audacious, a statement of vision materialised in steel and sand. It dares to do what most think impossible. It dared Will Smith to do the same.

“Dubai is trying to build a new global city,” he said.

“I was inspired by Sheikh Mohammed’s vision and audacity.”

He even spoke about reincarnation — a statement that is less literal than metaphorical, a reflection of how connected he feels to the Middle East.

“I definitely believe in reincarnation,” he told other reporters. “And if it’s true, I definitely believe I lived in the Middle East. I feel like I was in charge of something.”

He is unflinching when asked about his favorite cities. “Miami and Dubai are my two favorite cities in the world,” he said. “The moment I land here, I feel it. I walk upright. I feel alive.”

This energy, this readiness to create, is what makes Dubai more than a location for him — it’s a catalyst.

“I love what Dubai is trying to create,” he said. “And what’s coming to life here. It’s a very unique thing. I’ll be here for the rest of my life.”

Watching him speak, it became clear that this wasn’t about celebrity or glitz — it was about energy, curiosity, and daring to push limits. Dubai, with its towering ambition and constant motion, had become a playground for exactly that.

Smith’s life, like the city itself, is about testing limits. Fear isn’t ignored — it’s confronted, challenged, and then left behind. Every skydive, every mountain climb, every bold choice feels like a step into what’s possible.

“When I land in Dubai, I wake up. I’m ready to create,” he said. And in that moment, you could see why he keeps coming back: the city inspires him, challenges him, and reminds him that the next leap is always waiting.