DUBAI: Hollywood superstar, Will Smith made his appearance in Dubai on Sunday ahead of a red carpet screening of his film minutes Suicide Squad, across the Middle East region.
At a well-attended press conference that took place at THEATRE by Rhodes at Vox cinemas, Mall Of The Emirates, the 47-year-old actor says that he considers himself a public servant.
“First and foremost, I consider myself to be a public servant. Part of what I do is to create art that, however briefly, relieves suffering. I think it's my responsibility to make people laugh and cry and ultimately make them feel good. As a basic mission statement for myself, it's: improve life.
On the issue of discrimination, the Academy Award nominee and four-time Grammy winner said, “I think it's hugely important with this type of platform that I have to live a certain way. I remember we were in South Africa during the launch of MTV, and the then President Nelson Mandela told me, ‘Never forget to let people touch you when you go into crowds. Let people touch you. They have to know that your black skin won't hurt them”.
Smith also spoke about Islamophobia in America. For me that’s why it’s important to show up here and show people what it’s really like. I think that the imagery of it is hugely important to me and as the election goes on I do believe I will be called out to more specifically speak out about the insanity”.
He also lashed out at US Presidential candidate, Donald Trump saying that it is painful and embarrassing as it is to hear Donald Trump talk, it’s good to hear him talk as we get to hear it.
“I feel very confident about what we are seeing in America right now is a cleansing. Things are coming to the surface. It’s like marriage counselling, and I have done marriage counseling several times. What happens in counselling is that you get out a lot of truths between your spouse, and you look at each other face to face. It creates a dark moment but for me it is the dark before the dawn – when the truth comes out and people have to stand up and say who they are and you then get to know who they really are. It’s the cleansing before we get to the other side of understanding, and moving forward in that relationship.
Later in the evening, Smith was well received at the Deira City Centre, where hundreds of fans thronged to have a glimpse of their hero.
The red carpet screening took place at the Deira City Centre with Smith in attendance.
The screening also officially launched the Virgin Radio VOX MAX Cinema that features the largest screen in the MENA region. Seating up to 550 people, it houses the giant 408-square-metre screen with Christie laser projection and DOLBY Atmos sound and technology.
