Will Smith says he ‘once considered suicide’ in trailer for new docuseries
‘Mentally, I was somewhere else,’ actor says in YouTube show
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Your support makes all the difference.Will Smith has revealed he once considered suicide.
The Bad Boys star can be seen discussing his mental health with his family in a new trailer for Will Smith: The Best Shape of My Life, his new YouTube docuseries.
The series follows Smith as he attempts to lose 20 lbs (or one and a half stone) in 20 weeks, but he quickly realises that his journey involves work on his inner self far more than his outer self.
“When I started this show, I thought I was getting into the best shape of my life, physically,” he says in the trailer. “But, mentally, I was somewhere else. I ended up discovering a whole lot of hidden things about myself.”
In one clip in the trailer, Smith can be seen bursting into tears while sat with his family. He also tells them about a moment in his history – which we do not yet know the details of – that particularly haunted him.
“That was the only time in my life that I ever considered suicide,” Smith says, while his daughter Willow can be seen looking anguished.
In recent months, Smith has made a number of surprise revelations about his marriage to wife Jada and his mental health. In September, Smith confirmed that he and Jada had opened up their marriage to other sexual partners after both realised that they were “miserable”.
Smith also revealed that, during a mental health crisis, he made plans to date a “harem” of women that included Halle Berry. He also rented a house in Utah and sat in solitude for 14 days, before flying to Peru to take part in a number of ayahuasca rituals.
Will Smith: The Best Shape of My Life begins on YouTube on 8 November.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.