Dubai’s 1 Billion Followers Summit sees Will Smith open up on fear, fame and filmmaking
Hollywood star shares extreme adventures, hails Sustainable City as UAE model
DUBAI – Will Smith on Saturday captivated audiences at the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 in Dubai, revealing details of his upcoming pole-to-pole documentary.
Filmed over two years, the seven-episode series follows the American actor from the South Pole to the North Pole, confronting some of the world’s most extreme climates. From diving beneath Arctic ice to exploring jungles, deserts, mountains, and caves, the series promises an unprecedented adventure.
“It was terrifying at times, but beautiful,” Smith said, describing moments like extracting venom from rare spiders to show how cures can emerge from danger. He emphasised that fear is the greatest barrier to human potential.
Extreme exploration
The documentary, set to premiere on January 14 on Disney and National Geographic, captures Smith skiing across polar ice, scuba diving under frozen seas, and joining experts to explore uncharted terrains. “From your darkest difficulty, right in the centre of the pain, is where the cure lives,” Smith told the audience.
Smith described the series as “heart-warming” and suitable for family viewing, highlighting the role of scientists, explorers, and local communities he encountered in shaping the journey of self-discovery. “The solution to many of Earth’s problems is there at the edges,” he added.
Sustainable Dubai
During his visit, Smith toured Dubai’s Sustainable City, praising it as “a hidden gem” and “a community awake to the idea of helping each other.” Faris Saeed, the visionary behind the project, said Smith’s presence inspired excitement across the community, describing him as approachable and warm.
Why does @willsmith love Dubai? It’s not the skyscrapers or the luxury, it’s the shared humanity that places like the Sustainable City masterfully exemplify!#1BillionSummit pic.twitter.com/Q2ldIKLKiv
— 1 Billion Followers Summit (@1billionsummit) January 10, 2026
Saeed also discussed plans for Sustainable City 2.0, a next-generation model for a post-AI era. Quoting Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, he said: “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and build it.” In the new model, social life will be central, with sports, arts, culture, and debate shaping everyday living.
1 Billion Followers Summit
The 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 was hosted across Emirates Towers, DIFC, and the Museum of the Future from January 9 to 11 under the theme “Content for Good.” Organised by the UAE Government Media Office, the summit gathered global leaders, creators, and innovators to explore how digital content can drive positive impact worldwide.