Will Smith reportedly earned a huge check just to make the long flight to Saudi Arabia and speak at the annual Red Sea International Film Festival.
According toVariety, Smith bagged $1 million to trek to the Middle Easter country and attend the festival, which wrapped up on December 9. Sources added that Will was housed at the luxury Assila Hotel in Jeddah.
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The I Am Legend actor was far from the only Hollywood superstar to appear at the festival as Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Hemsworth, Johnny Depp, Halle Berry, Michelle Williams and more were also on hand at the event. Paltrow also reportedly netted a bigger appearance fee than Will Smith.
“That part of the world you get paid,” an anonymous agent told Variety.
In conversation during the event, Will Smith touched on a multitude of topics including the anticipated sequel to 2007’s I Am Legend, in which he is set to star opposite Michael B. Jordan.
“I have a call with Michael B. Jordan tomorrow. We’re really close. I am probably giving up too much information… the script just came in,” he said before adding of the sequel’s plot direction. “We’re going with the mythology of the DVD version where my character lives and I can’t tell you anymore.”
The Red Sea International Film Festival served as one of Will’s first public speaking engagements since slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
Elsewhere, Smith detailed his struggles grappling with fame and his attempts to remain even-keel during the ups and downs of his career.
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“Fame is a unique monster and I’ve had to be really careful,” he told the audience. “You can’t get excited when everybody is saying good things about you. The more you take when people are saying good things about you, the more hurt you’re going to be when people are saying bad things about you.
“What I’ve experienced in my adversities of the last couple of years is that I have to be clear about who I am and what I am attempting to do in the world, and I can’t need others to applaud for me to stay focused on my mission.”
