Will Smith Nearly Dies While Scuba Diving At The North Pole
Will Smith’s Arctic Nightmare — Actor Nearly Dies While Scuba Diving At The North Pole
During a Jan. 20 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Will Smith opened up about a terrifying near-death experience he encountered while filming an upcoming episode of his National Geographic series Pole to Pole.
The 57-year-old actor said he set out to confront his greatest fear, and found it while scuba diving beneath solid ice at the North Pole. What began as a daring challenge quickly turned dangerous when Smith became trapped under the frozen surface at the top of the world.
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As the crew descended roughly 40 yards below the ice, navigating what Smith described as an “upside down ice mountain range,” the situation suddenly shifted. He recalled hearing urgent warnings from above as the dive was abruptly called off.
“We went under, and I start hearing, ‘Abort dive! Abort dive! Abort!’” Smith recalled to Jimmy Fallon. “And I’m like, ‘Oh no.’ … So, I went to ascend and hit ice. I was like, ‘Oh no, Will, calm down. Calm down. You have a tether on, and you have to grab your tether, and pull yourself back to the hole.’ … I grabbed and accidentally pulled my mask off.”
Will Smith said the dangerous mistake left him exposed to the ice.
The error left Smith briefly exposed beneath the ice, one of the most perilous situations a diver can face. Being trapped under ice can trigger immediate cold-water shock, uncontrollable gasping, rapid loss of motor function, and severe hypothermia. Divers typically have only about 10 minutes of useful movement before losing consciousness. Survival depends on remaining calm, staying horizontal, using ice picks if available, and crawling or rolling toward safety.
Smith said he quickly replaced his mask and concentrated on controlling his panic, even managing to crack a joke as he processed the gravity of the moment.
“I was like, ‘If I get out of here, I’m only going to do Black stuff from here on out,’” he joked. “I promise Lord! African American behavior from here on out!”
Will said he remained calm as help made its way to him. Eventually, a crew member on the surface grabbed his tether and guided him back up through the ice.
“When I realized I was good, I just relaxed. I looked around, and when I tell you the sun is coming through the ice, it went from terror to the most spiritual, beautiful thing,” he added. “And I was just like, ‘Whoever’s up there, don’t let go of my tether!’”
Pole To Pole pushes Will Smith to the limit.
The harrowing moment is just one of many extreme challenges Smith takes on in Pole to Pole with Will Smith, a National Geographic original series released this month, that pushes him to the edges of both the planet and his personal limits.
Inspired by his late mentor, the ambitious project follows Smith across all seven continents over the course of 100 days. Along the way, he throws himself into intense feats, from skiing to the South Pole to diving beneath Arctic ice at the North Pole.
The North Pole episode will premiere Feb. 3. Will you be watching?
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