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This is one celebrity weight gain story that has a surprise ending
By Tomás Diniz Santos — Written on May 03, 2021
On Sunday, May 2, Will Smith took to Instagram to reveal how his body has changed over the past year during quarantine.
Many fans and fellow celebrities are praising Smith and his post for his honesty.
Smith's post says a great deal about how many are feeling during isolation. It's also opened up a genuine conversation about body positivity.
What was the Will Smith post that got everyone talking about weight gain?
The 52-year-old shared an image of himself standing by a lake or pond while wearing short shorts, a zipped-down hoodie revealing his chest and stomach and slippers on his feet.
The caption says “I’m gonna be real wit yall - I’m in the worst shape of my life.”
The photo seems to be a candid shot of the actor since he isn’t looking at the camera but is definitely smiling and talking to someone.
The image has been on Instagram for 18 hours so far and it has already garnered over 5.3 million likes.
Although the “Men in Black” actor captioned the post in what seems to be a negative tone, it also seems as if he's totally okay with the weight gain. He isn’t afraid to show the world and millions of people what his body looks like even if it isn’t what it used to be.
The legendary actor has appeared in demanding films where a good physique was a must, such as “I Am Legend” and “Suicide Squad.” Those roles required him to have a strict diet and an immaculate workout regimen.
Why did Smith’s body image post on Instagram resonate with so many people?
Smith is just one of many that have gone through changes to their body over the years and have suffered mentally because of it.
According to surveys done by the Mental Health Foundation in the United Kingdom, 37% of teenagers felt upset and 31% of teenagers felt ashamed in regards to their own body image. The same survey found that 40% of those teenagers surveyed blame social media as the reason they worry about their body image so much.
This is why so many people took the time to comment on Smith’s post. They thanked and praised him for sharing his “real” side and for proving that no one is exempt from feeling down about their body image.
Celebrities and influencers like Amy Schumer, Questlove, Casey Neistat, Nick Kyrgios, Joel Kinnaman and so many others commented on the post, calling the actor a “real one” or just loving on the image in general.
“This is the most amazing post in the history of social media,” Questlove wrote.
“Let me be real with you. You’re 52. You look great,” George Resch wrote. Resch, better known as Tank Sinatra, is a meme creator with over 2.7 million followers on Instagram.
Fans were also commenting about how Smith is unknowingly promoting body positivity. Many wrote how Smith is breaking the stigma that all celebrities need to have a “perfect” body and that everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin.
Getting candid about COVID-19 and letting go of shame
The actor has posted several videos throughout quarantine and everyone’s time in isolation, making fun of how so many are working out and staying fit, while others are letting themselves go and eating everything in sight.
At the end of the day, whether it’s intentional or not, Smith is spreading the message that it’s okay to look however one does. As long as one can feel comfortable for who they are, then that’s what matters.
COVID-19 has affected so many people in different ways. A survey shows that 61% of Americans have gained weight throughout the year-long pandemic. What Will Smith posted on Instagram promotes a positive and real body image while at the same time implying that he isn't totally comfortable with the change, and that’s okay too.
Tomás Diniz Santos is a writer living in Orlando, Florida. He covers news, entertainment, and pop-culture topics.