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Will Smith took great pride in officially announcing the inclusion of Luanda in the E1 World Electric Boat Championship on Thursday.
The 57-year-old actor is an electric boat racing enthusiast and launched his own team in the world's first all-electric raceboat league two years ago.
Luanda, the capital of Angola, has long been a hub for competitive sailing and racing.
Smith, who was accompanied by E1 Series President Alejandro Agag, was beaming ear to ear as he arrived at the Southern African country's presidential palace in that coastal city.
He was soon greeted by Angola's President Joao Lourenco. The two shook hands and had what looked like an interesting discussion as the cameras captured the historical moment.
Smith, who recently surprised fans with a cameo on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air spinoff, isn't the only celebrity involved in promoting electric marine mobility. Tom Brady and Spanish former tennis player Rafael Nadal are also E1 team owners.
Will Smith was greeted by Angola's President Joao Lourenco at the presidential palace as he officially announced the inclusion of Luanda in the E1 World Electric Boat Championship
The 57-year-old actor is an electric boat racing enthusiast and launched his own team in the world's first all-electric raceboat league two years ago
The Men In Black star, an avid environmentalist, has long believed that transitioning from traditional marine combustion engines to electric boats is crucial for ocean health.
He has rooted for his own Team Westbrook, named after his Los Angeles-based production company, all around the world including Lake Como, Italy, where he watched his team win their very first victory in August 2024.
The Oscar winner has moved on from his infamous slapping scandal by embracing this passion for electric boat racing and other projects.
Smith, meanwhile, was said to be 'very happy' that Michael B Jordan mentioned him in his Oscars speech, according to People.
Jordan, 39, recently won the Best Actor award for his role in the hit horror movie Sinners.
'I stand here because of the people that came before me: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, Will Smith,' Jordan said.
Back in 2022, Smith had walked on stage and slapped Oscars host Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
Smith isn't the only celebrity involved in promoting electric marine mobility - Tom Brady and former Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal are also E1 team owners
The Men in Black star traveled to Angola with E1 President Alejandro Agag, left
Smith had what looked to be an interesting discussion with the Southern African country's leader
The Oscar winner has long believed that transitioning from traditional marine combustion engines to electric boats is crucial for ocean health.
Smith has moved on from his infamous 2022 slapping scandal involving Chris Rock by embracing this passion for electric boat racing and other projects
The actor had walked on stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith (pictured arriving to the Oscars in 2022)
The incident resulted in Smith's resignation from the Academy and a 10-year ban from attending the Oscars and any Academy-related events.
But Smith felt heartened by the recognition from Jordan, according to People.
'Will was very happy to hear his name mentioned during Michael's Oscar speech,' a source told the outlet. 'Having someone so talented - who just won this incredible Oscar - mention him at that time was awesome for him.'
The insider explained that Jordan's comments made Will 'feel good on its own, but even more so to be included with the other top actors mentioned.'
Smith is currently developing I Am Legend 2 with Jordan, and the duo have huge admiration for each other. A second source said, 'Will and Michael have huge respect for each other’s talent.'
