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Will Smith to Host Netflix Variety Special, Westbrook Studios to Produce

Will Smith is set to host and star in a new one-hour comedy variety special at Netflix, Variety has learned.

The special will include comedy sketches, musical performances, surprise celebrity guests, and noteworthy conversations among other things. It is set to launch on Netflix globally later this year.

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Westbrook Studios will produce the special for Netflix. Smith will serve as an executive producer in addition to starring and hosting. Westbrook Studios’ Terence Carter, Miguel Melendez, Sahara Bushue, and David Boorstein will also executive produce.

Smith is a multi-talented performer who is no stranger to working across all facets of entertainment one could expect to see in a variety special. He is of course now best known for his blockbuster film career, having starred in smash hits like the “Bad Boys” and “Men in Black” franchises, and critically-acclaimed dramas like “Ali” and “The Pursuit of Happyness.” The latter two films earned him Academy Award nominations.

Smith first broke out, however, as a rapper, performing under the name The Fresh Prince. He parlayed that success into the beloved sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” which ran six seasons and nearly 150 episodes on NBC.

In addition to his acting work, Smith and Westbrook are at work producing a number of projects across film, television, and digital platforms. Among those is “Bel-Air,” a reimagining of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” that has received a two-season order at Peacock. The show is based on Morgan Cooper’s viral video that reimagined the NBC comedy series as a drama.

Smith is repped by CAA, Three Six Zero Entertainment, Hertz Lichtenstein & Young, LLP, and The Lede Company.

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