In 2007, Will Smith starred in the thriller I Am Legend, based off of the 1971 movie, The Omega Man. Smith plays a virologist and the last human survivor of a plague in New York.
But with Netflix streaming more pandemic movies than ever, the 51-year-old now reckons his blockbuster might be leading to some confusion.
"I made I Am Legend, so I feel responsible for a lot of [coronavirus] misinformation," actor Will Smith said, half-jokingly, on a recent episode of his family’s Facebook talk show, Red Table Talk.
Smith and his family were joined by Dr. Michael Osterholm to help explain some of the key medical concepts in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak while the actor also shared some of the learnings he made during his time on set working with viral experts.
"When I was preparing for I Am Legend, my character was a virologist," Smith explained.
"I had an opportunity in my preparation for the role to go to the CDC. And there was a basic foundational comprehension of viruses and viral pathogens that I developed. And it really changed my life and the way I looked at the world. And there's basic concepts that people do not understand."
In the lead up to production, Smith became well-versed in transmission of viruses – how airborne viruses spread and how asymptomatic patients can still spread.
The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Star also emphasised the importance of reducing the rate of infections to help medical facilities deal with the rising number of cases.
"50 people show up in that hospital at one time to get 40 beds, now you have 10 people in critical condition," Smith added..
"There has never been a time in human history where human beings have not been in a tug of war battle with viruses."
