By Samantha Ofole-Prince
Richard Parks had just returned home from Antarctica after completing his 4th solo expedition when he received an email asking if he would be interested in talking about Antarctica.
The Jamaican and Welsh polar athlete, and the first person of color to ski solo to the geographical South Pole, immediately jumped at the opportunity.
“I was really excited to be a part of showing the continent through Will’s eyes. It is what I do and is what I am good at,” says Parks, a former international rugby union player who in 2014 became the fastest Briton in history to ski solo, unsupported and unassisted from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.
Titled “Pole to Pole,” the 7 episode series follows Will Smith, an actor, rapper, producer and entrepreneur known for his roles in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Men in Black,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Bad Boys” and many more as he soars new heights, treks vast deserts and tackles freezing temperatures while seeking out some of the most extreme places on earth – all in 100 days.
Smith’s travels take him from the South Pole, where he climbs a 300 feet ice wall to the world’s largest rainforest in search of an Anaconda and more. Missions he accomplishes with bravado and comradery and Parks is the man tasked with keeping him alive in the first episode as they ski, trek and ice climb across the biggest desert in the world.
“I am not sure Will was quite ready for what it would entail, but his humility and curiosity meant that he was an incredibly quick learner. We very quickly developed a rapport, and I loved sharing this small part of the expedition with him,” says Parks, who admits that he was initially nervous about meeting the actor.
“We put Hollywood stars on such a pedestal but within moments of meeting Will, it just became really clear that this is a guy who is not carrying the ego that you might assume comes with that kind of status. I knew it was going to be an amazing adventure.”
Parks made history in 2011 becoming the first ever person to climb the highest mountain on each of the world’s 7 continents and stand on all 3 poles (The North Pole, The South Pole and the summit of Everest) and under his guidance, Smith successfully scales the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. It’s at the Polar Plateau of the South Pole they meet three remote Brazilian scientists performing groundbreaking work and Smith makes his territorial mark at the top of the South pole.
“There was a genuine point where I wasn’t sure if Will was going to continue,” Parks shares.
He continued, “The weather came in so quickly as it does in Antarctica and if you are halfway up an ice wall and the weather comes in, you have to manage that weather on your own. That moment spoke to the authenticity of Will’s journey and that was the moment Antarctica stripped Will back and he wasn’t Will the global superstar. He didn’t have the ancillary things that he has in his normal life around him, but when he got to the top and let out that scream and we embraced, that was one of the most authentic moments.”
In the series, Smith is made inescapably aware of his physical and physiological limits but still finds humor on his travels throughout. “How do you find Will Smith in the Antarctic?” he jokes as they start their climb. “You follow the fresh prints!”
Smith also embarks on a muddy trek through the Amazon forest with Professor Bryan Fry to extract venom from a giant tarantula. A creature that could hold the secret to saving lives and travels to a village in the Himalayas in search of the secret of happiness. Throughout his travels and his very challenging quests, he throws in historical lessons, career flashbacks and biological briefings along the way. We learn how history is captured in the ice glades and discover how certain animals can aid scientific research for curing ailments.
“Pole to Pole” is also a reflective one for the actor. As he treks to one of the highest, and happiest, villages in the Himalayas in search of the secret of happiness with Professor Dacher Keltner, he reflects on his life and career. It’s there that he talks openly about the last couple of years and addresses the infamous incident at the 94th Academy Awards when he publicly struck comedian and host Chris Rock.
With director Darren Aronofsky, who gave us “Requiem for a Dream,” “Black Swan” “Mother!” and “Caught Stealing” serving as co-executive producer, it showcases some stunning photography juxtaposed with a cinematic score and travel fanatics would devour this series.
“There was a real ambition in this project, and everyone collectively wanted to showcase the planet in a way it has never been showcased before,” says Parks
“The large body of my life’s work has been to allow people to see themselves in these corners of the planet and that has been achieved through various film, educational and research projects. When I started this journey 15 years ago, I didn’t see people of color in these places and when you have an opportunity to work with an inspirational human and a master of their craft like Will, of course you grab the opportunity with both hands. If my career has led me to this point where I can sit down with my family. My mom from Jamaica, my wife from Wales, our mixed heritage son with me in the middle and we can see ourselves in Antarctica alongside somebody like Will, that’s enough for me,” he added.
The Seven-Part Docuseries Premieres Jan. 13 on National Geographic Worldwide, then Streams the Next Day on Disney+ Globally.
Samantha Ofole-Prince is a U.S. based journalist and movie critic who covers industry-specific news that includes television and film