Will Smith Pays Bill for July 4th Fireworks Show in New Orleans

Will Smith picked up the tab for the city of New Orleans’ July 4th fireworks show after learning the city was going to pass on the tradition this year.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell thanked the actor for his generosity in a tweet. “The gift of city fireworks was made possible by actor and producer Will Smith, along with his company Westbrook,” she tweeted Friday.

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A fireworks display produced by "Go 4th on the River" will take place in New Orleans along the Mississippi Riverfront at 9pm Sunday, July 4, 2021??
 
The gift of city fireworks was made possible by actor and producer Will Smith, along with his company Westbrook??? pic.twitter.com/oWI8b8YOap

— Mayor LaToya Cantrell (@mayorcantrell) July 2, 2021

According to the Associated Press, the pyrotechnics show over the Mississippi River cost around $100,000.

Several social media users praised the actor for stepping in to help.

@drealities tweeted: “He’s such a good person. I wish NoLa such a beautiful 4th of July. You guys deserve it!”

@greggwall62 tweeted: “Very nice! Thank you Will Smith!”

@anorangedoge included a picture of the fireworks display in a tweet: “Thanks Will Smith! The fireworks over the city last night were fantastic!”

Thanks Will Smith! The fireworks over the city last night were fantastic! pic.twitter.com/59Xz1bmlO6

— Springfeather (@5pringfeather) July 5, 2021

Last year, the city canceled its fireworks show due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As previously reported, Smith is currently in New Orleans filming his new movie Emancipation after production was halted in Georgia over the state’s restrictive new voting laws.

The actor leads the cast as Whipped Peter, an enslaved man who emancipates himself from a plantation in New Orleans and later joins the Union army.

Training Day filmmaker Antoine Fuqua is directing and co-producing the film alongside Smith who is also a producer.