VIDEO: Will Smith bungees into Grand Canyon for 50th birthday stunt

Will Smith has marked his 50th birthday by plummeting into the Grand Canyon on a bungee rope.

A video uploaded to YouTube shows the I Am Legend actor whisked into the air by a helicopter before making the daredevil plunge over the 6,000ft-deep canyon in front of a cheering crowd, including his daughter Willow and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-star Alfonso Ribeiro aka Carlton.

The usually smiling star was grim-faced in the moments before the leap, but appeared elated as he came to a halt above the iconic landmark.

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“This is some of the most beautiful stuff I’ve ever seen in my life! This is gorgeous!” he exclaims.

The video, which has already been viewed more than two million times, represents more than just a moment of middle-aged adventure, says The Verge, noting that the stunt came about in response to a challenge by the creators of popular YouTube channel Yes Theory.

By accepting their offer, Smith has embraced a “melding of old-school Hollywood with online celebrity in the era of YouTube”, says the site.

Philadelphia-born Smith has been a household name since the late 1980s, rapping under the moniker The Fresh Prince. Alongside partner DJ “Jazzy” Jeff, he racked up a string of hits including Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble and Parents Just Don’t Understand.

His humorous takes on teenage life helped win him an acting role, as the lead on 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

The show was a ratings success, propelling Smith into a Hollywood career, which has run the gamut from comedies like Men In Black and Hitch to action-packed blockbusters to heavyweight fare including an Oscar-nominated turn in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness.