The chance to pass through the doors of the Queen Vic pub has attracted some big British personalities to EastEnders cameo roles over the years – from Robbie Williams to David Walliams and most recently London mayor Boris Johnson.
But viewers are yet to see a blockbuster movie star supping a pint in Walford's local. All that could change however with the news that Will Smith has asked for a walk-on part in the BBC soap.
The 41-year-old Hollywood heavyweight discovered a passion for the show when he was visiting the UK earlier this year to promote his film Seven Pounds.
"I was just chilling in my hotel and EastEnders was on TV," the actor told the Sun. "I didn’t even know what it was, but I literally could not stop watching it."
"It was like a week's worth of episodes in one. Before I knew it all I had done was get room service and waste a whole afternoon watching this show I'd never heard of."
Part of the appeal according to Will – currently Tinsletown's highest-paid actor – was its contrast to its US counterparts.
"It was so real and gritty," the dad-of-two explained. "American soaps are all about these beautiful people and being cheesy. This soap had everything. There was fighting, people sleeping around – it had it all going on."
"I am a bit busy but when things quieten down I'd love to do a cameo. I could make a big entrance in the pub, as you guys call it, and be like: 'Hey girl, let's take this outside.'"
