From Sunday, July 11, through Sunday, July 18, shark fanatics celebrate one of the ocean’s most ferocious apex predators. Although these jaw-some creatures are being portrayed as human eaters, the reality is that people are not part of these animals’ diets.
“Your toaster is more likely to kill you than a shark,” said Culum Brown, a fish biologist at Macquarie University, according to The Guardian. “It is extremely unlikely that you will ever be, or even know, a shark attack victim.”
Protecting these stunning creatures should be a must for every state and country surrounded by water. The more we safely interact with them, the more we will love them and understand how they are crucial for the ecosystem.
Many celebrities are using their free time to face their fear of sharks and educate themselves about the importance of conserving the habitat of these creatures.
From Will Smith to Tiffany Haddish to Shaquille O’Neal, they all have lived firsthand the humbling experience of swimming next to sharks. To honor Discovery’s biggest week of the year, we enlisted a few of the celebrities swimming with the big fish.
© Bella ThorneBella Thorne
In 2017, Bella Thorne took a break to spend quality time with her new aquatic friends. The actress shared with her fans a photo petting a nurse shark. The nurse shark has a lifespan of up to 25 years. Although they look inoffensive, are slow compared to other sharks, and are sedentary, we must never forget that they are predators too.
© CiaraCiara
Ciara jumped into the water to become one with nature. The “Level Up” singer shared an image fearlessly floating surrounded by nurse sharks.
© January JonesJanuary Jones
January Jones tested her bravery and jumped in the shark-infested waters of Bimini island to take a closer look at these enormous fishes.
© National GeographicChris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth is another celebrity using his time to shed light on the importance of these creatures. The actor joined National Geographic to release a docuseries called “Chris Hemsworth Getting Familiar with Sharks.”
© Discovery ChannelJB Smoove and Brad Paisley
Do sharks like country music? That’s exactly what Brad Paisley wanted to know during Shark Week 2021. The singer invited comedian JB Smoove to be part of his special “Brad Paisley’s Shark Country.” The duo tested the shark’s level of tolerance while diving in with marine scientist Dr. Austin Gallagher.
© Harper's BazaarRihanna
In 2015 Rihanna jumped like a champion in a shark tank to give her best angle in a photoshoot for Harper’s Bazaar. According to the publication, the singer agreed to be part of the 40th anniversary of Jaws celebration and kept the predators wondering who is this mermaid doing dozens of dives and changing her outfit three times.
© Discovery ChannelTiffany Haddish
If we need to name the queen of Shark Week, we need to say Tiffany Haddish. Although it was the first time the actress hosted the show, Haddish never hesitated to jump in the water or complain about doing research compared to previous hosts. “Tiffany Haddish Does Shark Week” is available on Discovery and Discovery+.
© Discovery ChannelShaquille O\'Neal
In 2018, Shark Week temporarily changed its name to “Shaq Week.” The retired baseball player conquered his fear of sharks and even offered himself up as food. “Shaq Does Shark Week” shows how Shaquille escaped an attack after a shark managed to get inside the 12-foot-by-6-foot cage he was in.
© Discovery ChannelWill Smith
In 2020 Will Smith attempted to overcome his long-held phobia of sharks. The actor co-hosted Shark Week and blamed Steven Spielberg for his fear. “I blame Steven Spielberg,” Smith says during the show, referring to the classic 1975 film Jaws. “I was literally scared in the bathtub. I literally felt like a shark could come out of the spout.”
© Zac EfronZac Efron
If Mermen exists, Zac Efron is one. The actor not only swims with a tiger shark, but he also held the fish’s fin. These are some of the most dangerous shark species.
