Will Smith says he ‘completely understands’ if audiences aren’t ready to watch him on screen as he promotes his first movie since Slapping Him Chris Rock onstage at the Academy Awards, but hopes his actions won’t “punish” the movie, which will be released in the run-up to awards season.
In a televised interview with Fox 5, the actor acknowledged people’s mixed feelings about watching him act again, ahead of the release of slavery drama Emancipation, directed by Antoine Fuqua, and Smith’s first major project since the ceremony.
“I totally understand that if someone isn’t ready,” Smith told Fox 5. “I would fully respect that and allow them unprepared space.
“My deepest concern is my team. Antoine has done what I believe is the greatest job of his entire career… The people on this team have done some of the best work of their entire careers, and I hope my actions do not penalize my team.”
So at this point, that’s what I’m working for. That’s what I’m hoping for. I hope that the material, the strength of the film, the timing of the story—I hope the good that can be done—will open people’s hearts to at least see, learn about, and support the amazing artists in and around this movie. “.
“I completely understand that if… someone isn’t ready, I will fully respect that and allow them their space to not be ready… I hope my actions don’t penalize my team.”
Will Smith talks about audiences not ready to see his movies after the Oscars. # good morning pic.twitter.com/2fc3XaXbMa
– Kevin McCarthy (KevinMcCarthyTV) November 28, 2022
“Emancipation” tells the story of runaway slave Gordon, also known as “Whipped Peter,” who was the subject of famous photographs documenting the scars on his back from the flogging he received. The shocking images were circulated around the world in 1863, fueling the abolitionist movement.
The film’s May release was delayed, in part due to concerns about the fallout from Smith’s actions at the Academy Awards. It will be released in US theaters this week before it airs on Apple TV+ starting December 9th.
Smith hit rock on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards After the comedian made a joke about his wife’s baldness, in an attack that shocked millions of viewers around the world. later that night Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard.
In an interview with Vanity Fair in November, Fuqua said there hadn’t been any talks “about the movie not coming out” but that Apple, which is releasing the movie, was “very cautious.”
“My conversation has always been,” he said, “Isn’t 400 years of slavery and brutality more important than one bad moment?” “We were in Hollywood, and some really ugly things happened, and we saw a lot of people getting awards who did some really bad things.
“So I think Apple considered all of those things and we discussed a lot of these things. Then the people in charge of distribution and finance at Apple made a decision — and I’m grateful. I’m really grateful.”
He described the slap as “an unfortunate event, and I hope we can move on and get through it.”
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