Will Smith reflects on how his Oscars controversy might affect how his new film Emancipation is received by audiences: 'I completely understand — if someone is not ready, I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready.'
Will Smith addresses how his infamous Oscars moment might affect the popularity of his upcoming movie Emancipation. Smith suffered a major career blow in the wake of the incident at this year's Oscars. During the same ceremony when he received his first Best Actor award, the veteran performer instead found backlash after he responded to one of Chris Rock's jokes by taking the stage and slapping the comedian.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY The ire has mostly died down in the eight months since the notorious slap. Smith's first post-slap release, Emancipation, is set to debut this December. The film is a historical thriller that follows Smith's character as he evades slave hunters in the swamps of Louisiana, venturing north for freedom. Emancipation is directed by Antoine Fuqua, and is the type of film that would likely garner considerable Oscar buzz if not the slap controversy.
“I completely understand — if someone is not ready, I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready. My deepest concern is my team – Antoine has done what I think is the greatest work of his entire career. The people on this team have done some of the best work of their entire careers, and my deepest hope is that my actions don’t penalize my team. At this point, that’s what I’m working for.
The slap quickly overshadowed the rest of the Oscars and was the main subject of discussion after the ceremony concluded, when it was revealed that Smith had slapped Rock because he was being protective of Pinkett Smith's alopecia condition. In the weeks following the award show, Smith was chastised by many Hollywood peers, and the Academy reportedly mulled a suspension. In the end, Smith resigned from the Academy and has been banned from the Oscars for ten years.
How Will Audiences React To Emancipation? The infamous slap was something of a litmus test, dividing fans into anti-Smith and sympathetic camps. With Emancipation's forthcoming release, moviegoers will be given an opportunity to ruminate once again on the idea of Smith continuing his career. On one side, the lack of any real repercussions for the slap might leave a portion of Emancipation's audience resentful of the film.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Will Smith Would 'Absolutely Respect' Anyone Not Ready to See His Work'I completely understand -- if someone is not ready, I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready.”
Read more »
Will Smith Understands If People Are 'Not Ready' for His Onscreen ReturnWill Smith Says He Understands If People Are 'Not Ready' for His On-Screen Return
Read more »
Star Trek: George Takei Responds to 'Prima Donna' William ShatnerStarTrek star GeorgeTakei responded to 'prima donna' WilliamShatner's claims that Shatner's co-stars use him to get publicity to boost their careers. / Kirk Sulu STTOS StarTrekTOS LeonardNimoy Spock NichelleNichols Uhura
Read more »
When the worst in New Yorkers comes out, his office responds'The work that New York City is doing to address hate crimes is really looking at it in a comprehensive way.'
Read more »
Busy Philipps Responds to Claim She Was 'Rude and Dismissive' On Talk Show SetThe former 'Busy Tonight' host says the claims were 'probably very true' in regards to network execs, but never with anyone on set.
Read more »