Will Smith Hopes ‘The Slap’ Won’t Deter People From Seeing His New Movie

Will Smith said he would “completely understand” if someone isn’t ready to see Emancipation — his first movie since slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars — but hopes “the power of the film” will overcome the headlines that have been following him all year.

While doing press for the film, Smith was asked about uncertainty over his first major role during an interview with Fox 5 in Washington D.C. “ I completely understand if someone is not ready,” he replied. “I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready.”

Smith went on to say his “deepest concerns” were for his creative partners on the project, effusively praising his co-stars and calling Emancipation the “greatest work” of director Antoine Fuqua’s career.  Smith added: “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.”

In Emancipation, Smith plays Peter, a slave who’s taken from his family, but manages to escape North and goes on to join the Union Army to fight the Confederacy in the Civil War. It was inspired by the story behind the 1893 “Whipped Peter” photos, especially the infamous “scourged back” photo, which showed the back of a former slave named Gordon covered in scars from whippings. 

“I’m hoping that the material — the power of the film, the timeliness of the story — I’m hoping that the good that can be done would open people’s hearts at a minimum to see and recognize and support the incredible artists in and around this film,” Smith said.

Pre-slap, Emancipation was expected to be a major Oscar contender, with Smith in the running to pick-up back-to-back Best Actor wins following his turn in King Richard. But immediately after the wild one-two of Smith slapping Rock, and then winning Best Actor for King Richard, the film’s future was thrown into doubt, with Apple TV+ floating the possibility of pushing its release until 2023. Ultimately, though, the film will arrive on Dec. 2, making it eligible for next year’s Oscars (though if it does garner any nominations, Smith won’t be able to attend due to his 10-year ban from all Academy events). 

From Rolling Stone US.