Will Smith Shares Celebrity-Filled Picture From Screening Of New Movie
Will Smith shared a new Instagram photo from his screening of Emancipation with many celebrities in attendance. Ever since Will Smith shockingly slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards earlier this year, the future of his acting career has been uncertain. After the incident, many of Smith’s films, such as Fast and Loose and Bad Boys 4, were put on hold. However, his starring role in Antoine Fuqua’s latest film, Emancipation, was still set for release this year, with no plans for any delays. This came to fruition earlier this month with the release of the official trailer from Apple TV and an announcement from Smith’s Instagram page.
Since the Academy Award incident, celebrities have defended and condemned his actions. Comedian Dave Chapelle, a close friend of Chris Rock, stated that this incident caused Will to take off his « perfect person facade » and show that he is just as ugly as everyone else. Rapper ASAP Rocky stated that he is a fan of Will and that his actions most likely resulted from built-up anger and weren’t meant to be targeted at Chris. Actor Tyler Perry said that Smith’s actions were wrong and that he made sure to tell Will that personally. Many other celebrities, such as Chris Rock, refuse to accept his apology and condemn him for his actions.
Will Smith shared a new Instagram photo from his screening of Emancipation with his many celebrity friends. Dave Chapelle, Rihanna, ASAP Rocky, Tyler Perry, and Kenya Barris were in attendance. Some of those in attendance have reposted the photos from the event to their accounts. Tyler Perry posted the image with a caption stating that this conversation was one for the history books. Corey Smyth’s post of the event had a caption that noted the picture only tells half of the story and that he was glad to be part of such a great moment. Kenya Barris also spoke on this conversation, saying that it was the effect of anything and everything they do as creatives hope for.
Emancipation is set to release in select cinemas on December 2nd and is set to have its streaming premiere on Apple TV+ on December 9th. The film has experienced significant setbacks due to the Academy Awards incident. It was initially meant to be filmed in Georgia, but Fuqua decided to relocate the film’s set to Louisiana due to Georgia’s controversial new Election Integrity Act. Apple TV also reportedly wanted to push the movie’s release to 2023 and, as recently as September, was still debating whether they should release it this year.
Apple TV’s decision to release Emancipation this year is a bold move that was carefully deliberated. They need to release the film for award nomination eligibility, but it could be one at the cost of their reputation due to Will Smith’s incident earlier this year with Chris Rock. The decision, however, could be beneficial to Smith, as it could get his career back on track after a period of uncertainty. The support of many celebrities willing to show it publicly is also a major point in rebuilding Smith’s character and reputation, allowing him to move on.
Source: Will Smith / Instagram
