Will Smith affirms that he would understand the decision of the spectators if those judged that they were not ready yet to go to see a film of which he is the star.
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The 54-year-old actor made the statement to journalist Kevin McCarthy while promoting the historical drama Emancipation, which lands on Apple TV+ on December 9. This will be his first film role since he slapped Chris Rock in the middle of the Oscars ceremony last March.
“I would totally understand if people weren’t ready, I would respect that and give them their space to not be ready,” said Will Smith in this interview, which was shared Monday on the journalist’s Twitter account.
On the other hand, the actor wishes that the film crew is not penalized by his behavior at the Oscars.
“My biggest concern is my team. Anthony [Fuqua, le réalisateur] and the film crew have done, in my opinion, the best job of their careers and I really hope that my actions will not penalize them. At this point, that’s what I’m working for. I hope the power of the film, and its current resonance, will inspire people to go see it and recognize the incredible talent of the people who worked on this project.
In Emancipation, Will Smith slips into the skin of a man who participated in the abolition of slavery in the 19th century.
Recall that Will Smith sent shockwaves through Hollywood last March when he took to the Oscars stage to slap comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Within days of the controversy, Smith issued an apology and was banned from the Academy Awards for 10 years.