Actor Will Smith said he would “totally understand” if moviegoers weren’t “ready” to see his new film, Emancipation, after he punched comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars earlier this year.
Emancipation is Smith’s first new release since he punched Rock in the face in March. Smith hit Rock in response to the comedian’s joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
After the incident, Smith apologized several times and resigned from the Academy.
In a recent interview with FOX 5 DC reporter Kevin McCarthy, the actor said he’ll understand if people aren’t ready to watch his movie because of his Oscar slap.
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Actor Will Smith says he “totally understands” if moviegoers aren’t ready to watch his new movie Emancipation because of the infamous slap at the Oscars.
“I fully understand that if someone is not ready, I would respect that and allow them to not be ready,” Smith told McCarthy. “I care about my team – [director Antoine Fuqua] did what I consider the greatest work of my entire career.’
He explained that his team had done “some of the best work of his entire career” and that he had “the deepest hope that my actions will not punish my team.”
Will Smith, right, punches host Chris Rock onstage during the Best Documentary Feature Award at the Academy Awards on March 27, 2022 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
(Chris Pizzello)
“I hope that the material — the power of the film, the timeliness of the story — I hope that the good that can be done will at least open people’s hearts to see and recognize and support the incredible artists in and around this film,” Smith said.
In Emancipation, Smith plays a slave named Peter who escapes from a plantation in Louisiana.
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Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrive at the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/John Locher)
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Smith who won Best Actor Oscar for “King Richard” shortly after hitting Rock, claims another nomination for his role in “Emancipation.” If the actor receives a nomination, he will not be able to attend the ceremony.
