Will Smith’s upcoming film, Emanicpation, is now set for a 2022 release, having originally been slated for 2023. Apple TV announced on Monday that they have pulled the release date of the film forward. This has led to widespread speculation about how members of the Academy will react to the film and its lead actor, Will Smith. So, could Will Smith be back on the Oscar's trail already?
It could create quite the controversy. Will Smith is still in hot water within the film industry. Oscar voters will be judging the film less than a year after Smith’s infamous slap of comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards. This viral moment caused the Academy public embarrassment, and led to Smith’s resignation from the organisation.
Cast your mind back to March. Chris was presenting the award for Best Documentary when he teased Will’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who was starring in 'G.I. Jane 2', making a dig at her shaved head. For context, last year, Jada publicly shared that she suffers from alopecia, an auto-immune disorder that causes hair loss.
We all know what happened next. Will walked up on stage, striking Chris across the face. When he returned to his seat Will shouted, 'Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!'
The shocking moment led to further sanction: the Oscar winner was banned from attending the ceremony for the next 10 years. However, industry officials made clear that while Will is still unable to attend, he can still be nominated for the prestigious awards.
So what happens when Will ends up in a film that is an award-contender? The Hollywood Reporter asked the Academy, including members of the actors branch.
Most relayed that they will not let their personal feelings about the King Richard actor keep them from watching Emancipation. Will made several apologies, including a public video apology in which he said, 'Chris, I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.' However, let’s just say that there are many members not yet ready to forgive and forget so quickly.
One member of the actors branch said, 'I think more time should go by before Will Smith is considered for any award. I’m surprised Emancipation is being released, but I assume it’s for financial reasons, as well as hoping for award nominations. However wonderful he may be in the film, it will be hard to watch it and not continually think of the slap. It will be really hard to judge the performance on merit, and by extension the whole film.'
Another said: 'If it’s well-received, well done and deserving, it should be allowed to be given its shot and let the voters decide. Re: Will? I don’t know. He did something terrible. He apologized. We have to allow people to grow and learn and atone.'
And another said: 'The world can’t un-see the slap, and that is a heavy burden for Mr. Smith, his family and the Academy to carry. I believe the most important and valuable resolution is individual choice. Choices are being hijacked, poached and ripped away from us every day (voting; a woman’s choice, etc.). My hope is that we never get in line behind autocratic decisions that imprison creativity with edicts regarding who works and who doesn’t.’