“Emancipation”: what is it about and when will Smith’s return after the Oscar slap premieres

Apple TV+, the television platform of the technology company, will premiere on December 9 “Emancipation”, the first film that Will Smith stars after the controversy generated by the slap he gave to comedian Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars gala.

After months of silence, the company released the first images of the film in October, a drama about slavery directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”) and whose budget is estimated at more than 120 million dollars, according to the Hollywood press. .

The return of Will Smith

“emancipation” tells the story of a slave who escaped from the Louisiana plantations in the middle of the US War of Independence to join the ranks of the Army in the northern states of the Union.

Along with Smith, the cast also includes Ben Foster, Steven Ogg and Charmaine Bingwa.

Taking advantage of the launch of the trailer, the film’s director has given an interview to the Deadline newspaper in which he affirms that Smith is “a great guy.”

”I worked with him for two years making this film. He’s a wonderful person and an amazing partner, he did a fantastic job on this movie. Chris Rock is a good guy, I know him well and I hope they can be friends again and everything will move on“, he claimed.

At the last Oscar gala, on March 27, Will Smith reacted violently to a Chris Rock joke about his wife’s alopecia, Jada Pinkett Smith, which made him get up from his seat, go up on stage at the Dolby Theater and live slap Rock.

Rock was out to present the award for best documentary and made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, comparing it to Lieutenant O’Neil from the Ridley Scott film.

As punishment for the embarrassing moment, the Academy’s Board of Governors approved in April to veto its attendance at the Oscars, and any other event organized by this institution, for the next 10 years.

A week earlier, the actor had already resigned from continuing to be part of the Academy, which ruled out his immediate expulsion as the main sanction.

At the end of July, Smith published a video in which he apologized to the comedian for what happened and after his wife had made different public appearances in which he urged them to reconcile.

”Chris, I apologize. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here to talk whenever you’re willing.”, the interpreter then stated.