Will Smith’s Oscar Problem?

Back in September, I had written a piece about Will Smith’s potential Oscar dilemma. By now, you all must know that “King Richard” is a major Best Picture frontrunner, and, more importantly, that Smith is destined to win the Best Actor statuette.

However, there might be a major obstacle on his path to Oscar glory. There was a stunning rumor being spread by a rival publicist during the Telluride Film Festival that claimed that Smith wasn’t vaxxed and that’s why he was a no-show at the fest. I took that rumor with a grain of salt.

The months went ahead, “King Richard” consequently screened at the BFI London Film Festival and he was still a no-show. For someone who is a major Oscar contender to refrain from showing up to these fests or campaign, you’d have to think that something is off.

Although I was skeptical, as someone just pointed out to me, a 10.06.21 THR piece entitled “COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates: Hollywood Battle Lines Emerge ...” talks about a “high profile star” who was un-vaxxed and got production shut down on a movie in August due to a rampant number of COVID cases plaguing the set.

I did a little more research and, lo and behold, “Emancipation,” in which Smith stars, had, if you can believe it, its production shut down in August due to a flurry of COVID cases.

A little food for thought.