Will Smith’s assault of Chris Rock during the last Oscars put his career in jeopardy, or at the very least in temporary hiatus. He desperately needs some kind of kumbaya public moment with Rock, maybe an Oprah interview, but Rock doesn’t seem to want to play along.
Smith officially apologized today. Maybe it’s because there are rumors that his upcoming epic “Emancipation” might actually be released this year. It was a genuine apology, but is all forgiven?
The multiple camera angles in the apology video destroy any chance at earnestness. Smith was not interviewed by an objective party. It all looks like one big PR stunt on the part of Smith, as he controls the narrative without being asked the hard questions. Don’t get me wrong, he’s probably genuinely ashamed of what he’s done, but he’s also desperately trying to save his own career.
Smith was slapped with a 10-year ban by the Academy, he can’t attend any Oscar-related event until 2033. The irony about the AMPAS‘ ban of Smith is that people like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey are still technically not banned from the Oscars.
Earlier this year, “Emancipation” had been moved, by Apple, from its initial 2022 release date to an undetermined 2023 slot. Smith is toxic right now. Most of the industry hates him for what he did to Rock. However, Apple invested more than $120 million on “Emancipation,” an Antoine Fuqua-directed slavery drama.
Before today’s apology, Smith decided to hide in India and practice meditation with guru Jaggi Vasudev aka Sadhgur. I’m not even joking. He went to the far reaches of the East, where no Western media would ever be able to find him.
Still no distributor for "Bucking Fastard," "Alpha Gang," "The Last Photograph," "Closing Night," and "The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd." The issue seems to be quality more than a lack of willingness to buy.