Will Smith is making his return after slapping comedian Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars awards ceremony.
In the Apple original film Emancipation, the actor plays Peter, a runaway slave who faces hunters and harsh conditions as he tries to find his family.
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A screening for the unreleased film, hosted by Apple and the NAACP, was reportedly held during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 51st Annual Legislative Conference, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Throughout my career, I’ve turned down many films that were set in slavery,” Smith reportedly said at the event. “I never wanted to show us like that. And then this picture came along. And this is not a film about slavery. This is a film about freedom. This is a film about resilience. This is a film about faith.
“This is a film about the heart of a man — what could be called the first viral image. Cameras had just been created, and the image of whipped Peter went around the world. It was a rallying cry against slavery, and this was a story that exploded and blossomed in my heart that I wanted to be able to deliver to you in a way that only Antoine Fuqua could deliver,” he continued.
The film, based on a true story, will stream on Apple TV+ starting Dec. 9.
Smith faced backlash last spring when he slapped Rock at the Academy Awards for making a joke about his wife’s bald head, which is due to her alopecia. Ultimately, Smith resigned from the academy and was banned from the Oscars for 10 years. He has since apologized publicly to Rock, but the comedian has yet to accept.
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The film is expected to release this year despite initial speculation that the project would face setbacks amid the slap controversy.
