AppleTV+the technology company’s television platform, will premiere the next December 9 “Emancipation”, the first film that Will Smith stars after the controversy generated by the slap he gave the comedian Chris Rock during the gala of the Oscar.
After months of silence, the company released this Monday the first images of the film, a drama about slavery directed by Antoine Fuqa (“Training Day”) and whose budget is estimated at more than 120 million dollars, according to the press of Hollywood.
“Emancipation” tells the story of a slave who escaped from the plantations of Louisiana in the midst of the United States War of Independence to integrate the ranks of the army in the states of the Union, to the north.
Along with Smith, the cast also includes Ben Foster, Steven Ogg Y Charmaine Bingwa.
Taking advantage of the launch of the trailer, the director of the film has granted an interview to the newspaper dead line in which he affirms that Smith is “a great guy”.
”I worked with him for two years making this film. He is a wonderful person and an amazing partner, he did a fantastic job on this movie. Chris Rock is a good boy, I know him well and I wish that they will be friends again and everything will continue, “ he claimed.
At the last Oscar gala, on March 27, Will Smith reacted violently to a joke by Chris Rock about his wife’s alopecia, Jada Pinkett Smithwhich caused him to get up from his seat, go on stage at the Dolby Theater and slap Rock live.
Rock had come out to present the award for best documentary and made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, comparing her to Lieutenant O’Neil from the Ridley Scott movie.
As punishment for the embarrassing moment, the Board of Governors of the Academy approved in April to veto his attendance at the Oscars, and any other event organized by this institution, for the next ten years.
A week earlier, the actor had already resigned from being 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 am here to speak whenever you are willing, “the interpreter said then.
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