Emancipation
Will Smith Reveals How Steven Spielberg Convinced Him to Star in ‘Men in Black’: “Sent a Helicopter for Me”
Will Smith is revealing how Steven Spielberg convinced him to take on a lead role in Men in Black. During the latest episode of Kevin Hart’s Hart to Heart show, the actor said he was close to turning down several roles throughout his career if it wasn’t for James Lassiter, his former manager and longtime […]
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Will Smith Returns to Awards Stage for the First Time Since the 2022 Oscars
Will Smith returned to the awards season circuit Wednesday to accept the Beacon Award at the African American Film Critics Association Awards. The speech marked the Oscar winner’s first in-person acceptance at an awards show since he slapped Chris Rock onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards. He accepted the award alongside his Emancipation director Antoine […]
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Corruption Scandals, Fugitives and On-Set Strife: How History Caught Up With ‘Emancipation’ Producer Joey McFarland
Will Smith was supposed to be the most controversial element of Emancipation, Apple TV+’s big-budget epic from director Antoine Fuqua chronicling an enslaved man’s bid for freedom in 1860s Louisiana. Apple TV+ raised eyebrows by choosing to release its record-breaking acquisition — the streamer paid a reported $105 million for the drama during Cannes’ virtual […]
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How ‘Emancipation’ Star Charmaine Bingwa Fought for Her Character
Charmaine Bingwa had just finished a monologue on the set of Emancipation when she had a request for director Antoine Fuqua. Could she do the speech she had just done in English, but this time in Haitian Creole? He said yes. “If my characters speak in another language, but I don’t know it, I feel […]
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Antoine Fuqua and Robert Richardson on Approaching ‘Emancipation’ in a “Beautiful But Brutal Way”
For Apple TV+’s Emancipation, based on the true story of an enslaved man (played by Will Smith) known as “Whipped Peter,” director Antoine Fuqua and cinematographer Robert Richardson approached the look from the perspective of those who were enslaved: “Beautiful but brutal, in an honest way,” in the words of Fuqua, who adds: “The film […]
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Will Smith Admits He “Got Lost” While Filming ‘Emancipation’ in Emotional ‘Red Table Talk’ Sit-Down
At the end of a trying year, Will Smith is weighing in on the challenging process of making his new film Emancipation. Smith joined his children Willow, Jaden and Trey Smith as part of a takeover for Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk on Wednesday to discuss the “grueling and transformative” shoot for director Antoine Fuqua’s […]
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‘Emancipation’ Producer Apologizes for Bringing Photo of Man Who Escaped Slavery and Inspired Film to Premiere
Joey McFarland has apologized after sparking controversy for walking the red carpet at the Emancipation premiere with the original photo of an enslaved man known as Peter that inspired the film. “I wholeheartedly apologize to everyone I have offended by bringing a photograph of Peter to the Emancipation premiere,” the Oscar-nominated producer said in […]
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Events of the Week: ‘Emancipation,’ ‘The Whale’ and More
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Emancipation, The Whale, Willow and Violent Night. George and Tammy premiere Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon walked the carpet on Nov. 21 for the Los Angeles premiere of their George Jones and Tammy Wynette […]
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‘Emancipation’ Producer Criticized After Walking Red Carpet With Photograph That Inspired Film
Joey McFarland, the Oscar-nominated producer who has in the past generated headlines for his role in the 1MDB embezzlement scandal, is sparking controversy once again. At the Emancipation premiere Wednesday, McFarland turned heads by walking the red carpet with the original photograph that inspired the film, one showing the scarred back of a man known […]
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Will Smith’s ‘Emancipation’: What the Critics Are Saying
The review embargo for Antoine Fuqua’s much-talked about escaped slave drama Emancipation lifted Wednesday evening and early critics reaction to the Apple Original Films feature is decidedly mixed. Critics praised Emancipation‘s cast, with Will Smith, the film’s controversy-stricken star, receiving plaudits along with co-stars Ben Foster and Charmaine Bingwa. There was also praise for the […]
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Will Smith Returns to Red Carpet for ‘Emancipation’ Premiere: “Poetic Perfection” to Have a Movie Like This
Will Smith’s Emancipation press tour rolled through Los Angeles on Wednesday as the Oscar-winning actor turned up to support the Apple Original Films’ release in a showing that marked Smith’s first major red carpet appearance since March’s controversial Oscar telecast. Smith hit the carpet outside Westwood’s Regency Village Theatre just after 7 p.m., joined by […]
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Will Smith Opens Up About the Slap on ‘The Daily Show’: “Hurt People Hurt People”
Will Smith made his return to late-night television on Monday when he appeared on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah for the first time since he slapped Chris Rock on the Dolby Theatre stage at this year’s Oscars. When Noah asked the Academy Award winner about his journey in the months since the slap incident, […]
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