Will Smith: Will Smith’s Emancipation is the story of Peter who attempts to escape slavery while dodging slave hunters in alligator-infested Louisiana swamps. It is reported that while filming for Emancipation, Will Smith was inspired by the words “sacred motivation” written on the front page of a script. This holds significance when the actor tried to overcome the backlash to his Oscars slap following which he was banished from the ceremony.
“It’s like when you can locate and center yourself in your divine purpose, you can withstand anything and everything,” Smith said. Antoine Fuqua’s Emancipation is currently in theatres and will be available to stream Friday on Apple TV Plus.
“Sacred motivation” was like a theme for him and his co-actors, Smith said.
At the last Oscars ceremony, Will Smith strode onto the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock for joking about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.
Whipped Peter was an inspiration
The film shows Whipped Peter’s real life photos. He was named so for suffering countless mutilated whip marks on his bare back delivered by his enslavers. Smith said his character taught him a lesson in overcoming adversity after he faced condemnation and a 10-year Oscars ban even though he received his own biggest career milestone – his first-ever Academy Award, best actor for King Richard.
The backlash rocked Smith, but Peter’s story ultimately helped steer him back on track.
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“Peter has absolutely helped me through these last few months, just reestablishing within myself in what my purpose is in this world,” Smith said in a recent interview, one of his first since the Oscars.
Will Smith’s greatest fear
“This movie was so gruelling. Literally across the board, everybody had to devote a hefty amount of suffering to what you see on that screen,” Smith said. “So my greatest wish, and I guess I can talk about my greatest fear, is that my team would be penalized for my actions. I’m out with this film that I love and strictly want my people to get their flowers.”
Fuqua too hopes audiences can move past the ‘slap’. “Peter’s story is so inspiring, especially as a Black man. We go through a lot of things daily, just being Black,” said Fuqua, who has directed Training Day, Equalizer films and The Magnificent Seven.
“For me, it’s a mistake,” Fuqua said of Smith slapping Chris Rock on live television. “Hopefully everybody can get back on track and God bless everyone. But we’re talking about 400 years of brutality.”
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