Will Smith’s Screen Return?

Will Smith has made a quite successful career in acting making him one of the top black actors in the world. At least that is what I think, as he is one of my favorite black actors. He is the kind of actor that you just do not forget, he leaves a mark. When he was in high school, he was given the nickname Prince Charming and he later adapted to Fresh Prince, which is much better considering his musical career in hip-hop. Will smith started breaking records when he was so young and many cannot say, he single-handedly changed the rap game altogether.

Will has Platinum-certified recordings and videos that subsequently brought him the attention of television producers who were impressed by him. It followed that the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which began in 1990 and was based on Smith’s real-life persona. The sitcom ran on NBC for six successful seasons for which he garnered two Golden Globe Award nominations. 

His portrayal of  King Richard in King Richard (2021), has his ardent fans saying it was one of his greatest performances…Dare I say the movie was only good because will smith was in it, other than that it was not interesting. 

The actor’s role did, however, win him the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor.

Here is where things turn bitter for Will Smith, at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022 Academy Awards ceremony. The actor faced criticism for slapping and shouting at Oscar presenter, Chris Rock. This was before he got his Award right after Rock made a joke referencing Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Smith then resigned from the Academy and was banned from attending all Academy functions for the ten-year-long period.

On top of that, on April 1, 2022, Smith tendered his resignation from the Academy. When Smith was named Best Actor for King Richard, he apologized in his acceptance speech to the Academy and to other nominees. Luckily, for him, Rock declined to press any formal charges against Smith. Many came to his defense saying he acted in the heat of the moment but at first, Will Smith appeared to be laughing, Jada was the one who rolled her eyes.

The bald joke was directed at her as she was diagnosed with alopecia in 2018 making it a challenge to grow hair. I honestly do not think it was an act of love; it was purely an assault or an attack. It was neither an act of manliness nor defending your wife, no one should result to fighting just because they did not like your joke. If this were the case then everything would be chaotic. The saddest part was when smith sat back down and acted as if nothing happened.

Will smith was even asked to step out but he refused. Rock was also in the wrong for making jokes about Jada’s condition but it does not justify Will’s actions. Chris Rock should have talked to Will Smith in private and informed him that he would tell a joke at his wife’s expense. Chris Rock publicly humiliated Will Smith’s wife in front of her husband, friends, peers, family, employers, and potential employers.

In addition, the joke was uncalled for, it’s time we address jokes directed at a person with a disability or illness. Just recently, Will’s trailer for the thriller Emancipation debuted online and premiered in theatres on 2nd November. Things are still looking up for him even after his ban and his projects being delayed.

A close source revealed that he is focusing on meditation, yoga, and spirituality. He even went on a social media break before posting recently on Instagram with his son. His other projects include Bad Boys 4, I Am Legend 2, and Fast and Loose. Although this scandal happened months ago it goes down in history as a very sad moment for one of the greatest actors ever. Even so, he is still as talented as he was and we are ready for his next big thing, I know I am.