Will Smith on Emancipation: ‘The hardest movie of my career’

Emancipation – the story of freedomThe movie, which premieres Friday (9/12), on Apple TV+, is one of the most anticipated films of the year. The feature, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has a story of overcoming slavery, but even with a plot this impactful, it is remembered for marking Will Smith’s return to the big screen – After slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards🇧🇷

Even if she has this sign, liberation, it is worth noting, is foreseen by the possibility of telling an exciting story. The film chronicles the escape of Peter (Will Smith), an enslaved man who leaves A.J Farm In search of freedom in the northern United States.

The case became world famous when Peter was photographed, and his back, marked by scars from the affliction, spread across the world. He became known as Whipped Peter (The Whipped Peter, in free translation).

Even with that racial weight, Will Smith says he was drawn to the movie because of the action-thriller script.

“I never wanted to make a film about the period of slavery. In fact, I’ve always avoided roles like this in my career. Emancipation has the structure of a modern thriller, something no one imagines when they see work like this,” says Will Smith.

“Without a doubt, it is the hardest movie of my career,” adds the actor, who won the 2022 Oscar for King James.

“I have waited a long time to tell a story about the brutality of slavery. But what moved me in Emancipation was the beautiful story of love for our people, it is our victory,” comments Antoine Fuqua.

And Will Smith concludes by explaining how he built his version of the character – it’s worth remembering that throughout his career, he’s played names like Muhammad Ali and Richard Williams.

“What interested me was understanding Peter’s mind. How does a human being maintain their humanity and thrive in conditions that would give up most of us? In his case, I think the strength came from his spiritual beliefs and that was something he wanted to explore,” concludes Will Smith.