Will Smith's Shocking Confession: The Extreme Lengths He Went for His Latest Movie Role (No Regrets!)

Summary

Will Smith says he went too far in his performance as Peter for the movie Emancipation, fully immersing himself in the horrors of slavery.

Smith, however, firmly asserts that he would not alter anything and emphasizes the profound impact his experience had on his life.

The film Emancipation encountered a mixed critical response, as certain reviewers grappled with reconciling the movie's weighty historical themes and exceptional performances with its sensationalized action scenes.

Will Smith admits that he pushed the boundaries in his portrayal for the film Emancipation, where he portrays a fugitive slave named Peter. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the movie premiered on Apple TV Plus last year. Smith's character embarks on a challenging expedition through the Louisiana swamps after escaping his plantation. Sharing his experience on Kevin Heart's Hart to Heart Peacock talk-show, Smith acknowledges going to extreme lengths to portray the true essence of Emancipation's narrative.

The actor admits that he went overboard in his dedication to the character in the film Emancipation. Just the mention of it brings him to tears. He explains that he wanted to truly experience the harshness of slavery, so he insisted on using authentic, heavy chains on set. Unfortunately, this decision created a highly stressful situation. Take a look at Smith's complete statement below:

"In Emancipation, I took it too far. Even discussing it now, it brings tears to my eyes. My intention was to feel the full weight of slavery's degradation, but I went too far. I had the actual chains around my neck while we were filming. I wanted to truly feel their heaviness. The prop master tried to unlock them with a key, but it didn't work."

"Oh no, I thought to myself. I will find a way to stay calm. As I stood there, watching everyone else running around but unable to escape my own predicament, I felt myself teetering on the edge of a panic attack. Eventually, they managed to free me from the chains. However, Peter, the character I was portraying, never had anyone rushing to his aid. Instead, I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into his mindset, truly understanding him on a profound level.

Even now, I still have dreams about Peter. This is what happens when you immerse yourself so deeply in a role and allow it to consume your thoughts. It seeps into your subconscious. Despite the challenges, I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything. They were some of the most rewarding moments in my acting career. Through playing Peter, I discovered a deeper connection to my faith. It became stronger than ever before."

How Was Emancipation Received?

Following his now-infamous slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, Smith's reputation took a significant hit. This incident arguably had some impact on the reception of Emancipation, the first movie he starred in afterwards. The film came and went with little fanfare, possibly due to the tarnished image of its lead actor. In anticipation of its release, Smith addressed the situation, acknowledging that forgiveness might not come easily and urging audiences to focus on the craftsmanship of Fuqua and others involved in bringing Emancipation to life.

Reception to Emancipation was mixed, leaning towards the negative end of the spectrum. One notable criticism centered not on Smith's dedicated portrayal of Peter, but on the film's handling of its somber historical subject matter. Critics pointed out that the inclusion of sensationalized action sequences seemed out of place, detracting from the film's sincere exploration of a dark period in American history.

The film was marketed as a potential comeback vehicle for Smith following the slap incident, but it ultimately received no recognition at major awards ceremonies. Emancipation, for instance, did not receive a single Oscar nomination. However, Smith did manage to secure the Outstanding Actor In A Motion Picture award at the NAACP Image Awards.