Will Smith returned to the awards season circuit on Wednesday to just accept the Beacon Award on the African American Movie Critics Affiliation Awards. The speech marked the Oscar winner’s first in-person acceptance speech at an awards present since he slapped Chris Rock onstage on the 2022 Academy Awards.
He accepted the award alongside his Emancipation director Antione Fuqua. Within the Apple TV+ film, Smith performs Peter, an enslaved man who manifests his personal freedom. In his acceptance speech, the actor recounted his expertise filming fully outdoor and being spontaneously spat on by a white co-star whereas filming a tense scene, and the way that impacted his understanding of the injustice of the slavery period.
In response to Fuqua, who started the acceptance speech, “the Beacon Award is meant to focus on movies which might be tackling difficult topics with perception, enlightening, in addition to participating the viewers.”
In November, the movie premiered in Westwood and was momentarily caught within the crossfire of controversy, when a producer posed with the unique ‘Scourged Again’ {photograph} which impressed the screenplay.
On Wednesday, Smith was flocked by cameras marking his first public look this awards season. He was noticeably absent on the NAACP Picture Awards, the place he gained one of the best actor award for his portrayal of Peter in Emancipation. He later posted a thank you on his Instagram.
“I want to thank the NAACP for honoring our movie,” Smith wrote within the publish on the time. “@derricknaacp – you and your complete group – and the work you do all yr spherical – is actually necessary, so to be acknowledged by y’all – it means loads.”
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Christy Piña contributed to this story.
