Hollywood superstar Will Smith went on stage to receive the Beacon Award at the AAFCA (African American Film Critics Association Awards) in order to participate in the awards season celebrations once more.
It was Smith’s first live speech at a ceremony since the 2022 Oscars scandal when the actor smacked Chris Rock onstage.
The largest organization of Black film critics in the world, the African-American Film Critics Association, presents numerous awards every year for excellence in film and television.
Will Smith Speech at AAFCA
In the evening’s event, Smith and Antoine Fuqua, the film’s director, were presented by AAFCA cofounder Gil L. Robertson and Smith’s ‘Emancipation’ co-star Charmaine Bingwa. Smith took the podium after Fuqua’s minute-long thank you to the AAFCA, Apple TV+, and the movie’s crew and cast to discuss the film’s production.
‘Emancipation’ was the most challenging movie I’ve ever worked on. Indeed, it was all outside,” Smith jokingly said, drawing laughter from the audience.
“It was 110 degrees outside on the second day of shooting. I appeared in a sequence with a white actor. The performer chose to improvise. We’re acting out the scene now. I performed my line. He executed his line. He then spits impromptu in the center of my chest, “Smith stated as the audience sighed.
“The performer thought the ad-lib went nicely. We, therefore, take two. I follow my cue. He follows his script and spits right in the center of my chest once more. I can hear a voice in the distance. Well, let’s do a take sans the spit, Antoine offers. I was convinced that God existed at that precise time.”
Will Smith thanked Gil and AAFCA. Further added, I want to express my gratitude to everyone in this room for doing what you do and continuing to tell our stories. Apple deserves my gratitude because the budget was only one factor. The budget was suddenly a different issue. The budget was suddenly a different issue. Apple also never hesitated “said Smith.
“That was the first time I had heard from a studio that the importance of the tale overcame concerns about production expenses. They produce the iPhone. They are capable, he added.”
