After Oscar slap
Career damage for Will Smith: Netflix and Sony are pausing projects
Will Smith at a photocall for ‘Bad Boys For Life’ in Madrid in January 2020
© Gabriel Bouys / AFP
A week ago, Will Smith slapped his colleague Chris Rock in the face on the Oscars stage. This action has bitter consequences: projects like “Bad Boys 4” are put on hold. Netflix is also stopping work on “Fast & Loose”.
With an affect act at the Oscars, Will Smith has been in trouble since last Sunday. Comedian Chris Rock made an inappropriate joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, suffering from hair loss due to an illness. Will Smith then stormed onto the stage live on TV and slapped him in the face. But the actor did not see the consequences in the emotionally controlled moment: his employers distance themselves from him.
Despite self-punishment, Will Smith’s employers distance themselves
He himself drew bitter consequences in the past week. Will Smith publicly apologized to Chris Rock for assaulting him. Before the organizers of the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, could examine and announce the sanctions against the US actor, Will Smith himself pulled the ripcord and resigned as a member. The Academy continues to examine how to deal with the incident afterwards. Despite the specially chosen punishment for his actions, his employers are now also distancing themselves from him. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix is currently working on the project “Fast & Loose” with Will Smith. This should now be on hold.
Even before the Oscar slap in the face, director David Leitch said goodbye to the “Fast & Loose” project and opted for the “Fall Guy” project with Ryan Gosling at Universal. Now, following the Oscar night violence, Netflix is said to be unable to find a replacement for Leitch, who wants to work with Will Smith.
Another film halted in production due to the scandal is said to be Sony’s Bad Boys 4. And that despite the fact that the “Bad Boys” film series, in which Will Smith plays two drug agents in Miami together with Martin Lawrence, is very successful. Already in the can is the slavery drama “Emancipation” for Apple TV+, which is said to be a potential Oscar contender in the fall, but does not yet have a release date. In view of the Oscar failure, it would not be surprising if Apple postponed the film until next year, but so far there has been no statement on this.
Swell: Daily Mail, The Hollywood Reporters