*Will Smith recently visited the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the Lakers’ Genius Talks annual conference where celebrities are invited to share inspiring words of wisdom with the team.
According to the Lakers, via PEOPLE, Smith was presented with a No. 14 Lakers jersey and he spoke about “strength through togetherness, and practicing gratitude in times of great challenge.”
Smith also posed for a photograph with the team along with team owner Jeanie Buss, and general manager, Rob Pelinka. In an announcement posted to Instagram on Wednesday, the Lakers captioned the image: “Huge thank you to Will Smith, who joined the team to discuss strength through togetherness, and practicing gratitude in times of great challenge. All themes in his forthcoming masterpiece film, Emancipation.”
Smith had been laying low for several months after slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars in March. He appears to be making his return to the public as he promotes his new slave drama film “Emancipation.”
READ MORE: Will Smith Hosts Intimate LA Screening for Slavery Film ‘Emancipation’
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“Emancipation” is based on true events about a slave named Peter who is famously known for the photograph of his bare back covered in scars from a brutal whipping. Smith plays Peter, who escapes his plantation in Louisiana in search of his family. While evading capture, Peter joins the Union Army, per Movie Web.
“This is a film about the heart of a man — what could be called the first viral image. Cameras had just been created, and the image of whipped Peter went around the world. It was a rallying cry against slavery, and this was a story that exploded and blossomed in my heart that I wanted to be able to deliver to you in a way that only Antoine Fuqua could deliver,” Smith said earlier this month when the film screened as part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 51st Annual Legislative Conference.
“Throughout my career, I’ve turned down many films that were set in slavery. I never wanted to show us like that. And then this picture came along. And this is not a film about slavery. This is a film about freedom. This is a film about resilience. This is a film about faith,” he continued.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, after a recent LA screening of the film, several of the stars in attendance took to social media to gush about it. “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris noted that “this night was truly one for the books! An amazing and brilliant group of friends got together and witnessed TRUE ART.”
He continued: “The conversation after was the effect of what anything and everything we as creatives do in this industry hope for.”
“I’m still haunted by Emancipation,” wrote Tyler Perry, per the report. “It’s truly powerful, moving and captivating. And the conversation afterwards with this group was legendary. Thank you Will Smith for the preview!”
Smith produced “Emancipation” through his Westbrook Studios. The film is due to be released in select theaters on Dec. 2, before it hits Apple TV+ on Dec. 9.
Check out the trailer below.
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