*Will Smith is taking over the Red Table on Wednesday with children Willow, Jaden and Trey Smith.
The actor will unpack his grueling transformation to play a slave in the true-life drama feature “Emancipation,” which is streaming on Apple TV+
The film “tells the triumphant story of Peter (Smith), a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom,” per the official synopsis.
“Emancipation” is “inspired by the 1863 photos of “Whipped Peter,” taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper’s Weekly. One image, known as “The Scourged Back,” which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery,” per the synopsis.
READ MORE: Will Smith Hits Red Carpet for LA Premiere of ‘Emancipation’
“It was really critical for me for you guys … and really your generation to see this movie and to understand the foundations of this story and what it means in this country,” Smith tells his children in the “Red Table Talk” episode, MSN reports.
In this deeply intimate and revealing Red Table Talk, per the news release, Smith recounts how for the first time in his career he nearly ‘went too far’ and almost ‘lost himself.’ He shares the biggest revelations of his life, a horrific moment he experienced while filming and a co-star who refused to speak to him.
Trey, Jaden and Willow ask their father questions about how he was able to recover from the trauma of playing such an intense character.
Tune in to the conversation when Red Table Talk streams Wednesday, December 14 at 9am PT/12pm ET on Facebook Watch, or watch the full episode below.
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