I’ll admit when I heard they were making a movie about Venus and Serena’s entry into the tennis world, I wasn’t immediately on board with Will as Richard Williams. However, like he’s done his entire career, Will proved me wrong and delivered a tour de force performance as a father determined to see his daughters achieve greatness. He’s swept through awards season, receiving accolades from every possible critics and film association. His performance feels completely locked into the story and character in a way he’s never done before, leading us to really appreciate just how far our Fresh Prince has come.
2022 – The Slap
So, about that slap. Will Smith was five minutes away from achieving a dream he spent his entire career working toward when he ruined his reputation with one poorly timed decision. Chris Rock was presenting Best Documentary Feature and went into his bit where he makes fun of the celebrities in the audience, except when he got to Jada Pinkett Smith, joking about her baldness “Jada, I love you – I can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” it didn’t go over well.
The joke prompted Will to approach the stage, slap Rock in the face, then return to his seat yelling “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth.” A stunned Rock presented the award as the tone of the show changed for the rest of the night. Since then, there’s been no end to the hot takes on Will, the Academy, toxic masculinity and alopecia. Ultimately, Will resigned from the Academy, with the organization banning him from all events, including The Oscars, for 10 years.
2022 – Oscar-Winner
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