Will Smith.Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty
Will Smithismaking his return to actingand the public spotlight.
The Los Angeles Lakersannounced on Wednesdaythat the actor, 54, who has kept quiet following hisOscars controversy in March, visited the team as part of theLakers' Genius Talks. The event is an annual conference where celebrities speak with the team to offer inspiration.
The Oscar winner was presented with a No. 14 Lakers jersey and was photographed with the team and the team’s owner, Jeanie Buss, and general manager, Rob Pelinka. According to the Lakers, the actor spoke about “strength through togetherness, and practicing gratitude in times of great challenge.”
The team is currently in the middle ofa losing season.
Also sharing the team photo, Smith wrote on Instagram: “Gave a sneak peek of#Emancipationto the@lakersand had a GREAT convo about the film for their Genius Series… big thanx to everyone who came thru!! Next stop… my@sixers.”
Apple Original Filmsreleased the official trailerfor the film earlier this month where Smith plays a man who escapes slavery and sets out on a quest for freedom.
At ascreening of the filmheld in early October, Smith elaborated on the theme of the movie and its message.
“Throughout my career, I’ve turned down many films that were set in slavery,” Smith said at the screening, perTheHollywood Reporter. “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. 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.”
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It is his first film since his incident at the 94thAcademy Awardswhere he slappedChris Rockin front of a live audience after the comedianmade a jokeabout his wife,Jada Pinkett Smith.
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While Smith won the award for Best Actor that night for hisKing Richardperformance, heresigned from the Academyof Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was eventuallybanned from attending Academy eventsfor a decade following the incident.
Smithwon the awardfor Best Actor at this year’sBET Awardsin June but did not attend the event.
source: people.com
