Will Smith’s career may finally be back on track after a string of corporations were said to have pulled out from working with him following the Oscars debacle in March. As most will probably recall, after serving Chris Rock with a slap across the face for making a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith, the “King Richard” star, who won Best Actor at the prestigious awards ceremony that same night, saw a handful of his projects either canceled or halted following intense backlash for what had transpired on stage.
In April, multiple reports claimed that Netflix decided to scrap development on a sequel to Smith’s 2017 flick “Bright,” and while it was never said that the Oscars incident had anything to do with the company’s decision to pull the project, the timing of the revelation spoke volumes. Now, however, it seems as if things are slowly but surely falling back in place for the father-of-three, who is in talks to bring his tell-all biopic to the streaming giant, according to The Sun.
The news publication asserts that while his relationship with Netflix turned sour following the televised outburst, Smith is seemingly back on good terms with the firm, which has shown great interest in picking up his biopic for an upcoming release. “Will was left out in the cold by Netflix and Apple TV+ in the wake of the slap,” a source explained. “He has since apologized and stepped out of the spotlight for a lengthy period. With this in mind it is broadly agreed enough time has passed to let the dust settle.”
“It has been made clear discussions can be started again about a biopic which Netflix were interested in.” What’s more, the Oscars slap was arguably a pivotal moment in Smith’s career, after going in hiding for several months in hopes that the fiasco would eventually settle, though Rock is still not looking to make amends with Smith for what occurred during his presenting speech.
Still, Netflix seems to be under the impression that including the drama that ensued from the slap could help narrate a powerful story as fans dive deep into the life of Smith and his three-decade-long career in showbiz. “Netflix wants to be part of those conversations and Will’s team has no doubt Apple will follow suit.”
In late July, the “Miami” rapper issued a second apology via his YouTube channel to Rock, admitting that his behavior was “unacceptable,” as he made light of how the people around him were affected by his actions, including his wife and children, Willow, Jaden, and Trey.
“I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he’ll reach out. I will say to you Chris, I apologize to you, my behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”