{"id":26857,"date":"2022-12-09T08:00:50","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T07:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1752627"},"modified":"2022-12-09T09:04:38","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T08:04:38","slug":"emancipation-director-on-working-with-will-smith-and-hoping-for-the-best","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/emancipation-director-on-working-with-will-smith-and-hoping-for-the-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Emancipation director on working with Will Smith and \u2018hoping for the best\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Patrick Cremona\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 09 December 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Almost nine months on from the infamous slap at this year\u2019s Oscars ceremony, Will Smith returns to our screens with the lead performance in new Apple TV+ film Emancipation \u2013 which tells the story of Peter, a slave who flees a Louisiana plantation after he is brutally whipped.<\/p>\n

The film \u2013 which was shot before the Academy Awards incident \u2013 is directed by Training Day and The Equalizer filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, and speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com<\/a> he said that he hopes viewers are able to put the slap to one side while watching it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with Will was amazing, and you couldn\u2019t ask for a better partner in this situation as well,\u201d he said. \u201cI think he was perfect for the role, he did an incredible job. It\u2019s like a whole other level, as an artist, as an actor \u2013 so I couldn\u2019t say enough about Will, during the filming and behind the camera, just an amazing person.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cIt\u2019s hard to say what people will see or not see, I always hope for the best, right? You hope for the best. Because there are 400 other people that were involved with making the movie as well that did hard work \u2013 all the way down to the PAs and the people who made his food every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were there every day in the swamps with us. So you want the work to be appreciated for just what it is. But I believe \u2013 naturally, I\u2019m the director \u2013 that if they go see Will in this movie that he disappears in the role and it becomes immersive, his performance. And that\u2019s what I hope for.\u201d<\/p>

Meanwhile, co-star Charmaine Bingwa \u2013 who plays Peter\u2019s wife Dodienne in the movie \u2013 said that working with both Smith and Fuqua was \u201ceverything [she] had hoped and dreamed\u201d.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cJust starting with Antoine, he is amazing as an artist, he is such an auteur, he has a very singular vision. And he just works from the soul. You know, there were times when he would take Peter\u2019s photograph and show the background actors so that even they could be engaged at such a deep, visceral level. And I think it comes out in the film.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Will as well, he goes through so much through this film \u2013 it\u2019s very gruelling, he\u2019s carrying the film on his shoulders, and he just led in such an inspiring way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Charmaine Bingwa as Dodienne in Emancipation<\/span><\/figcaption> Apple<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The film can be a very tough watch at times \u2013 never shying away from showing the brutality of the situation \u2013 and Fuqua explained that there was a \u201cfull conversation\u201d regarding how much violence it was appropriate to show.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much blood? How much do you need? Does it move the story forward? What is it saying, really? \u201d he said. \u201cIn this particular case, it was a constant sort of discussion about why, and I think the balance was that you can\u2019t flinch when it comes to this sort of subject matter, you have to show the brutality because that\u2019s what it was.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you don\u2019t want to completely turn people off who are there just to be entertained as well. So, you know, the colour palette is a conversation, the timing of those things, how long they\u2019re on the screen, are conversations. So yeah, it\u2019s a very heavy conversation that I find helpful, because, for me, I just go right at it, I want to just give it to you. But then I have producers and executives, and we always had great discussions about the balance of those things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emancipation is released on Apple TV+ and in select cinemas on Friday 9th December 2022.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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You can find something to watch with our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Streaming Guide<\/a>, or visit our\u00a0Film<\/a>\u00a0hub for all the latest news and features.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now \u2013\u00a0subscribe now<\/a>. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the\u00a0Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n

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