Will Smith has been slowly getting back into the Hollywood circle following the Oscars slap. The movie star is currently gearing up for the release of Emancipation (which will be streamable with an Apple TV+ subscription). Smith has been promoting the historical thriller on social media as of late. Compared to the usual fanfare surrounding his movies, his latest film has seemingly flown somewhat under the radar, with no big premiere apparently in sight. This time around, Smith has pivoted toward smaller screenings. Most recently, the actor had a star-studded private screening and, of course, there are photos from the event.
The Emancipation star held the screening at his home in Los Angeles and celebrated the star-filled premiere by posting a few photos to his Instagram. Following the event, Smith revealed the Hollywood heavyweights who were in the room. The guest list included comedian Dave Chappelle, Hollywood producers Tyler Perry (who interacted with Smith on the night of the slap) and Kenya Barris, and Super Bowl halftime performer Rihanna and her beau, ASAP Rocky. You can check out the King Richard star’s gracious post below:
Based on the pic, it looks like the stars had a good time together. You can’t help but chuckle seeing Rihanna throw up bunny ears behind the I Am Legend alum’s head. He seems to be incredibly happy to have the support of his famous friends amid his latest cinematic endeavor, and it goes without saying that the photo exudes an energy that greatly differs from the vibes that have emanated from the Oscar fallout over the past few months.
The Fresh Prince icon wasn’t the only one to share snaps from the private screening. While Dave Chappelle didn’t post about the event, his business partner Corey Smyth hopped on his Instagram to share the same pics. Accompanying the photos was an thoughtful caption about getting to view the Apple TV+-distributed movie:
The picture only tells 1/2 the story. Glad to be part of such a great moment. #Emancipation
If Corey Smyth’s comments are anything to go on, it’s possible that a party of sorts may have also occurred around the screening. The music producer wasn’t the only attendee to speak about the event, as Kenya Barris posted about it on his own Instagram. The black-ish creator couldn’t help but gush about the experience of sharing the room with a plethora of celebrities.
This night was truly one for the books! An amazing and brilliant group of friends got together and witnessed TRUE ART. The conversation after was the effect of what anything and everything we as creatives do in this industry hope for. Love you @willsmith and thank you for hosting @davechappelle 🙏🏾🙏🏾✊🏽✊🏽🔥 @cblacksmith @asaprocky @badgalriri @tylerperry @westbrook @appletvplus @allthingsesa
Oh, to be a fly on the wall and listen to the conversations that were had amongst the stars. Were there deals being made? Or was there just casual talk about things unrelated to the entertainment industry? Only the people in the room know for sure, but I’d wager it was more of the latter.
Emancipation is garnering Oscar buzz even after the infamous slap. The only question is… will Academy members vote for Will Smith or his new film? We’ll just have to wait and see. Apple TV+’s movie will be released in theaters on December 2 for a limited run before premiering on the streamer on December 9. In the meantime, check out what CinemaBlend’s 2022 movie schedule to read up on what else is hitting theaters by the end of the year.
