Will Smith Reveals Why He Passed On ‘Django Unchained’ ( Photo Credit – Facebook ; IMDb )
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Will Smith is one of the celebrated actors In Hollywood; his films often create buzz for its unique features. The actor is currently filming upcoming Apple TV+ film ‘Emancipation’, a true story based on slavery about escaped slave Gordon. But did you know, the I Robot star once turned down Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’.
For Will, slavery is very sensitive subject, it’s also challenging for a lot of people, and the Hancock actor recently explained why he formerly rejected opportunities to star in films embarking upon the same matter.
Will Smith was first approached to play the titular character in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’; however Jamie Foxx came on board later. Talking to GQ, Will shared, “I’ve always avoided making films about slavery. In the early part of my career, I didn’t want to show Black people in that light. I wanted to be a superhero. So I wanted to depict Black excellence alongside my white counterparts. I wanted to play roles that you would give to Tom Cruise. And the first time I considered it was Django. But I didn’t want to make a slavery film about vengeance.”
However, Will Smith thinks it’s would be wrong to call ‘Emancipation’ a ‘slavery movie’ and shares it’s a film that had angle which he wanted to play, explaining further, the actor said, “This was one that was about love and the power of Black love, and that was something that I could rock with. We were going to make a story about how Black love makes us invincible.”
The actor describes the film as ‘David Lean–style epic,’ the Apple+ film follows the story of Peter, played by Will, who with his determination escapes an union in 1863 and after an tormenting 10-day journey through the Louisiana marshland, he joins Lincoln’s army, he then returns to the South to help free those he’d left behind.
Previously, talking to Hollywood Reporter, Will Smith talked about turning down ‘Django Unchained’, he said, “It was about the creative direction of the story. To me, it’s as perfect a story as you could ever want: a guy that learns how to kill to retrieve his wife that has been taken as a slave. That idea is perfect. And it was just that Quentin and I couldn’t see [eye to eye]. I wanted to make that movie so badly, but I felt the only way was, it had to be a love story, not a vengeance story.”
Meanwhile, Apple hasn’t announced any release date for Smith starrer ‘Emancipation’ due to delay in production.
