Dr. Jessica A. Johnson

With the upcoming release of Will Smith's new movie "Emancipation" by Apple TV+, the infamous "Oscars Slap" of Chris Rock back in March still adversely hovers over Smith's career. The slap occurred eight months ago when Smith lashed out at Rock for the comedian's G.I. Jane joke aimed at Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has lost her hair due to alopecia.

Before the digital age of social media, Smith's disruptive flare-up would have been a buried headline in newspaper archives. But memes and Twitter, along with celebrity gossip sites, continued to recap Smith's troubling loss of composure that ruined his first Academy Award win for his remarkable leading role in "King Richard." Smith has suffered an ongoing fan backlash that, honestly, has been quite surprising. His behavior and physical assault of Rock obviously cannot be excused, but the vindictive nature of many regarding this unruly incident with no hint of forgiveness for Smith was shocking since he has been a beloved TV and film icon for over two decades.

I have followed Smith's career closely since he is one of the most popular stars of Generation X. His 1988 rap hit "Parents Just Don't Understand" with DJ Jazzy Jeff was the humorous teen mantra during the glorious era of landline phones, cassette tapes and VCRs. When Smith got his first major TV role two years later playing a version of himself in the acclaimed sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," Gen Xers happily shared in the storylines of his late teen and young adult adventures. Smith was also a successful crossover star, appealing not to just an African American audience. His fame spread globally, and fans still affectionately referred to him as the "Fresh Prince" many years later, which was a nostalgic nod to the '90s. Now, at age 54, Smith finds himself at a critical crossroads as he is still seeking public redemption.

The promotion of a new film for Smith would normally have been the usual fanfare of appearances on late-night shows where all he would have to do is appeal to viewers with his charm. His campaign for "Emancipation," in which he plays a runaway slave who escapes from a Louisiana plantation to the safeholds of the Union Army, has had the feel of an extended apology tour. In a recent interview with Trevor Noah on "The Daily Show," Smith said that the rage we all saw "had been bottled for a really long time." On another morning show, Smith stated that he would "absolutely respect" people who decide to skip his next performance. Smith was teary-eyed and seemed remorseful while talking with Noah, but with the extensive damage to his reputation, many will probably conclude that Smith's main purpose was to gain viewers for his newest project.

After watching a few minutes of Smith's "Daily Show" interview, I went back to look at some clips from his 2021 interview with DeVon Franklin, who was one of the producers for the films "Miracles from Heaven" and "Heaven is for Real." Smith was promoting "King Richard," and Franklin asked Smith about his faith and if he "loved the Lord." Smith laughs, as he and Franklin have a deep friendship that is rooted from their backgrounds in the church, specifically the congregation of Smith's grandmother, Resurrection Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Smith then says, "You can't get where I get if you don't love the Lord."

I think an appropriate question for the circumstances Smith currently finds himself in now is, "Will you still cling to your faith if you are never restored to your former position of notoriety in your career?" If Smith is sincere about having faith, then he is surely going to be tested on it, and one thing that tests of faith reveal in Scripture is that they are designed to draw you closer to God. In that closeness, you don't concern yourself with what others think of you once you are overtaken by God's grace and loving forgiveness. It is evident that Smith not only needs forgiveness but also deliverance from the rage he has confessed to still feeling inside. He will never get that deliverance or complete forgiveness from people. And even if "Emancipation" does well, there will still be a part of his soul that is wounded, if he doesn't, as I'm sure his grandmother would say, "lay it before Jesus."

I hope Smith finds his way back to this spiritual foundation that was instilled in him long before he became an A-list actor. This is what he truly needs to move forward from this crucial juncture in his life.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JjSmojc.

Image by Igor Ovsyannykov from Pixabay