Will Smith was a man who had made the right choices from the very beginning of his career. Even before he stepped into the world of acting, Smith wrote clean lyrics for his raps. Once he stepped into Hollywood’s big world, the actor chose projects that would help him build a connection with the masses. Smith’s filmography consists of almost every movie that one would choose to watch during a family get-together. From the Men in Black franchise to Pursuit of Happiness and I am A Legend, it is most of his films that take up all the space on most “evergreen movies to watch” lists.

The actor was highly respected throughout the entirety of Hollywood and especially among the black community. Many celebrities such as Kevin Hart credit him for paving the way for Black actors to make it in the industry. At a time when most action heroes were mostly white, Will Smith made hits such as Independence Day, Enemy of the State, and the Bad Boys franchise Smith established himself as Mr July and subsequently a hero of the masses. And finally, when he was about to receive the Oscars for his excellent work in King Richard, Smith took a misstep, to say the least.

Can Will Smith revive his brand after the Oscar slap 2022?

When Will Smith got up to slap Chris Rock on the Oscar stage, for many it took a while to realize that it was not a glitch in the stimulation. Say if any other actor had done it, fans would have still taken it with a great of salt and “we don’t know how the actors are in real life” philosophy. But since it was Will Smith, an actor who was known for his connection with the masses, and an actor who was the shining symbol of a “nice Hollywood actor,” fans were left completely shattered.

The slap more than the blood vessels of Chris Rock’s face broke every Will Smith’s fans’ heart. And redemption seemed impossible when the Emancipation actor posted a public apology after months that Rock dismissed and seemed too generic to strike a chord with the audience. The actor then remained away from the limelight until the release of his Apple TV+ movie Emancipation.

If Smith was going to let the acting do all the talking, then it did not work because Emancipation is a flop and the box office and Rotten Tomatoes ratings are proof. The hosts of Morning Joe, have deemed Smith a brand down in their latest segment. “Will Smith is a permanent brand down,” said Donny Deutsch on his show. Only time will tell if Will Smith can revive his drowning career.

Have you watched Emancipation? Let us know in the comments below.