Will Smith honoured as he makes first awards show appearance since Oscars slap
Will Smith made his return to an awards show stage on Wednesday night for the first time since last year's controversial Oscars slap.
The 54-year-old actor accepted the Beacon Award at the annual African-American Film Critics Association Awards for his work in his latest film Emancipation.
Will was joined by Emancipation director Antoine Fuqua as he took to the stage to open up about the "most difficult film of my entire career".
The Men In Black star faced widespread criticism during last year's Academy Awards when he stormed on stage and slapped Chris Rock over a joke the comedian made about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair loss.
"Emancipation was the individual most difficult film of my entire career," Will said during the AAFCAA ceremony in Beverly Hills.
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Will Smith accepted The Beacon Award (Getty Images)He added: "I remember it was the second day of shooting and it's really difficult to transport a modern mind to that time period. It's difficult to imagine that level of inhumanity.
"I remember it was the second day of shooting, you know 110 degrees, we're out there and I was in a scene with one of the white actors. We had our line and the actor decided to ad-lib.
"So we're doing the scene and I did my line and he did his line and then he ad-libbed and spat in the middle of my chest."
The actor infamously slapped Chris Rock at last year's Oscars (Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)The actor then jokingly pulled a shocked face before continuing: "If I had pearls on, I definitely would have clutched them."
Will said he had wanted to call for help from the film's director, but stopped himself when he realised his character Peter couldn't have called someone for help.
The Hollywood star said: "So I sat there and I took a deep breath and we did take two and the actor felt that the ad-lib had gone well.
"So we do take two and I do my line, he does his line and spits in the middle of my chest again.
Will opened up about the making of Emancipation (Getty Images)" I just held in that moment and there was a part of me hat was grateful, right, that I got to really understand."
Will then joked that he "knew God was real" when the director then called out to ask for a take without the spit.
He added that he hopes by telling stories such as the one featured in Emancipation, there will be "just a subtle possibility to change a heart, or to change a mind."
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Will finished his speech by thanking the cast and crew, as well as the audience for "doing what you do to keep our stories alive".
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