Emancipation is Will Smith's much-anticipated return to the Hollywood spotlight, but can he still be nominated to win an Oscar? Less than a year removed from his first career Best Actor win for King Richard and his infamous 2022 Oscars slap of Chris Rock, Will Smith has returned to film. In his latest role starring in Apple TV+'s Emancipation, Will Smith plays Peter, a real-life former slave who escaped after hearing word of Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. With the Academy's known love for biopic performances and the relatively slim field for 2023's Best Actor category, fans are wondering if Will Smith can be nominated for - let alone win - another Oscar for his work in Emancipation, despite his Academy Awards ban.
It may seem unthinkable, but Emancipation has the bona fides of an Oscars contender. As a slavery biopic, the cast and characters of Emancipation give the kind of harrowing performances that have been rewarded in past films like 12 Years A Slave. I there was a studio that could overcome the toxicity related to Will Smith's 10-year Oscars ban, Apple TV+ would fit the bill. They're coming off an unprecedented Oscars campaign, becoming the first streaming service to ever win Best Picture with 2021's CODA. Apple TV+ has shown faith in Emancipation as well, moving the film's release date early to December 9th to fit the 2023 Oscars window.
Yes, Will Smith Can Be Nominated & Win An Oscar For Emancipation
Will Smith resigned from the Academy following his infamous incident, but that won't prevent him from being nominated or even winning for his role in Emancipation. The Academy Award nominees for the acting categories are decided by a vote among all the actors and actresses who are members. This means Will Smith will not be able to take part in that process any longer. However, it does not prevent him from receiving votes. If enough of Will Smith's fellow actors and actresses are willing to move past "The Slap" and deem his performance worthy, Will Smith can win another Oscar for Emancipation.
What Happens If Will Smith Is Nominated For An Oscar For Emancipation?
As part of the consequences of his actions at the 2022 Oscars, Will Smith has been banned from attending Academy events - including the Oscars ceremony - for 10 years. Even if he is nominated or wins for his role in Emancipation, Will Smith would not be able to attend the event and accept the award in person. Although there has never been an Academy Award winner who could not attend the ceremony for the same reasons as Will Smith, when an Oscar winner is not present at the show, the award presenter will typically acknowledge that the winner could not be present and instead accepts on their behalf.
Is Will Smith Likely To Be Nominated For An Oscar For Emancipation?
Even though it is fully possible for Will Smith to win an Oscar for Emancipation, it remains extremely unlikely. Despite AppleTV+'s high hopes for the film, Emancipation reviews are mixed thus far, despite praise for the cast's performances, including Will Smith. To overcome the controversy and get a nomination, Will Smith would've needed an undeniable juggernaut of a film. With its current 50% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, Emancipation is not exactly a wild success. The field of 2023 Best Actor contenders, headlined by Brendan Frasier for The Whale, Austin Butler for Elvis, and Tom Cruise for Top Gun: Maverick, seem to have left Will Smith and Emancipation behind.
Even under normal circumstances, it would be a rare feat to win back-to-back Best Actor Oscars. It's only happened twice before, the last done by Tom Hanks in 1993 and 1994. Due to his actions at the 2022 ceremony, Will Smith is facing an even steeper uphill climb to win his second career Oscar, and Emancipation is likely to fall short.