Will Smith wins first acting award since Oscars slapgate, says 'I'm absolutely humbled'

Will Smith won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in Emancipation on Saturday night (February 25). This is the first award won for the actor since he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars last year. 

Smith wasn’t present at the ceremony to receive the award. Janelle Monae took the stage to accept the award on the behalf of the Bad Boys actor and said, "Will Smith could not be with us this evening. So we accept this on your behalf. Congratulations."

The King Richard actor posted on his Instagram handle later that night, expressing his gratitude for the acknowledgement and wrote, "WOW!! NAACP!! I am absolutely humbled by this!! I want to share this with my entire #Emancipation family - @antoinefuqua, @charmainebingwa, Ben, Bob, Jon the whole team at @westbrook and @appletvplus… I am so proud of the work we put into this film. I would like to thank the NAACP for honoring our film! @derricknaacp - you and your entire organization - and the work you do all year round - is truly important, so to be recognized by y’all - it means a lot.” 

Check out the post here: 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

Smith plays a fugitive slave in Emancipation who sets out on a perilous trek to Baton Rouge while avoiding cruel plantation masters in this 19th-century drama set in Louisiana.

The film was influenced by the 1863 image "Whipped Peter," which shows a former slave with serious wounds on his back. The widespread use of the image brought the brutality of slavery to the attention of the Americans.

More about the Oscars Slapgate 

Will Smith walked down the Oscars stage at the last year's awards ceremony and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head.

The Academy swiftly criticised Smith's conduct in a statement following the incident and later banned him from attending Oscars for ten years. Many questioned why Smith was permitted to maintain his seat at the Academy after assaulting Rock live on stage.

Following the ban, Smith resigned from the Academy's membership. However, the actor is still eligible to receive Academy Award nominations and win awards.