What future for the man of 9 billion in Hollywood?

Will Smith had, until Sunday evening, led his career in an exemplary fashion. Perhaps even to the point of claiming, with films that have brought in more than 9.3 billion at the box office, to have accomplished the mission he gave himself at 16: to become the biggest star in the whole world. Will the slap he slapped Chris Rock live on television change everything? What if the next act was that of reconciliation?

Simon Chabot
The Press

“For Will Smith, the image of the good father, of the American hero, that of a man with a lot of compassion and empathy, has faded forever, believes Martine St-Victor, founder of Milagro public relations workshop. . What we saw on Sunday is the exact opposite of what we thought it was. This anger…”

And, even if he took the opportunity to apologize (a little), his acceptance speech for the Oscar for best actor for his role in King Richard, just after his violent exit, did not help, believes the image specialist. To justify the slap, in response to a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss, he said, “We do crazy things for love…” That’s a terrible phrase, abusive husbands use that as a language! He’s completely out of touch to say that. »

Enviable reputation

Until Sunday, Will Smith enjoyed an enviable reputation among his peers. “The late-night show hosts, for example, knew they were going to have a good show if Will Smith was there,” Ms.^me St Victor. He was always a funny, generous, sensitive guest, and very, very far from controversy. That’s precious. »

In a podcast released on Monday, comedian Jimmy Kimmel summed up the significant change in perception that has taken place since the ceremony.

From there to conclude that the career of the 53-year-old actor and singer is over, there is a step that the communication strategist Martine St-Victor does not cross. In the immediate future, releases could be postponed, she believes, but she does not think “that there will be breaches of contract in the cinema” for Will Smith.

For years, the movies he’s championed have brought in hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, even when the reviews are less than glowing. And Will Smith remains very “bankable”, believes M^me St Victor. “People have done much worse,” she adds.

Of course, on the sponsorship side, things could change… at least for a while. “The brands with which he is associated will want to review their partnership, thinks M^me St Victor. They didn’t buy the image of a brawler. For the time being, however, the sponsors remain discreet about their intentions.

And his trophy?

For its part, the Academy of Oscars has condemned the gesture and announced the holding of an investigation, but in Hollywood, few people expect Will Smith to lose his trophy. “We’re not going to take back his Oscar,” for example, Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the Academy’s board of governors and former host of the awards ceremony, told her show. The ViewMonday.

So what should we expect next? How can Will Smith get away with this? Martine St-Victor has her own idea: public reconciliation.

“There will have to be a reconciliation with Chris Rock,” she said. And she’ll have to live up to the slap seen by millions on TV. With community and social commitment, with awareness of alopecia (the disease from which Jada Pinkett Smith suffers). »

In the evening on Monday, the actor has already extended an olive branch to the host, with an apology on his Instagram account. “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” Will Smith wrote. I overstepped the mark and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not representative of the man I want to be. »

Chris Rock, whose dubious humor no one wants to defend, also has every interest in betting on a resounding reunion with the Smiths. Like the entire black community in Hollywood, concludes M^me St Victor. “There are few of them in this fraternity,” she said. To see this fracture today, it’s a shame. I think reconciliation is all the more important. »