Will Smith says he was almost ‘hyperventilating’ the movie scene for Emancipation: ‘I was like, ‘Will, relax”

Will Smith says he almost had a panic attack while filming a scene for the slavery movie Emancipation with a chain around his neck and an equipment malfunction.

The 54-year-old actor, talking to Kevin Hart on Peacock’s Heart to heartsaid immersing himself in his role as a runaway slave named Peter put him on edge emotionally.

“I went too far in Emancipation,” Smith said. “When I bring it up, I start to shed tears. It’s like I wanted to feel the degradation of slavery, and I took it too far.’

The Oscar-winning actor said he was shocked by “the level of human brutality” and “what we will do to each other” during the making of the film.

The Philadelphia native continued, “I had the chains around my neck and we were at work. I wanted the real weight of them. I wanted the real chains – so they got old chains.’

Smith said his anxiety level increased when an equipment malfunction occurred and he was trapped in handcuffs.

“They put it around my neck and they custom fitted it and the prop master went to put the key in and it didn’t work,” he said. “I was like ‘Oh no’ – I was like ‘Will, relax.'”

He described the sequence of events as production workers rushed to untie him.

“I’m standing there and they’re running around and they couldn’t get me out,” Smith said. “I’m standing there in those chains, right on that hyperventilating edge.”

Smith said he turned to his faith after coming “face-to-face with that level of cruelty” in the role of Peter, whose photo of his swept back was a factor in the abolitionist movement.

“I wouldn’t give it back,” he said. “It was one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had as an actor.

“Peter introduced me to God. My faith became firm after working on that movie.”

The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, was released on Apple TV+ in December 2022. It also featured Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Ronnie Gene Blevins and Aaron Moten.

The actor, who chatted with Kevin Hart on Peacock’s Hart to Heart, said he was shocked by “the level of human cruelty” and “what we will do to each other” during the making of the film

He said he put himself on the edge emotionally by immersing himself in his role as a runaway slave named Peter

Smith said his anxiety level increased when an equipment malfunction occurred and he was trapped in handcuffs

Smith said he was “right on that hyperventilating edge” when workers tried to untie him

Smith said he turned to his faith after coming “face-to-face with that level of brutality” in the role of Peter, whose photo of his swept back was a factor in the abolitionist movement

Smith is nearly a year and a half away from his infamous 2022 Oscars smash from Chris Rock.

The incident occurred after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, saying, “Jada, I love you, GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see it!”

The reference was to the 1997 film in which Demi Moore had a shaved head. (Pinkett Smith, 51, has been diagnosed with alopecia, which causes hair loss.)

Smith then walked onstage and punched Rock, then went back to his seat and yelled at him twice, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!” to a stunned audience.

Later that evening — in his acceptance speech after winning the Best Actor Oscar for his role as tennis patriarch Richard Williams in King Richard — Smith apologized to the Academy and other nominees, but made no reference to Rock.

Smith is nearly a year and a half away from his infamous 2022 Oscars smash from Chris Rock. The two were seen at the ceremony in LA on March 27, 2022

Smith made international headlines for his outburst at the comedian at the event at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California

The Oscar exchange between Smith and Rock happened after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head

Smith subsequently apologized multiple times for the incident and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences before receiving a 10-year ban from the Oscars.

Smith apologized to the Academy and other nominees in his acceptance speech, but made no reference to Rock

Smith subsequently apologized for the incident on multiple occasions and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences before receiving a 10-year ban from the Oscars.

In an apology released in July 2022 about the incident in an online clip, Smith said his wife “had nothing to do” with his attack on Rock.

“I made my own choice from my own experiences, from my history with Chris,” he said. “I want to say sorry to my children and my family for the heat I have caused us all.”

He added: “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is he’s not ready to talk, and when he is he’ll get in touch. So I’ll say to you, Chris, I apologize. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here if you want to talk.’