Will Smith surprises fans at Bad Boys: Ride Or Die screening in Los Angeles as part of his ‘ritual’ with new films… as he cements post-slap comeback
Will Smith gave fans a big surprise on Friday evening during a Los Angeles screening of his new film Bad Boys: Ride Or Die.
The action film starring Smith, 55, and costar Martin Lawrence, 59, earned $5.9 million in previews and looked poised to take the top spot at the weekend box office.
“We’re in Baldwin Hills, we’re about to go to the movies,” the Oscar winner said while sitting in the back of his SUV limousine in a video shared to Instagram and TikTok.
‘It’s a ritual I have. For example, I do it when a movie comes out on Friday or Saturday and usually a matinee on Sunday. I like going to theaters,β he explained.
The next shot showed Smith, who remained quietly in the back row of the theater, dressed all in black with a KN95 mask and a black beak cap, enjoying laughing with the audience.
Will Smith, 55, gave fans a big surprise on Friday at an LA screening of his new film Bad Boys: Ride Or Die. “We’re in Baldwin Hills, we’re about to go to the theater,” he said in a video on his social media accounts
After the film, the actor casually walked out with the audience and said to the other viewers, “Hey, I’m glad you guys enjoyed it.”
At first people responded nonchalantly, thinking he was a fellow moviegoer, but they soon realized they were talking to one of the film’s stars.
Afterward, Smith shared hugs and posed for photos with fans.
βI was there the whole time,β he told the astonished moviegoers.
One gave the film a ’10 out of 10′, in an impromptu review.
“Imagine sitting next to Will Smith and not knowing?!” one fan exclaimed.
βThat’s how you promote a movie,β said another.
None of the fans seemed too concerned about the infamous punch he gave Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards, which made Smith persona non grata in Hollywood.
“This man is unreal and so down to earth, how can you not love him?” asked one devoted fan.
Smith kept it low key in the back row of the theater, dressed all in black, with a KN95 mask and a black beak cap, and enjoyed laughing with the audience. He explained in the video that going to screenings is a ritual he has when a new film comes out
Fans initially did not recognize Smith when he started talking to them after the screening. They soon realized they were talking to the star
Smith shared hugs and posed for photos with fans. βI was there with you the whole time,β the actor told his fellow audience members
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth installment in the popular franchise and looked poised to take over the top of the box office during its opening weekend
“Will will never NOT be one of my favorite people.,” said one admirer.
“No one can ever make me hate this man!” exclaimed another.
Reviews for Bad Boys: Ride Or Die have been mixed, with Rotten Tomatoes giving the fourth installment in the franchise a poor rating from 57 percent of the most prestigious critics surveyed by the site.
The public came to a dramatically different conclusion, giving it an impressive new rating of 97 percent.