Will Smith on Controversial NFL Drama 'Concussion': 'People Have to Know' About Football Dangers
Concussion, which dramatizes the discovery of a serious form of brain damage in NFL players, was stirring controversy even before its first public screening in Hollywood Tuesday night at the film’s world premiere. In a post-screening discussion at the event, star Will Smith indicated he understands part of the reason why, sharing how he supported his own son’s high school football career. “I watched my son play football for four years, and I didn’t know,” the 47-year-old actor said of the dangers of repeated head trauma on the field.
Coming off a string of disappointments, including After Earth and Focus, Smith stars in a career-revving role as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the forensic pathologist who faced off with the National Football League when he found the dangerous form of brain injury among pro players. Early reviews are praising his convincing portrayal as the Nigerian-born doctor, with Variety calling it “a fine, understated performance” and The Hollywood Reporter saying Smith “transforms himself impressively.”
Read More: ‘Concussion’ Review: Will Smith’s Hard-Hitting NFL Drama Scores Big
Smith spoke of meeting Omalu during the after-movie discussion that included director Peter Landesman (Parkland), co-star Albert Brooks, and Omalu himself, who received a standing ovation. “There was such a deep pressure,” Smith said of portraying the doctor credited for discovering chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among American football players.
The part — one that’s sure to propel Smith into the Oscar conversation — was also a source of inner struggle. “I’m a football dad,” Smith explained, saying that he watched his son Trey play high school football for four years. “For me, [the role] was really conflicting. When I sat down with Bennet I was hoping, 'Please say something to make me not take this movie.’” But Smith was compelled by the story, and his own ignorance regarding the dangers of the sport helped spur his decision to take the part. “As a parent I felt like I had to be a part of this. Bennet’s quest for the truth… became our quest to deliver the truth, because people have to know.”
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“I love football,” said director Landesman, noting he played for two years in college. “We have a lot of beautiful football in this film purposefully. We’re not out to wag our finger and say, 'Don’t do this.’ It’s a difficult thing: The things we love in life sometimes are the things that kill us.”
The event at TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood was part of this year’s AFI Fest, and the packed audience included widows of NFL players who died as a result of CTE. “It’s a tremendous gift to receive a story that has such clarity,” said Landesman, adding that the story arose from conversations he had with Omalu.
Recognizing that the doctor’s real-world achievements outweigh his stirring acting feat, Smith said, “It’s one thing as an actor to take on a role… It’s another thing to do it in real life.”
Concussion, also with Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Alec Baldwin, enters theaters Christmas Day.
(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
