Will Smith has been speaking about his upcoming movie ‘Emancipation’ in interviews, referring to the film as a “freedom movie” as opposed to a movie about a slave. While Smith has been handling press surrounding the film’s content well, a producer on the movie—Joey McFarland, has issued an apology after bringing the original “scourged back” photo of a slave named “Whipped Peter” from 1863 to the movie’s premiere.
McFarland received much backlash after his comments on why he brought the photo to premiere found him saying, “I wanted a piece of [Whipped Peter] to be here tonight.”
Following the blunder, McFarland took to Instagram and delivered a lengthy apology. “ I wholeheartedly apologize to everyone I have offended by bringing a photograph of Peter to the ‘Emancipation’ premiere. My intent was to honor this remarkable man and to remind the general public that his image not only brought about change in 1863 but still resonates and promotes change today,” said the producer. McFarland went on to write “I hope my actions didn’t distract from the film’s message, Peter’s story and just how much impact he had on the world.” Read his complete statement above.
source: Instagram
