Antoine Fuqua defends Emancipation release after Will Smith slap

Antoine Fuqua has defended the decision to release 'Emancipation' in the wake of Will Smith's Oscars slap.

The 56-year-old filmmaker has helmed the historical thriller that stars Will as an enslaved man called Peter that is set for release in cinemas and on Apple TV+ next month.

It marks Smith's first major project since slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards earlier this year after he had joked about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and Fuqua says the theme of slavery is more important than the controversy.

He told Vanity Fair: "Of course I wanted people to see the film. My conversation was always, 'Isn't 400 years of slavery, of brutality, more important than one bad moment?'

"We were in Hollywood, and there's been some really ugly things that have taken place, and we've seen a lot of people get awards that have done some really nasty things."

Antoine added: "So, I think Apple considered all those things, and we discussed a lot of those things. Then, a decision was made by the people in charge of distribution and the money at Apple – and I'm grateful. I'm really grateful."

The 'Olympus Has Fallen' director revealed that Will's slap took him by surprise as he "hasn't met a nicer human being".

Antoine said: "(The slap) didn't feel real to me at all because I was with Will for two years, and I haven't met a nicer human being. I'm being honest about it. He was kind to everyone on the set.

"So, I saw a different person than that one moment in time, and so my reaction was that particular moment is very foreign to me when it comes to Will Smith.

"I have nothing but amazing things to say about Will Smith, really genuinely. You can ask anybody that worked on the movie, they'll tell you the same. Nicest person I've ever met in my life."