King Richard’s Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis are speaking with SBIFF moderator Scott Feinberg on the Arlington stage, and Smith has been hilarious so far.
Confident and smooth and relaxed top to bottom, Smith has been needling Feinberg for being a meticulous researcher. Oh, and no talking about Wild Wild West, Scott! The crowd is laughing and whoo-whooing…cheers and applause.
An argument broke out between a female POC and festival security guys over her shooting some iPhone video footage, which is against SBIFF rules. Will hears and sees, asks if everything is cool, etc. And then he says (not an exact quote), “This is why we like white-people audiences.”
Smith #1: “I’ve never sat in a room with Richard Williams.” Smith #2 (approximate): “I don’t struggle with being humble and modest.”
After King Richard’s riveting kitchen argument scene is shown, Aunjune whispers to Smith that she’d never seen it before. And then Smith tells everyone what she’s just said.
Feinberg mentions having been a pro tennis ball guy in his teens, and mentions his brief, real-life meeting with Williams during a New Haven tennis match, and shows a pair of photos for proof.
HE to Feinberg: I knew you wouldn’t ask Smith why he blew off The Matrix. I knew it.
