We’ll soon have the opportunity to see Will Smith play a Nigerian on the big screen.
In Concussion, Smith stars as Dr Bennet Omalu, the real-life Nigerian-born forensic pathologist and neuropathologist who in 2002 uncovered a connection between brain trauma and the NFL after performing an autopsy on former professional football player Mike Webster.
Slated for a Christmas 2015 release, the biopic– directed by Peter Landesman (Parkland, 2013)– will also star Nigerian-British actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in the role of former Chicago Bear player Dave Duerson– who in 2011 committed suicide at the age of 50 by shooting himself in the chest so that his brain could be left to researchers studying head injuries among football players (Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy found that Duerson’s brain did in fact have the chronic traumatic encephalopathy that he suspected).
The film’s first official first trailer arrived yesterday, and while initial Concussion coverage has tended to focus on why the NFL should be fearful as well as potential Oscar buzz surrounding the film, Will Smith and his Nigerian accent have also drawn the ire of Nigerians on Twitter.
“The Grammy award winner tried to pull a Nigerian accent and failed woefully at it,” writes Tomilola for 360nobs. “We are not sure how hard it was for the Producers to cast a Nigerian (seeing as there are numerous talented Nigerians in Hollywood) in this role but what we are sure of is it is quite hard for Will Smith to understand that we do not sound like a caveman coming to America for the first time,” she added.
Slated for a Christmas 2015 release, the biopic– directed by Peter Landesman (Parkland, 2013)– will also star Nigerian-British actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in the role of former Chicago Bear player Dave Duerson– who in 2011 committed suicide at the age of 50 by shooting himself in the chest so that his brain could be left to researchers studying head injuries among football players (Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy found that Duerson’s brain did in fact have the chronic traumatic encephalopathy that he suspected).
The film’s first official first trailer arrived yesterday, and while initial Concussion coverage has tended to focus on why the NFL should be fearful as well as potential Oscar buzz surrounding the film, Will Smith and his Nigerian accent have also drawn the ire of Nigerians on Twitter.
“The Grammy award winner tried to pull a Nigerian accent and failed woefully at it,” writes Tomilola for 360nobs. “We are not sure how hard it was for the Producers to cast a Nigerian (seeing as there are numerous talented Nigerians in Hollywood) in this role but what we are sure of is it is quite hard for Will Smith to understand that we do not sound like a caveman coming to America for the first time,” she added.
“Hollywood created an accent for ‘Africans’ which they use whether the person is Liberian, Nigerian or Rwandan. Will Smith learnt it well,” tweeted Nigerian satirist Elnathan– who also shared his own take on the Concussion trailer.
Watch Smith debut his controversial Nigerian accent in the trailer for Concussion below
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