There is only one situation in which they would use their own reputation to help promote a film for the production company.
And that is when they are paid enough money.
With the boasting in the newspapers, "Get Out" suddenly gained momentum.
Thanks to the early publicity, the public already had a basic understanding of "Get Out" as a thriller with a black male lead.
Directed by the talented newcomer Steve Kevin.
The overwhelming praise from numerous film critics for "Get Out" indeed generated a lot of interest among the audience.
Many horror movie enthusiasts expressed their intention to see the latest work of director Kevin.
With these voices, the time quickly arrived on April 29, just two days before the public trial of the four police officers who assaulted Rodney King.
The premiere of "Get Out" began.
The first screening took place at a Warner Bros. theater located in Los Angeles.
It was a large-scale cinema with multiple screens that could simultaneously show over thirty films.
As the lead actor in his first starring role, Will Smith went all out to promote the film, not only mobilizing friends and family but also using his connections in the rap industry. He invited rap artists and their fans, even gang members, to watch the film.
The theater, with a capacity of thousands of people, was already filled to the brim.
Dean couldn't help but shudder as he looked at the scene outside and nervously asked Kevin, "With so many black people, do you think anything unexpected might happen?"
In this era, nine out of ten black rap artists had ties to gangs, and most of their audience was also black.
Black people were known for being restless troublemakers and symbols of violence.
The fact that the United States had never restricted its citizens' access to firearms was closely related to this contradiction.
Kevin had a smile on his face, but he also felt a little nervous.
In his previous life, he learned from the news that black people were not to be trifled with.
Zero-cost purchases and violence were their symbols.
If a commotion were to break out, no one present would be able to escape.
Thinking of this, Kevin quickly moved closer to Will Smith and whispered, "Do you think there will be any trouble?"
"Don't worry, these are all my friends and family. They won't cause trouble at the premiere of a film in which I play a role."
Will Smith confidently reassured him.
At this point, Kevin couldn't do anything else, and calling the police to maintain order was out of the question.
Given the relationship between the police and black people, even if nothing happened, they would still manage to stir up trouble.
At this critical moment, Warner Bros. had more experience in dealing with such situations. They urgently borrowed some black security guards from other cinemas in Los Angeles to maintain order here.
As fellow black individuals, Will Smith's fans in the audience no longer felt offended, and the situation gradually stabilized.
Then came the opening of the premiere.
Kevin, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, and Dean appeared on stage at the cinema.
As the lead actor and the most famous singer, Will Smith took on the responsibility of promoting the film in this premiere.
"Dear friends, welcome to the premiere of my first film as the lead actor. I feel extremely honored and deeply grateful for your support."
Will Smith confidently addressed the audience from the stage.
Based on Warner Bros.'s support for "Get Out," it was undoubtedly a well-made film, which would greatly benefit his career in the film industry.
There was a kind of superstition prevalent in Hollywood.
An up-and-coming actor who achieves consecutive successes has more opportunities than a big star who experiences repeated failures.
At this point, Kevin couldn't do anything else, so they had to call the police to maintain order.
Given the relationship between the police and black people, even without any reason, things could easily escalate.
However, at this critical moment, Warner Bros., with their experience in handling such situations, urgently borrowed some black security personnel from other cinemas in Los Angeles to maintain order here.
Being fellow black individuals, Will Smith's fans who were present didn't feel as offended, and the situation gradually became stable.
Then, the premiere began.
Kevin, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, and Dean appeared on the stage of the theater.
As the lead actor and a highly renowned singer, Will Smith took on the role of promoting the film during this premiere.
"Dear friends, welcome to the premiere of my first film as a lead actor. I feel immensely honored to be here, and I am truly grateful for all your support," said Will Smith confidently on stage.
From Warner Bros.' support for Get Out, it was evident that this was an excellent masterpiece, which would undoubtedly be highly beneficial for Will Smith's career in the film industry.
Hollywood is filled with superstition.
A young actor who achieves continuous success often has more opportunities than a superstar who experiences repeated failures.
If Will Smith achieves success in his first step, he will have better opportunities in the future. Moreover, in Hollywood at this time, black faces are extremely rare, which means that there are actually many opportunities for black individuals.
After Will Smith's speech, he invited several well-known black singers who expressed their support on stage, and then the movie began screening.
Movies have never been the first choice for entertainment among gang members.
White people always dominate the mainstream in movies, and black people have no connection with the characters played by white actors.
Therefore, in the past, black people have contributed very little to box office revenues.
Movie companies also rarely incorporate storylines that appeal to black audiences.
...
The rarely seen quiet black audience sat in their seats, thanks to Will Smith's influence. Before they arrived, it was emphasized to them that they were here to support their fellow brothers.
Therefore, they suppressed their selves and quietly watched the movie.
However, as soon as the movie began and the relationship between the black male protagonist and his white girlfriend was depicted, it instantly ignited the excitement among the black audience members.
The atmosphere in the theater suddenly became lively.
"Hey, bro, look at that! Smith is amazing, he actually married a white girlfriend."
"Hehe, my wife is also white. Did I forget to mention that to you?"
"That damn Jim..."
"... "
Kevin, sitting in the front row, couldn't help but smile as he listened to the reactions of the black audience.
The mindset of African Americans in the United States is peculiar. They may disdain white people verbally, but if a black man achieves a certain level of success, their first choice is often a white woman.
Perhaps it's a special emotion of former slaves becoming masters.
Therefore, when the plot unfolded with such a setup, the black audience members instantly became excited.
The plot continued to develop.
As the first colored boyfriend of Rose, Chris couldn't help but feel nervous about meeting her parents, but Rose assured him not to worry.
She told him that her parents' town didn't discriminate against black people and that her parents actually liked black individuals.
This eased Chris' nervousness a bit.
Chris and Rose embarked on the journey back home, and on the way, Rose accidentally hit a deer that emerged from the side of the road.
Due to his past experiences, Chris couldn't turn a blind eye to the hit-and-run incident.
He got out of the car to inspect what happened.
A police car arrived, and a white police officer stepped out, first inquiring about where Chris was going and where he came from.
Then, he requested to see Chris' identification.
Unlike in China, in the United States, when a police officer checks someone's identification, it often implies that the police officer sees that person as a criminal.
In this situation, the police officer has the right to use his gun at any time.
Every year in the United States, countless black people die because they resist identification checks.