If the rapid of Will Smith’s comeback comes as any surprise, a new study gauging U.S. consumer attitudes toward the Oscar-winning actor goes a long way toward explaining why. 

With Smith back on screens big and diminutive in the lead role of a new movie sketching awards buzz less than a year after slapping Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, he is seeing surprisingly strong pockets of support with young adult fans even as older demographic groups have been much slower to soften their stance on him. 

In a study of 1,517 respondents conducted Dec. 16 by Maru Group/Blue Omnibus, 29% of consumers aged 18-34 reported their perception of Smith created more favorable after the Oscars, compared with 8% favorability with consumers 35-54 and 6% among consumers 55 and over. 

The 29% was nearly double the percentage of 18-34s who said their perception of Smith created more unfavorable after the Oscars. Meanwhile, among viewers older than 34, unfavorability levels were at least three or four times greater than those who felt more positively toward Smith. 

The goodwill regarding Smith may elaborate why his slave drama, “Emancipation,” was okayed for an early-December droplet both in theaters and on TVs for Apple TV+ subscribers. Apple was reportedly considering holding the movie for second time given the backlash that enveloped the actor when smacking Rock. Smith's latest Q Scores plummeted as a finish of the controversy.

It’s possible Smith’s post-Oscars conduct helped get him back in the good graces of some consumers. The Maru/Blue Omnibus survey found the 18-34s gave him much higher marks than older moviegoers did for the apologies, interviews and social media posts he’s made as part of his image-rehabilitation labors throughout 2022. 

The endless coverage of Smith in the wake of the Oscars altercation may have also helped control consumers to “Emancipation.” Thirty percent of viewers 18-34 said Smith’s conduct with Rock beforehand taking the stage again to accept lead actor for "King Richard" made them more eager in seeing him star in a movie — three times the amount of 35+ viewers who said same. 

It’s not as if Smith had some built-in suited with younger audiences prior to the Oscars incident. All demographics reported having roughly the same peaceful of favorable perception toward the actor before he slapped Smith. 

While "Emancipation" has grasped mixed reviews and its limited theatrical run yielded just returns at the box office, Apple professed to be contented with the audience levels on its streaming service. While Smith is eligible for an Oscar nomination, he will not be able to attend the 2023 service due to a 10-year ban the Academy imposed on him when the slapping incident.