Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars alongside Will Smith in the highly anticipated Hollywood blockbuster Concussion, which comes to theaters nationwide Christmas Day.
The film centers on Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), a forensic pathologist who discovers a neurological deterioration that is similar to Alzheimer’s disease found in NFL athletes who sustain repeated football-related head trauma.
Mbatha-Raw plays Dr. Omalu’s wife, Prima Mutiso, a trained nurse from Nairobi who’s just finding her feet in America.
In an interview with theGrio, the Beyond the Lights actress opened up about the impact Concussion might have on die-hard NFL fans.
“I think it’s all positive, because I think that this debate and this conversation around transparency in the dangers of football is important, and I think that it’s not an anti-football movie at all,” Mbatha-Raw said. “It’s definitely for the evolution of the sport and for the players so that people are aware of the risks. I think the game’s evolving, and hopefully the NFL will embrace the message of this film.”
SEE ALSO: NFL Settles $765 Million Concussion Lawsuits
Mbatha-Raw’s character in Concussion at times is the emotional and moral compass for Dr. Bennet, influencing him to pursue his crusade with the NFL. However, Mbatha-Raw recalls one unforgettable day during film when Smith “rescued” the cast and crew.
“We did have one scene that was really … he sort of rescued the whole crew. We’d been filming in this club with all of these extras on the dance floor for hours to the same song, and everyone was exhausted,” she said. “As everyone was flagging towards the end of the day, Will jumps up on the decks and starts singing The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air song… starts rapping. It was lovely, everyone was singing along.”
“It’s a testament to his generosity and his leadership spirit. It wasn’t for his ego; it was just a morale booster and really changed the energy in the room, and then the last hour of the day, everyone was back in the groove of the energy.”
SEE ALSO: ‘Concussion’ Trailer
Smith has already earned a Golden Globe nomination for Concussion, and don’t be surprised if you see him seated at this year’s Academy Awards as a Best Actor nominee.
Be sure to see Concussion when it hits theaters Christmas Day.