Will Smith on Playing Real Life Doctor Bennet Omalu in 'Concussion'

"I was looking for every reason not to make this film," Will Smith told the audience at Sherman Oaks Arclight Cinemas on November 24 for a KCET Cinema Series screening of "Concussion." Smith is a self-proclaimed "football dad" and, as he reminded the crowd, he's from Philadelphia, home of the Eagles. In "Concussion," which hits theaters on Christmas Day, Smith plays the doctor who goes up against the NFL when he discovers how badly football has damaged the brains of its beloved players.

Sponsored by E. Hofert Dailey Trust and the James and Paula Coburn Foundation, KCET Cinema Series brings high caliber films to members before their release. Hosted by Deadline columnist Pete Hammond, the Cinema Series includes insightful question-and-answer sessions with the films' creative teams after the screening.

Throughout the winter session of KCET Cinema Series, audiences have had the chance to see films about people who question and challenge the status quo, from the Boston Globe news team that reported on the local Catholic diocese child molestation scandal in "Spotlight" to transgender pioneer Lili Elbe in "The Danish Girl." Last week's selection, "Concussion," follows suit.

"Concussion" is the true story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a brilliant forensic pathologist working in Pittsburgh whose career and life are changed when he is assigned to do the autopsy of former Steeler Mike Webster. Omalu realizes that there's more to Webster's death than what's on the surface and launches his own investigation to figure out how the football star died. Through this, Omalu stumbles upon a health crisis in the football world, one that will make him an enemy of the NFL and, possibly, those who love football more than life.

Omalu, who now lives in Lodi, CA and is the chief medical examiner for San Joaquin County, as well as a professor at UC Davis, was on hand with the "Concussion" team for this interview helmed by Hammond.

Also on hand for the panel were screenwriter/director Peter Landesman and actors Albert Brooks and David Morse. Brooks plays Dr. Cyril Wecht, Omalu's boss and mentor at the time of the Webster examination. Morse plays Webster.

Smith traveled to Lodi to spend time with Omalu on the job and to meet his family, an experience he calls a "fantastic honor." He says that, in the end, his performance in the film focused on "what it means to be American." Omalu himself is from Nigeria and became a U.S. citizen earlier this year.

Smith adds that "there are so many aspects of this film that are current."

Director/screenwriter Peter Landesman, who is also an award-winning journalist, adds that the "epidemic of football players" succumbing to the long-term effects of brain traumas "was all around us." Even after Omalu came forth with his findings, the science was hard for some to stomach. "Concussion," based on a GQ article by journalist Jeanne Marie Laskas, delves into the opposition and harassment Omalu faced when he exposed the dangers of football.

Landesman mentions the lasting impact of Omalu's findings on the relationship between brain injuries and mental health. He says it could present a "new way of understanding what mental illness is."

While Landesman stresses that the movie is "not a documentary," the events are true. He later adds that he wrote the script with Smith in mind, despite the fact that the famed actor bears no physical resemblance to Omalu. "I didn't care about lookalikes," says Landesman. He adds that there's a "very big difference between impersonation and performance."

Brooks took on his role without meeting the real life Dr. Wecht. He says that, when he had the opportunity to do so, it was the night before filming began and he had already spent a couple months preparing for the role. The character is an important one in the film, and in the real life of the story's hero. Omalu refers to Wecht as his "American father" who encouraged him to keep going when others did not. Omalu recalls a moment when Wecht said to him, "I think you're smarter than me" as a turning point. "That gave me the impetus to believe in what I was doing."

Morse says that he gained 25 pounds, plus weight from prosthetics, to play Webster. Landesman says that Morse's transformation made an impact on the Pittsburgh crew during the shoot. "When David stepped onto set," he says, "it was like an angel had appeared."

Smith tells the crowd that there are "pros and cons," to taking on the role of a real, living person. On the plus side, he says, when he had difficulties during filming, he knew he could call Omalu to figure out how to address the challenge.

There is, however, one major drawback. "One day," he says, "you're king to be sitting in the theater with the person watching you play them."

Considering the friendly dynamic between Omalu and Smith at the Arclight, though, it seems like things worked out fine.