Critics Slam Will Smith for Using His Film ‘After Earth’ to Promote Scientology

Will Smith’s precocious daughter, Willow, 12, once famously said school was not a top priority for her. But just days later, the “Whip My Hair” singer revealed her struggle with illiteracy when she couldn’t pronounce the word ‘congratulates’ during an appearance on BET’s 106 & Park.
In an interview with Vulture, Will Smith now says Willow sees the importance of going to school and hanging out with her friends.
Willow was spotted hanging out with friends in NYC on Thursday, May 30, after spending the morning helping her father and brother, Jaden Smith, promote their new flick “After Earth”.

“Willow chose singing and then un-chose it. She said, ‘Daddy, I want to go to school with my friends during the week, and I want to hang out with them on the weekends.’ At the peak of ‘Whip My Hair,’ she’s like, ‘Daddy, I’m done.’ I was like, ‘Wow, wow, wow. No, baby, I got Annie [the upcoming movie remake, co-produced by Jay-Z], you know. It’ll be New York, you’ll be with Beyoncé. You can bring your friends.’ And she said, ‘Daddy, I got a better idea. How about I just be 12?’ At the end of the day, it has to be their choice.”

“After Earth” is being panned by movie reviewers who criticize everything from the cartoonish CGI graphics to Jaden’s wooden performance.
Smith, 44, is also being criticized for using his new movie as a vehicle to promote his controversial Scientology religion.
“’After Earth’ is such a bore that it’s unlikely anyone will join Scientology after getting through it,” writes Roger Friedman on his Showbiz411 blog.

Smith denies being a Scientologist, yet he runs a private school in California where the curriculum is plucked straight from the pages of the Scientology textbook, Dianetics.
Friedman writes that the movie’s tag line, “Fear is a choice,” is repurposed from the book Dianetics.