Toxic Brand: Paramount, Actress JoJo Siwa Exit Will Smith-Backed Movie ‘Bounce’

Nickelodeon teen star JoJo Siwa is leaving the Will Smith-backed young adult movie Bounce. Paramount Pictures has also removed the project from its development slate, sources close to the project say.

“That project got put on hold, and then went away,” Siwa told Variety of the movie adaptation of Bounce — based on the young adult book by Megan Shull — on Saturday. “It wasn’t the one.”

“I normally stay out of all politics, it’s not my gig,” added the star of Nickelodeon’s The JoJo & BowBow Show Show. “But, I will say that being kind to one another is very important. I think that can go both ways, kindness.”

Sources also told the outlet that the project fell apart months ago, and is not related to Will Smith physically attacking Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

The film was first announced in 2020, and was brought to the studio by producer Caleb Pinkett (Pinkett Smith’s brother). Both Will Smith and his wife were reported to also be producers at the time, not as leads, but instead lending support to Caleb Pinkett.

The project also reportedly made waves last year, after Siwa, who is a highly visible LGBTQ figure among teens, lamented the script of Bounce including a kissing scene in which she had to kiss a male co-star.

It’s the latest sign that Will Smith’s acting career and his sprawling production apparatus is crumbling.

***LANGUAGE WARNING***

Last week, Netflix pasued production on the Will Smith crime thriller Fast and Loose. That was followed by Sony announcing that it has “paused” production of Bad Boys 4.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.