JoJo Siwa Departs From Will Smith-Backed Feature Film Debut ‘Bounce’

Internet star JoJo Siwa confirmed that the film Bounce, which was set to be her feature film acting debut, “got put on hold, and then went away,” and that “it wasn’t the one,” for her. While the film was backed by Will Smith’s production company Westbrook, insiders said that the dissolution of the project happened months ago and had nothing to with Smith’s Oscars controversy.

Bounce, an adaptation of the 2016 YA novel written by Megan Shull, would have starred Siwa as Frannie, a teenager that wishes for a different life, and then ends up getting a new one every day and has to try and find her way home.

It was first announced in the summer of 2020, but a year later Siwa made headlines for protesting that there was a scene in the script where she had to kiss her male scene partner. “I’m madly in love and I don’t want to kiss another human. Especially if it’s a man,” Siwa told Entertainment Weekly. “I’m not about it. I’m trying to get it pulled so bad. It’ll happen.” The scene was indeed pulled, but the project still never got off the ground.

The film was initially pitched by Caleb Pinkett, brother of Jada Pinkett Smith, and Caleb was reportedly the lead producer on the project while Will and Jada were just taking on supporting roles.

Siwa has been out as pansexual since last January and recently celebrated being publicly queer for a full year in a commemorative post online.