Still recovering. Will Smith opens up about where he stands with Chris Rock after his now-infamous slap in the face at the 2022 Oscars.
That Fresh Prince of Bel Air Alum, 53, uploaded an emotional Instagram video with the caption, “Thank you,” on Friday, July 29. At the beginning of the clip, text appears on the screen that reads, “It’s been a minute… I’ve done a lot of thinking and personal work over the last few months… You’ve asked a lot of fair questions that I wanted to take some time to respond to.” “
Smith takes a deep breath as he sits in front of the camera to ask questions about what happened at the Academy Awards earlier this year. When asked why he didn’t apologize to Rock, 57, in his best actor acceptance speech shortly after the slap Will The author said the night was blurry. “I was foggy at that point,” he explained. “It’s all blurry.”
That I am Legend The actor went on to reveal that he spoke to the comedian after she spat. “The message that came back was that he wasn’t ready to speak,” Smith claimed. “And if he is, he will reach out. So I’m going to tell you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk. … I try not to think of myself as a piece of shit.”
Smith then apologized directly to Rock’s mother. “I saw an interview that Chris’ mom did and that was just one of the things in that moment, I just didn’t realize it and I didn’t think about how many people were hurt in that moment,” continued the native Philadelphians continued. “So I want to apologize to Chris’ mom, I want to apologize to Chris’ family.”
While answering more questions, Smith sent a message to fellow nominees and viewers at the awards ceremony in March. “It’s a community. It’s like, I won because you voted for me,” he said. “It really breaks my heart to have stolen and spoiled your moment. I can still see quest love‘s eyes – it kept happening quest love‘s award. And … I’m sorry, really isn’t enough.”
That King Richard The actor made headlines during the 2022 Academy Awards when he stormed onto the stage and slapped Rock in the face. After this Madagascar Star made a joke about it Jada Pinkett-Smith‘s hair loss, which she’s suffering due to alopecia, Smith yelled at Rock to “keep my wife’s name out of your damn mouth.”
Days after the ceremony, Smith publicly apologized for his “inexcusable” behavior in a lengthy Instagram message. He was subsequently barred from all Academy Awards events for the next 10 years and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
For his part, Rock has addressed the situation in his stand-up comedy sets. “I’m not a victim, motherfucker,” he said during a show at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey on Sunday, July 24, according to an eyewitness. “Yeah, that doesn’t hurt, motherf-ker. But I shook that thing off and went to work the next day… I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut.”
Scroll down to see more of Smith’s revelations about the aftermath of the slap: