My behaviour inexcusable: Will Smith’s apology to comic after Oscar smacking
A day after he left both the audience and comedian Chris Rock shocked by smacking the latter on the Oscar stage, actor Will Smith on Monday offered his apologies to the comic for being “out of line”.
In a statement issued on Instagram, Smith said he was embarrassed and his “actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.”
Smith won the best actor award for his role in King Richard at the 94th Academy Awards hosted on Sunday evening.
His apology comes after the body which oversees the Oscars announced that it was launching a formal review into the incident.
“Violence in all its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Smith wrote on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia and wore a cropped hairstyle at the Academy awards. Rock had joked that she seemed ready to star in G.I. Jane 2, alluding to titular character who flaunts a similar hairstyle.
“I would like to publicly apologise to you Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness,” Smith wrote.
The 53-year-old actor also apologised to the family of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, on which King Williams is based; as well as the film’s entire crew for his act.
“I deeply regret that my behaviour has stained whathas been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all us,” he said.
The volatile exchange began innocuously enough. Rock, 57, decided to land a joke on Pinkett-Smith before announcing the best documentary feature winner on Sunday night. He said Pinkett-Smith could star in G.I. Jane 2. Pinkett-Smith was seen rolling her eyes at the joke. Actor Demi Moore had famously shaved her head when she starred in 1997 action-drama G.I. Jane. Smith, who was initially seen laughing at the joke, suddenly walked up to the stage and slapped Rock, a moment that evoked laughter in the immediate from some audience members who probably thought it was all part of the script.
After going back to his seat, Smith shouted at Rock, saying, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f**king mouth!” Seated behind Smith was Black Panther star Lupita Nyongo, who was captured on camera looking on in disbelief.
Rock, whose first reaction was to come up with another wisecrack, declined to press charges against Smith, according to a statement by the Los Angeles Police Department. “Wow. Will Smith just smacked the s**t out of me,” Rock, who was on stage to announce the best documentary feature award, said as millions watched the action live on their screens.
Rock then said, “Wow dude. It was a G.I. Jane joke.” He also said, “That was the greatest night in the history of television.”
Smith was later “pulled aside” and spoken to by veteran star Denzel Washington and actor-filmmaker Tyler Perry during the commercial break that followed, according to reports in sections of the American media.
Rapper Diddy, who appeared next to introduce the segment on the 50th-anniversary celebration of The Godfather, addressed the situation. “Will and Chris, were going to solve that like a family. Right now were moving on with love. Everybody make some noise,” he said. After that, Smith was announced as winner of the best actor trophy for playing Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard.
In his emotional acceptance speech after winning the best actor trophy, Smith referenced the incident and apologised to the Academy for what transpired earlier. However, he didn’t name Rock or apologise to him.
“I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees,” he said tearfully.
Smith also said he hoped the Academy will “invite” him back.
