Will Smith says he was ‘going through something’ the night he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars
Published on Nov 30, 2022 at 11:40 AM (UTC+4)
by Kate Bain
Last updated on Nov 30, 2022 at 11:41 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Will Smith has admitted he “just lost it” at Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife at the Oscar’s ceremony this year.
Smith shocked the world when he slapped Rock in front of the star-studded audience over a comment he made about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.
Now, speaking to Trevor Noah on the Daily Show, the King Richard star said the slap was the result of “a rage that had been bottled for a really long time”.
Smith said there was no justification for the slap, but told Noah he was “going through something that night”.
“I guess what I would say is you just never know what someone is going through. It’s like when they say ‘hurt people hurt people’, you know,” he said.
The actor went on to say he was “human” and he was still trying to forgive himself.
The slap was definitely one of the most talked about moments of 2022.
People even made NFTs for it.
Smith appeared on the show to promote his upcoming film Emancipation, in which he stars as a runaway slave.
He said he would understand if people wanted to boycott the movie because of the slap, but hoped the team behind the film didn’t have to pay the price for his behavior.
“My deepest concern is my team. The people on this team have done some of the best work of their entire careers,” he told Good Day DC.
About the Will Smith Oscars slap
In a moment that has become the major talking point of this year’s Oscars, Smith stormed the stage and lashed out at Rock after the comedian remarked Pinkett Smith could be in G.I. Jane with her shaved head.
Pinkett Smith has previously spoken out about her struggles with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.
The crowd of Hollywood stars was stunned by the move, unsure whether or not it was a joke.
But it soon became apparent Smith had taken offence to the comment as he yelled: “Keep my wife’s name out of your [expletive] mouth.”
READ MORE: Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan team up for I Am Legend sequel
The actor later apologised to the Academy during his tearful Oscar acceptance speech.
“I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment and I’m not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me. It’s about being able to shine a light on all of the people,” he said.
“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams.”
The Academy later tweeted it “does not condone violence of any form”.
“Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world,” it said.
The slap was definitely one of the most talked about moments of 2022.
People even made NFTs for it.
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Kate Bain is the Page Editor at supercarblondie.com. She is based in Dubai and coordinates coverage of the latest news across automotive, technology, and lifestyle. Kate has a bachelor's degree in business and post graduate in journalism. She is an experienced editor and journalist who has worked for News Corp, Daily Mail Australia, and Sky News. When she's not at work, you'll find her attached at the hip to her dog, Thor. Kate is currently on maternity leave following the birth of her first child.
