Will Smith broke his silence on the “slap heard ‘around the world’ on Friday, telling fans in a nearly six-minute video that he feels “deeply remorseful” for slapping comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
The video begins with an on-screen message from Smith saying that he “has been doing a lot of self-reflection and homework” over the past few months, and that he wanted to answer questions related to the incident.
In the first question, Smith explains why he didn’t apologize to the comedian in his acceptance speech, admitting he “was foggy at the time” and “everything is a blur.”
He said he reached out to apologize to the comedian, and Rock said he’d be back when he was ready for the conversation.
“I contacted Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk, and when he is he will,” the ‘King Richard’ actor said in the video.
“So I’ll tell you, Chris, I apologize,” Smith said. “My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
The “Concussion” actor also apologized to Rock’s family, including his mother and younger brother, actor and comedian Tony Rock.
“I want to apologize to Chris’ mom. I saw an interview that Chris’ mom did, and that’s one of the things I just didn’t realize. You know, I didn’t think so, but how many people were hurt in that moment, ”he said before apologizing to Tony Rock.
“You know, we had a great relationship. Tony Rock was my man,” he said. “It’s probably irreparable.”
Smith added that he had “spent the past three months replaying and understanding the nuances and complexities of what happened at that time.”
“I’m not going to try to unpack all of this now, but I can tell you all that there’s no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave at that time,” he said. explained the actor. “There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the best way to deal with feeling disrespected or insulted.”
Smith also dispelled rumors that he slapped Rock on stage at the Oscars at the request of his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, saying with a smile that he “made a choice on my own” and that she “n had nothing to do with it.”
Rock had joked about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, suggesting she would appear in “GI Jane 2.” Pinkett Smith has publicly shared her journey with embracing alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.
Throughout the rest of the video, the Oscar-winning actor apologized to family and friends, fellow Academy nominees and members, and Questlove, who won the award Rock was presenting.
“I have deep remorse and I try to have remorse without being ashamed of myself,” he added. “Right? I’m human. And I made a mistake and I’m trying not to think of myself as shit.
“I know it was confusing, I know it was shocking, but I promise you – I am deeply dedicated and committed to bringing light, love and joy into the world,” said Smith.
The Huffington Gt