Featured Image Credit: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo/Will Smith/YouTube
Topics: Celebrity, Will Smith
Lucy Devine
Topics: Celebrity, Will Smith
Will Smith has addressed claims from fans who questioned whether wife Jada Pinkett Smith had 'told him to slap Chris Rock' at the Academy Awards earlier this year.
In a new video shared on his YouTube channel, Will sat down to answer questions he had been asked since the incident at the Oscars in March.
You can watch the clip below:
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Titled 'It's been a minute', it's the first time Will has addressed the incident, which saw him be banned from Academy events for 10 years.
Speaking about whether Jada 'told him to slap Chris', Will said: "No. It's like, you know, I made a choice on my own, from my own experiences, from my history with Chris. Jada had nothing to do with it.
"I'm sorry babe. I wanna say sorry to my kids and my family, for the heat that I brought on all of us."
Will also responded to a question about why he didn't apologise to Chris in his acceptance speech, after he won an Oscar for his performance in King Richard.
"I was fogged out by that point. It's all fuzzy. I've reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he's not ready to talk. And when he is, he will reach out," he said.
"So I will say to you, Chris, I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk."
He added: "I want to apologise to Chris's mother. I saw an interview that Chris's mother did and, you know, that was one of the things about that moment I just didn't realise, and, you know, I wasn't thinking, but how many people got hurt in that moment. So I want to apologise to Chris's mother.
"I want to apologise to Chris's family. Specifically, Tony Rock [Chris' younger brother]. You know, we had a great relationship. You know, Tony Rock was my man. And this is probably irreparable."
The altercation occurred while Chris was presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2022 Oscars ceremony. Chris cracked a few jokes, including one about actor Jada Pinkett Smith.
Referencing the actor's shaved head - which is due to her suffering from alopecia - the comedian compared her appearance to that of G.I. Jane.
Jada was visibly unamused by the joke. This then took something of a strange turn when Will got onstage and approached the comedian.
Audiences at the Dolby Theatre, and those watching at home, were left shocked when Will then slapped Chris.
Returning to his seat, the King Richard star proceeding to shout back "Keep my wife's name out of your f*cking mouth."