Will Smith has been keeping a low profile since infamously slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Annual Academy Awards in March, but he’s returned with a heartfelt apology video addressing the incident.
On Friday (July 29), Smith shared a video titled “It’s been a minute…” on his YouTube page, in which he took full accountability for his actions while admitting there’s work that needs to be done to fix the mess he made.
Smith explained he’s been “thinking” and doing “personal work,” leading to him wanting to answer all the burning questions regarding that torrid night. First, the movie superstar explained the reason he didn’t apologize to Chris Rock during his Oscars acceptance speech was due to him being “fogged out.”
He also revealed he reached out to Rock after the Oscars, but the response he heard back was that he was “not ready to talk” to him. Smith said that he will reach out when that time comes before apologizing to Rock, telling him, “I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
Chris Rock Addresses Infamous Will Smith Oscars Slap In More Detail: 'Yeah, That Shit Hurt Muthafucka'
Will Smith then took his apology tour to Chris Rock’s family — namely, his mother and brother Tony, who he had a “great relationship” with. Smith also apologized to his own family “for the heat I brought on all of us.”
Things got even more interesting when the Fresh Prince star revealed he’s spent the last three months processing the slap, unpacking the “nuances” and “complexities” of the situation, as well as admitting he was wrong for slapping Chris. “There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment,” he said.
Smith also confirmed that his wife Jada Pinkett, who rolled her eyes at Chris Rock’s alopecia joke that provoked the slap, had “nothing to do” with his actions. “I made a choice on my own from my own experiences, from my history with Chris,” he said.
The video closes out with Will Smith apologizing to his fellow Oscar nominees for “tarnishing” their moment, specifically Questlove, who graced the stage to accept his first Academy Award right after the slap happened. Most importantly, though, Smith explained he’s working on becoming a better man.
“Disappointing people is my central trauma. I hate when I let people down. It hurts me psychologically and emotionally to know I didn’t live up to people’s image and impression of me,” he said. “I made a mistake, and I’m trying not to think of myself as a piece of shit, so I would say to those people, I know it was confusing, I know it was shocking, but I promise you I am deeply devoted and committed to putting light and love and joy into the world. If you hang on, I promise we’ll be able to be friends again.”
Jada Pinkett Breaks Silence On Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock At Oscars
Will Smith’s apology comes a few days after Chris Rock addressed the slap during a recent comedy show in Holmdel, New Jersey. It was the most Rock has ever said on the situation.
“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” the comedian said, per Us Weekly. “I’m not a victim. Yeah, that shit hurt, muthafucka. But I shook that shit off and went to work the next day. I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut.”
Watch Will Smith’s full apology video below.
hopefully they can work out their differences in some kind of comedy blockbuster although that would be hard with Chris Rock in a lead role
Yea, they could be in some sort of ‘slap’ stick comedy.
Chris Rock should accept his apology because that’s what men are supposed to do.
Wtf are you talking about, he don’t have to accept shit, who the fuck are you to say what a real man should do??
Will Smith is the man. Yeah it was wrong but this guy has the equity for everything he’s given us that cancel culture should cut him slack
“Cancel culture” is what you snowflakes love to keep pointing at, despite the fault being all on that person’s own.
christy rock need to pull that thong out his asshole and accept the hand that slapped tha whole holy fuck out his ass! It’s been months boi stop standing there with your fuck boi comedian buddies trying to comfort you. Be a man and accept his apology.
You are either a woman or a man raised by a woman
Only a weak little bitch would accept this late ass fake apology tf you mean? Will only doing this cause his career falling apart and his wife don’t want him since she sleeping with 20 year old still. Keep going through life with that weak minded surrender mentality and see how far you get coward.
Omfg it isn’t as if smith killed him.
All he did was slap him hard over a little joke at the middle of the Oscars. Since he’s not dead, it’s not a big deal. You definitely could take that as well as Chris did. /s
Does Will have a movie or album dropping? Did he need a couple of months to consider apologizing? Furthermore, you can beat the hell out of me. I’m coming back a million times until I get my dub. Hands no guns. I’d have to slap Will back.
he got slapped not hit hard. Will hit harder than that slap. He’s about six one six two not some short hollywood dude. stop running your mouth like your a big man about how you’d keep coming back. In real life you would get checked hard for that kind of dumb clown behavior. you had your chance to fight in that moment and made your choice. if you come back expect a harsh beatdown no apology. Will Smith apologized because he realized at that moment he slapped a smaller guy not a guy bullying his wife at the oscar broadcast
Running my mouth? I gave my opinion and personal experience. If you don’t like it fine. Furthermore you don’t know me but you can. All my info is real, no nicknames. Now go play with someone your age not me.
u come after me after two weeks over a slap you will leave with a broken neck – go pray to jesus clown
There’s a Jesus clown?!?!
I gave my opinion and personal experience. If you don’t like it or disagree fine. You speak as if you know me but don’t. Yet you can. My information is real just stop. Now take your nickname and go play with someone your age not me. You don’t know me. Have some respect when you comment next time child. Again my name real. Get some
You sound immature speaking as if you know me or grew up with me. Run along and play with someone your age not me.
I disagree with you respectfully. You have know idea how I grew up or what principles I stand on. Run along.
You sound like a ninja that watch P Valley. Go lay under your momma because Cleary your dad was absent.
Just stop get your man purse and rompers and go find a male role model.
“Will Smith also revealed he reached out to Rock after the Oscars, but the response he heard back was that he was ‘not ready to talk’ to him.”. … well naturally. He slapped him during the Oscars over a little joke that his wife just rolled her eyes over. lmao Now that Will Smith even fully admitted himself that he was wrong, as anyone with a lick of sense (which is lacking in our country, sadly) would have obviously seen a long time ago, these messy people look like a bunch of fools and children defending Will Smith and saying that what he did is what a “real man” does, including the crazy fools in this site that commented before.
Part 1; I felt the apology coming from the mouth of “big Willie” was genuine… I think both men should genuinely apologize to each other cause two wrongs don’t make it right know what I mean?. Chris may have perhaps went a little overboard with the G.I. Jane joke about Jada, now I fully get that Mr, Rock is a full time comedian telling jokes for that’s what he do telling jokes right I totally get that part but Will for some strange reason or the other wasn’t having it… So he got up from his seat walked up to Chris on stage and then the unthinkable happened wham
right in the left cheek, which by the way I can just imagine it became a huge shock unto a lot of folks…
“Will Smith also revealed he reached out to Rock after the Oscars, but the response he heard back was that he was ‘not ready to talk’ to him.”. … well naturally. He slapped him during the Oscars over a little joke that his wife just rolled her eyes over. lmao Now that Will Smith even fully admitted himself that he was wrong, as anyone with a lick of sense (which is lacking in our country, sadly) would have obviously seen a long time ago, these messy people look like a bunch of fools and children defending Will Smith and saying that what he did is what a “real man” does, including the crazy fools in this site that commented before.
Part 2; No one expecting that, he
went back to his seat that would be Will and said out aloud keep my wife name out your f_ _ king mouth, then Mr. Rock (Chris) simply replied I will. In the book of Proverbs that’s the Holy Bible of course it says that a soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger… Chris after being pimp slapped on his left jaw kinda backed up and kept his cool throughout the whole ordeal. I saw the whole thing dramatized from start to finish on television that very evening. My prayers goes out to both of them hoping they can somehow mend their friendship even their brotherhood, peace to the culture and much true love.
Will smith is such a bitch. The slap was a bitch move, but now he cant stand for his actions, like motherfucker have some self respect, you did what you did because you thought it was right – now own it. Your baldheaded wife surely would respect you much more if you did, maybe she’d even let ol’ willy hit that.
It’s will smith, fresh prince of Belair, without him their wouldn’t be no Chris Rock, Will had Chris as a guest on fresh prince of Belair just like 2pac let BIG preform on his concerts before BIG got famous, they helped these cats….so Will made a mistake, he didn’t kill nobody. If he slapped a poor black guy with no money in them streets nobody would care, it happened to be Chris Rock….it’s fresh prince 4 ever! I hope you read this Will!
Oh fuck off.
Don’t make me pimp slap your mom’s like Will did Chris 🙂
“Heartfelt Video”? He won an Oscar for his acting. We all saw him at the afterparty. Chris Rock prolly watched the apology video like *Loaded Lux voice* “Oh no. You gon get this work!”