The sequence had gone around the world. Actor Will Smith, who shocked many of his fans and the world of cinema by slapping Chris Rock on the Oscars stage, released a video on Friday July 29 in which he apologizes to the comedian. The star of Men In Black and independence day had already apologized in a press release the day after this bellows, which had eclipsed the entire Oscars evening on March 27.
In this video, titled “It’s been a minute…” (“It was a minute…”), Will Smith opens up more about the feelings he experienced during and after this famous evening. “I contacted Chris and the message that came back was that he is not ready to talk, and when he is he will contact me”he says in this almost six-minute video posted on social networks.
“So I’m telling you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
Will Smithin a video posted on social media
He also apologized to Chris Rock’s mother and brother, as well as his own family, including his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith.
That night it’s a Chris Rock joke which had triggered the scandal. The comedian was ironic on the shaved head of the wife of Will Smith, suffering from alopecia, a disease causing significant hair loss, which she revealed to be suffering from a few years ago.
Will Smith suddenly took the stage and slapped Chris Rock under the dumbfounded eyes of celebrities and viewers. The 53-year-old actor – who shortly after received the Best Actor award for his role in The Williams Method – had yelled at him: “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!”once back in his chair.
“I’ve spent the last three months replaying and (trying to) understand the nuances and difficulties of what happened” that day, says Will Smith in his video. “I’m not going to try to analyze it all now but I can tell you all that there was no part of me that thought that was the right way to behave at that time.”he added, saying trying “to be remorseful without being ashamed” of himself.
On Sunday, Chris Rock reacted for the first time to the slap he received at the Oscars. “Those who say words hurt have never been punched in the face.explained the comedian during a show in New Jersey (United States). I am not a victim. Yeah, that shit hurt me. But I got rid of that and went to work the next day. I’m not going to the hospital for a paper cut.”