Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock on Monday, March 28, 2022, for slapping the comedian at Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony, issuing a statement after the film academy said it might take action against Smith for an incident that overshadowed the industry’s top awards.
Smith, in a post on Instagram, said his behaviour at the televised ceremony was “unacceptable and inexcusable.”
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” Smith wrote. “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
Smith strode on stage and struck Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife. Less than an hour later, Smith won best actor for his role as the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams in “King Richard.”
Rock, in a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, had referenced the 1997 film “G.I. Jane” in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Smith’s wife has a disease that causes hair loss.
“Jokes at my expense are part of the job,” Smith said on Monday, “but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.”
“I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,” he added.
Earlier Monday, the 9,900-member Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemned Smith’s actions and said it was reviewing the matter.
“We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct, and California law,” the academy added.
The group’s conduct policy states it is “opposed to any form of abuse, harassment or discrimination” and expects members to uphold the values “of respect for human dignity, inclusion, and a supportive environment that fosters creativity.”
Violations may result in suspension or expulsion from the organization, revocation of Oscars, or loss of eligibility for future awards, according to the policy.
SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors, called the Smith’s actions “unacceptable” and said it had been in touch with the academy and broadcaster ABC “to ensure this behavior is appropriately addressed.”
