Fans were shocked after Will Smith went on stage during the 2022 Oscars and slapped Chris Rock. The incident occurred after Chris Rock made jokes about Jada Pinkett Smith, in particular her shaved head, and Will Smith took the opportunity to yell at Chris Rock as well. After slapping him, Will Smith went back to his seat, and yelled at Rock to keep his “wife’s name out of your f*cking mouth!”
It was a moment that many viewers found hard to believe at first. But it was indeed real, and even the LAPD offered to investigate had Chris Rock wished to file charges. But it appears Chris Rock did not want to do so, and now, Will Smith has released a public apology to Rock.
The apology reads:
Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.
I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.
I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.
I am a work in progress.
Sincerely,
Will
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Earlier, Sean “Diddy” Combs said that the two had made up. He revealed as much while speaking with Page Six. Here’s what he said:
“That’s not a problem. That’s over. I can confirm that,” Diddy noted. “It’s all love,” he continued. “They’re brothers.”
Although viewers were upset by the actions made by both parties, it’s certainly reassuring to hear that there’s a peaceful outcome. Of course, it might not be the end to this situation. In fact, there’s been talk that Will Smith could face a variety of consequences for his actions at the Oscars. So while Chris Rock might be understanding, it’s possible and even very likely that the Academy will not be.
Hopefully we’ll know what will happen soon on that front. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. As such, fans can stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any updates on the situation as we have them. It’s definitely going to be a night at the Oscars that will remain a topic of discussion for years to come.