Entertainment
Will Smith wipes away tears reflecting on Chris Rock Oscars slap in first TV interview since controversy: ‘That’s not who I want to be’-Alicia Adejobi-Entertainment – Metro
The King Richard actor sat down with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show.
Will Smith shocked the world when he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
Will Smith became tearful while opening up about the infamous Oscars slap in his first TV interview since the shocking controversy.
The King Richard actor is preparing to return to screens in the upcoming Apple TV+ film, Emancipation, his first role since the drama unfolded at the Academy Awards earlier this year.
During the ceremony in March, Will, 54, stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock, 57, across the face after the comedian cracked a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith having a shaved head.
Since then, he’s maintained a relatively low profile but is gradually returning to the spotlight with Emancipation due to arrive on the streaming service in December.
On Monday, Will sat down with talk show Trevor Noah on The Daily Show to reflect on his actions.
Trevor told the actor: ‘It felt like this was Will Smith for the first time going, “OK, is this how you want me to respond or not?”’
Will then explained: ‘It was a lot of things, it was the little boy that watched his father beat up his mother. All of that just bubbled up in that moment. That’s not who I want to be…’
Trevor then threw his friend a bone and interjected: ‘That’s not who you are. I think everybody can make a mistake-…’
Will then removed a tissue from his pocket and wiped his eyes, clearly emotional but laughing, stating: ‘Now I’m crying for real.’
After regaining his composure, the Fresh Prince of Bel Air actor explained: ‘That was a horrific night, as you can imagine.
Will said a lot of rage had built up on the night of the Oscars (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
Chris has said he’s not ready to speak about the incident fully or have a conversation with Will (Picture: Getty Images)
Will is returning to screens in Emancipation (Picture: Getty Images)
‘There’s many nuances and complexities to it. But at the end of the day, I just – I lost it, you know.
‘I guess what I would say is that you just never know what somebody’s going through. I was going through something that night, you know? Not that that justifies my behaviour at all.’
He added: ‘I understand how shocking that was for people… I was gone. That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time.’
Will, who issued an apology shortly after the incident, went on to win the best actor Oscar for his role in King Richard that same night.
It’s believed he is yet to speak directly to Chris, who has previously stated he’s not ready to address the events with Will, who has been banned from the Academy for 10 years.
Emancipation, directed by Antoine Fuqua, follows the journey of an enslaved man who escapes from a Louisiana plantation and joins the Union Army during the Civil War and hits Apple TV+ on December 9.
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