Will Smith apologized for punching presenter Chris Rock at the Academy Awards on Sunday. Smith described his actions as “unacceptable and reprehensible” in an Instagram post on Monday afternoon.
“It’s part of the job to make jokes at my expense,” he wrote, “but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to handle, and I reacted emotionally. Chris, I’d like to officially apologise to you. I was both out of line and incorrect. I’m embarrassed, and my actions do not reflect the guy I aspire to be. Violence has no place in a world of love and peace.”
“Violence in all forms is poisonous and destructive.” Smith wrote in his post.
He also apologised to “the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world,” as well as the Williams sisters’ families and anyone involved with the film for which he earned his best actor award on Sunday.
“I deeply regret that my behaviour has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us,” he wrote. “I am a work in progress.”
The Incident
During the Oscars ceremony, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock when the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife. When Smith stormed the stage and punched comedian Chris Rock in the face on Sunday, he created a disturbance that disrupted the tone of an otherwise upbeat Oscar’s ceremony.
“Jada, I love you, ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see that,” Rock joked as he presented the award for best documentary.
Pinkett Smith, who has been vocal about her fight with alopecia, an autoimmune illness that causes hair loss, seemed unimpressed as the camera moved to her. “That was a nice one,” Rock replied, seemingly in response to the joke’s poor reception. Rock then chuckled and said, “Oh uh,” as Smith approached him on stage and slapped him across the face.
“Keep my wife’s name out of your f*****g mouth!” Smith yelled twice during the confrontation, according to Elam.
“Oh, wow,” Rock replied. The verbal portion of the altercation between Rock and Smith was muffled for home viewers.
“That was the greatest night in the history of television,” Rock said as the theatre fell silent.
Reaction
Following the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a brief statement about the on-stage incident, which read: ” The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight, we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.
Rock also elected not to seek charges against Smith for the onstage altercation, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.