Rapper, actor Will Smith apologized via social media Monday to Chris Rock, less than 24 hours after he smacked the comedian in the face during the worldwide broadcast of the Academy Awards, after Rock made a joke about the short haircut of Smith’s wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith
The apology came the same day The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it will conduct a formal review of the incident, according to multiple media reports.
Smith gave a tearful acceptance speech as he won an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams in the biopic “King Richard.” In the speech, which lasted several minutes, Smith apologized to his fellow nominee and to the Academy but said nothing about Rock.
That changed Monday with a two-paragraph Instagram post.
“Violence in all its forms is poisonous and destructive period. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” Smith said in the post. “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.”
Rock’s response was not immediately apparent.
Earlier Monday, the Academy said in a statement it “condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show,” adding that it has “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,” according to multiple media reports.
The “slap heard ‘round the world,” launched a torrent of social media posts Sunday and Monday, with some calling out Smith for the violence. Others lauded Smith for supporting his wife, though the slap came after Smith first laughed at Rock’s joke about Pinkett Smith appearing in a made-up reboot called “G.I. Jane II.”
Many online posters focused on alopecia, a condition seen in some Black women that results in sudden hair loss. Pinkett Smith spoke about her issues with hair loss on her Red Table Talk show at least as far back as 2018. She said that is why she cut her hair and initially wore turbans.
The slap came near the end of a three-plus hour telecast that also saw Afro-Latina Ariana DeBose win for her turn as Anita in Stephen Spielberg’s reboot of “West Side Story.”
CODA, the heartfelt coming-of-age story about a teen growing up in a deaf family, won for best picture.
Smith followed up his slap with a string of F bombs that were bleeped out in the U.S. but aired uncensored in Australia, according to a Twitter post. In that post, Rock can be heard explaining that it was a joke to which Smith responds twice, “Keep my wife’s name out your F-ing mouth.”
Rock, trying to reclaim the room and his composure, declared that it was the “greatest night in the history of television.”
Rock went on to announce the winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature: “Summer Of Soul (…Or The Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” a film about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. It was directed by Roots drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson.
Moments later, when Smith won for best actor, he spoke about Richard Williams being protective of his family, and talked about love.
Karen Robinson-Jacobs is The St. Louis American / Type Investigations business reporter and a Report for America corps member.
