Will Smith apologises to Chris Rock for Oscars slap, as Academy launches ‘formal review’
- The actor called his own conduct ‘unacceptable and inexcusable’, saying that he had ‘reacted emotionally’
- Smith’s actions will be under ‘formal review’ by the Academy after he struck the comedian over a joke about wife Jada Pinkett Smith
Will Smith apologised on Monday to Chris Rock for hitting the comedian during the live broadcast of the glitzy Oscar ceremony in Hollywood.
“I would like to publicly apologise 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,” the actor wrote on Instagram.
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” Smith said in his apology.
“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.”
The apology came after the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences said earlier the same day that it condemns Smith’s actions and will launch a formal review of his slapping of Rock, who was presenting the ceremony.
In a statement on Monday, the film academy said: “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr Smith at last night’s show.
“We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our by-laws, standards of conduct and California law.”
Smith stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home when he took the stage during Rock’s remarks after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, Smith’s wife. Rock said, “Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it.”
The joke touched a nerve. Pinkett Smith, whose head is shaved, has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis.
Rock has also previously joked about her. Rock hosted the 2016 Oscars, when some were boycotting the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Rock said: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”
Smith strode on stage and slapped Rock across the face. Back in his seat, Smith twice shouted for Rock to “get my wife’s name out your f**king mouth”.
His words echoed clearly throughout the Dolby, though ABC cut the audio for about 15 seconds. Within an hour, Smith won best actor. During his acceptance speech, Smith apologised to the academy.
After the show Sunday night, the academy posted a statement condemning violence. The Los Angeles Police Department said on Sunday it was aware of a slapping incident at the Oscars but said the person involved had declined to file a police report.
Some academy members, like writer-producer Marshall Herskovitz, called for the academy to take disciplinary action against Smith.
“He disgraced our entire community tonight,” Herskovitz tweeted.
Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the Academy’s board of governors, said on Monday on The View: “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him. There will be consequences, I’m sure.”
Agence France-Presse and Associated Press
