Nearly four months to the day since the slap was heard ’round the world, Will Smith is back with a new apology for his actions at the 2022 Academy Awards. To recap (although surely even the moles have filled the conversation about Slap so far), host Chris Rock made a joke at Jada Pinkett Smith’s expense, and Smith stormed the stage and slapped the comedian, just before he won his first Academy Award for Best Actor. Actor for King Richard. In a new video posted to his Instagram page, Smith writes that he’s been “doing a lot of thinking and personal work” since the shocking incident and “wanted to take some time to answer” fans’ questions about that night. It didn’t quite make it to Red Table, but the Q&A format might be the next best thing. Addressing why he didn’t apologize to Rock in his acceptance speech, he admits, “I was confused by that point. It’s all a blur.” “I reached out to Chris and the message he got back is that he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he will,” Smith says. “Well I’ll tell you Chris, I apologize. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.” He also apologizes to Rock’s family members who vented their anger in the press, including his mother and brother (“Tony Rock was my man and that’s probably beyond repair.”) Others who receive apologies in the clip include Questlove, the recipient of the prize awarded (“Sorry is not enough”) and his community of nominees (“[It] it really breaks my heart that I stole and tarnished your moment”). He also apologizes to his family “for the heat I brought on all of us.” In particular, he expresses remorse to his wife, clarifying that Pinkett Smith did not do or say anything that caused his violent outburst. “I made a choice on my own, from my own experiences, from my history with Chris. Jada had nothing to do with it,” he emphasizes. G/O Media may receive a commission 23% discount. Magic: The Gathering New Capenna Commander Decks Untap, land, passSee one of five Commander decks from the gangster-themed New Capenna set. You have a choice of three suit decks to play with, a great gift for new players or new playgroups. “Disappointing people is my central trauma. I hate when I let people down. Well, it hurts me, it hurts me psychologically and emotionally to know that I didn’t live up to people’s image and impression of me,” Smith continues. “And the work that I’m trying to do is that I’m deeply sorry and I’m trying to be sorry without being ashamed of myself. Correctly? I am human. And I made a mistake and I try not to think of myself as a piece of shit.” To anyone who felt let down by his actions, “I would say to those people, I know it was confusing, I know it was shocking,” he says. “But I promise you, I am deeply committed and dedicated to putting light, love and joy into the world. And you know, if you keep going, I promise we can be friends again.” “I’ve spent the last three months replaying and understanding the nuances and complexities of what happened at that moment,” Smith reflects. “And I’m not going to try to unpack all that now. But I can tell you all, there is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave at that time. There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or offense.”
