Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock in an emotional new video shared on Instagram on July 29. While answering fan questions about the Oscars slap and his actions following the incident, Smith says, “There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment.” The shamed actor also takes ownership for his actions, revealing that wife Jada Pinkett Smith‘s did not ask him to defend her in that moment.
The very first question in the 5-minute video was “Why didn’t you apologize to Chris in your acceptance speech?” Smith’s response: “I was fogged out by that point. It’s all fuzzy. I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk. And when he is, he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.” Then comes an apology to Rock’s mother and brother.
“That was one of the things about that moment. I just didn’t realize,” Smith explains. “I wasn’t thinking about how many people got hurt in that moment. So I want to apologize to Chris’ mother. I want to apologize to Chris’ family. Specifically, Tony Rock. We had a great relationship. You know, Tony Rock was my man, and this is probably irreparable.”
The actor says he’s spent the time since the 2022 Oscars reflecting on his actions, saying he knows that was not the “optimal way” to deal with insults. And in response to the question “after Jada rolled her eyes, did she tell you to do something?” Smith decidedly said “no.”
“I made a choice on my own, from my own experiences from my own experiences, from my history with Chris. Jada had nothing to do with it,” he says. “I’m sorry, babe.” He apologizes to his children for the “heat” brought onto them for this, and then to the Oscar voters and Questlove, who won Best Documentary for his project Summer of Soul right after the slap occurred.
“I’m sorry isn’t really sufficient,” Smith notes.
The 53-year-old star then shares more personal things in response to a question about disappointing fans, calling disappointing people his “central trauma.”
He says: “The work I’m trying to do is I am deeply remorseful, and I’m trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself. I’m a human, and I made a mistake, and I’m trying not to think of myself as a piece of sh*t. I would say to those people, I know it was confusing. I know it was shocking. But I promise you, I am deeply devoted and committed to putting light and love and joy into the world. And if you hang on, I promise we’ll be able to be friends again.”
Check out the full video, above.