Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock: 'I'm Here Whenever You're Ready to Talk'
Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock: 'I'm Here Whenever You're Ready to Talk'
Updated on August 01, 2022 12:14 PM by Emily Hazel
Will Smith is speaking to Chris through television. For the first time since hitting the comedian onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards, Will Smith is speaking to Chris Rock on television.
Will shared a video on social media in which he apologizes to Rock Once more, Will says, "I'm here whenever you're ready to talk," four months after hitting him across the face at the Oscars. Rock, 57.
Chris is not ready to talk. 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," Will said. "So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize. My behavior was unacceptable, and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk."
Why didn't Will you apologize to Chris at the Oscars? In his Oscars-winning speech for Best Actor, Will said why he didn't apologize to Rock: "By that time, I had lost my vision. Everything is hazy."Will is sorrowful by his response.
Will continued by expressing his desire to make amends to Rock's mother: "I watched a mother-son interview. One of the aspects of that instant I was unaware of was how many individuals were injured at the same time."A bond beyond repair."
As a result, I would like to apologize to Chris's mother as well as to Tony Rock, Chris's younger brother. We got along really well. My man was Tony Rock. This is probably beyond repair "said Will.
Related: Will Smith Groveling Apology To Chris Rock For His Notorious Slap At The Oscars
Will took offense with a joke about wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head At the ceremony on March 27 and slapped Chris Rock on live television before winning the Best Actor award.
Days later, Will said in a statement that he "reacted emotionally" because the punchline was "too much for me to bear."Will can't attend the Oscars for ten years.
In his apology, Will, who subsequently left the Academy and was prohibited from attending its ceremonies for the following ten years, said: "I was out of line, and I was wrong Chris, and I would like to apologize for that publicly," he continued. "Will says this world is for peace and kindness.
I feel ashamed because they did not reflect the man I aspire to be. Violence has no place in a world where there is love and peace. Rock has made passing jokes about the incident at stand-up shows since the Oscars.
He hasn't yet gone into more detail. Chris has promised to finally "speak about it at some point."The three months were tough."I spent the last three months replaying and learning the complexity and nuances of what transpired," Will claimed in his Friday video.
Related: Dave Chappelle joins hands with Chris Rock and Kevin Hart for a new show
Will accepts his actions were unacceptable.No part of him believed it was the proper course of action at the time. He continued, "but I'm not going to try to unpack all of that right now."Rock reportedly said on Sunday.
"Anyone who believes words hurt has never been hit in the face."Added he, "Yes, mother—-er, that hurt like s—-. But the next day, I shook that s—- off and reported for work. I avoid the hospital when I get a paper cut."