Last year, the Oscars took a chaotic turn when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage. The incident dominated awards season and made its way into the public psyche.
Now, the actor is opening up about the incident in a new Netflix special called Selective Outrage. In it, Smith talks about what he was thinking and feeling.
What really happened?
Back in March, the internet was shook by the viral moment of actor Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock during the Oscars. The event has dominated the conversation since, with stars still trying to process what happened onstage and the public pondering how they felt about it.
In a recent interview with Trevor Noah, Will Smith opened up about what really happened the night of the Oscars slap. He explained that he was going through a tough patch, but it didn’t justify his behavior.
The actor also explained that he was only human, and that people in the audience could be going through similar things. He also stressed that he was only acting out of anger.
Now, Smith is gearing up for the release of his latest movie Emancipation, which marks his first major post-slap film project. He hopes that people will still watch the movie without being distracted by his infamous slap.
What I was thinking
After an Oscars ceremony tainted by his slapping of comedian Chris Rock last year, Will Smith has finally opened up about what really happened the night of the incident. On Monday, Smith sat down with Trevor Noah for a rare television interview to talk about the aftermath of the event.
Smith said he was going through a tough time that night, which led to his reaction to the joke about Pinkett-Smith’s shaved head that triggered the slap. He also explained how the slap made him feel “unprotected” because it was such a public display of anger.
The slap, which was live on TV, was so dramatic that it overshadowed the awards show. It sparked a storm of controversy and led to Smith’s resignation from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
Now, a year later, Rock has addressed the slap in his new Netflix special Selective Outrage. He says he was shocked that his actions were being portrayed as “a slap on the face of America’s most powerful black man.”
What I was feeling
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage during the 2022 Oscars, an incident that has been called a “sickening” moment. The slap was a bizarre turn of events that left the audience in shock and left everyone wondering what would happen next.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has issued a statement condemning the act, though it stopped short of outlining any specific consequences that could be imposed on the actor.
People have been sharing their reactions to the slap on social media, and many celebrities — including Tiffany Haddish, Chace Crawford and Liam Payne — have also spoken out.
I don’t believe that anyone should be punished for what happened on Sunday night, but it feels like the Academy is trying to cover their asses with a kind of make-up. It’s like they’re trying to hide the truth behind an argument that erupts, and try to act as if everything is fine because they haven’t done anything wrong.
What I did next
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost four months since Will Smith smacked Chris Rock at the Oscars. The slap still holds up as one of the most polarizing moments in this year’s awards season, and the conversation has continued to circle around it.
With all the hype surrounding it, it’s easy to forget what it’s really like to be a part of it all. And that includes the many highs and lows associated with it.
Aside from the obvious slap on the wrist, there have been a number of other things to be proud of in this storied award show year. For starters, it’s the first time in more than a decade that the Academy has re-elected an actor who wasn’t a member to be in attendance at its glitzy ceremony. It’s also the first time in history that a white actor won Best Actor at the Oscars. That last achievement was the product of a bit of planning and hard work by Smith and his team, and was no doubt one of the most exciting parts of the whole experience.
