London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Will Smith says bottled rage led him to slap Chris Rock at the Oscars

Will Smith has said his "bottled" rage led him to slap comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars in March.

The actor has been interviewed for the first time since the incident, which he described as "a horrific night".

Appearing on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, he said: "I was going through something that night, you know?

"Not that that justifies my behaviour at all." Smith added that there were "many nuances and complexities to it", but added: "I just - I lost it."

Smith stormed the stage at the Hollywood award ceremony after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife Jada's shaved head. She has the hair loss condition alopecia.


'Hurt people hurt people'


"I understand how shocking that was for people," he told Noah. "I was gone. That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time."

He said he also understood the pain he had caused, and recalled the reaction of his nine-year-old nephew that night.

"He's the sweetest little boy," Smith said. "We came home and he had stayed up late to see his Uncle Will, and we're sitting in my kitchen, and he's on my lap and he's holding the Oscar, and he's just like, 'Why did you hit that man, Uncle Will?'

"It was a mess."

Will Smith and wife Jada attended post-Oscars party


The interview on the late-night US TV talk show was the first time Smith had been publicly challenged about the attack.

Smith told Noah he understood the often-quoted theory that "hurt people hurt people".

Discussing the background to his Oscars assault, the actor said: "It was a lot of things. It was the little boy that watched his father beat up his mother, you know? All of that just bubbled up in that moment. That's not who I want to be."

Smith has opened up before about growing up in an abusive home. His autobiography begins with a harrowing description of his father attacking his mother - an incident he said defined his childhood, and ultimately led to his career.


'I'm a flawed human'


Discussing the reasons for the slap, he said: "I guess what I would say is that you just never know what somebody's going through," without elaborating on what he was referring to.

Addressing the studio audience, he continued: "In the audience right now, you're sitting next to strangers, and somebody's mother died last week. You know? Somebody's child is sick. Somebody just lost their job. Somebody just found out their spouse cheated.

"There's all these things, and you just don't know what's going on with people. And I was going through something that night."

In the aftermath of the Oscars, he has "had to forgive myself for being human", he said.

"Trust me, there's nobody that hates the fact that I'm human more than me... I've always wanted to be Superman. I've always wanted to swoop in and save the damsel in distress.

"And I had to humble down and realise that I'm a flawed human, and I still have an opportunity to go out in the world and contribute in a way that fills my heart and hopefully helps other people."

The 54-year-old has been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years, and has also resigned from the Academy, which organises the ceremony.

In July, he posted a video on YouTube, answering questions that appeared to be written by fans about the Academy Awards. Prior to that, he had only issued written statements about the altercation.

He appeared on Monday's episode of The Daily Show to promote his new film Emancipation, to be released next week, making it eligible for next year's Oscars.

Smith, who received this year's best actor award for King Richard after the slap, said the idea that his new the film would be "tainted" during the forthcoming awards season by his actions was "killing me dead".

"These top artists in the world have done some of the best work of their career," he said. "I hope that their work will be honoured, and their work will not be tainted based on a horrific decision on my part."


Watch: Will Smith acknowledges that Oscar slap was wrong


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
×