Will Smith speaks about the Oscar slap, says rage had been bottled up for a long time

Last Updated on December 1, 2022

Will Smith was quiet for some time after slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards, but now since he’s on the promotional circuit for his latest movie, he’s going to have to confront it. And that’s what he did when he sat down with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show this week.

In an attempt to explain his actions, Will Smith said in part, “I was gone, dude…That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time…You just never know what somebody is going through…I was going through something that night…That doesn’t justify my behavior at all.”

He went on trying to liken himself to Superman, saving his damsel in distress. Still, pulling back, Smith said, “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 extended segment ended with a hug between Smith and host Noah.

At one point during Smith’s interview, Trevor Noah stepped in, saying, “I don’t want that to define you, I don’t think it should define you.” However, it seems that the incident will indeed be a defining characteristic for Smith, who for decades was depicted as one of Hollywood’s nicest actors.

Will Smith previously brought up his new movie, Emancipation, which very well could have earned him another Oscar nomination had he not lost his mind over a G.I. Jane joke. On the topic of people being hesitant to see his latest movie, he said, “I completely understand [if someone won’t watch it] — if someone is not ready, I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready.”

How do you feel about Will Smith’s most recent comments about his behavior at the Oscars? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.