Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock for Oscars slap: “I was out of line and I was wrong”

Gina Alexander

Will Smith has apologized to Chris Rock for slapping him at Sunday night's Oscars ceremony, an incident that has overshadowed everything else about the 2022 Academy Awards.

"Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable," Smith wrote in a statement posted to his socials. "Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."

"I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris," the statement continues. "I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."

Smith finished with, "I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress." You can see Will's Instagram with the statement below.

Chris Rock, meanwhile, has been silent since Sunday.

Questlove, who won Best Documentary Feature just a minute after the incident, talked about what it was like with Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon.