Will Smith’s Apology to Chris Rock for the Oscars Slap Misses the Mark
It took months, but Will Smith finally gave a thoughtful apology to Chris Rock for the Oscars slap. The incident might be the most shocking moment in Academy Awards history, and Smith was the night’s biggest loser despite winning his first Oscar. Smith’s video apology was a step toward making amends with Rock, but it still missed the mark.
Will Smith finally gives Chris Rock a thoughtful apology for his Oscars slap
Smith didn’t say sorry to Rock right after their Academy Awards incident in March 2022. He didn’t say anything later in the night, and Smith stayed mostly silent for months (aside from an Instagram post) even as the Academy made him one of the few people to be banned from its events.
Instead, Smith finally apologized to Rock by releasing a video on his YouTube channel on July 29, 2022.
Smith started his video by revealing he had reached out to Rock to apologize to him directly and that he didn’t say sorry that night because he was “fogged out.” The King Richard actor said the comedian rebuffed him since he wasn’t ready to talk about it. Smith then extended an olive branch to Rock by saying, “So, I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
Saying something is better than saying nothing at all, but Smith’s apology misses the mark four months later.
Smith’s apology to Rock misses the mark
Smith’s video opens with a message reading, “It’s been a minute… Over the last few months, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and personal work… You asked a lot of fair questions that I wanted to take some time to answer.”
Right off the bat, Smith telegraphs how he’s about to shoot wide of his target — by making his apology more about himself than Rock.
The written message at the beginning includes “I” twice. Smith’s first word after reading an off-camera question is “I.” The opening section of the video is Smith’s apology to Rock for the Oscars slap. He spends 17 seconds saying sorry to Rock, 22 seconds apologizing to Rock’s mother, and another 11 seconds speaking to Rock’s brother, Tony. That’s a mere 50 seconds of a nearly six-minute video apologizing to the people hurt the most by Smith’s actions that night.
Immediately after Smith’s apology to Chris Rock and his family, he talks about himself for nearly as long. Later in the video, he spends more than a minute saying sorry to his family and the Academy Awards nominees.
What doesn’t Smith do? He doesn’t admit that Rock didn’t deserve to be slapped in front of millions of people. He doesn’t ask Rock for forgiveness. Smith didn’t make Rock — the person directly affected by his actions — the focal point of his video apology. It’s still all about Smith. After four months of thinking, reflecting, and personal work, Smith still can’t see that the Oscars slap was more about Rock than himself.
Fans react strongly to Smith’s video
Smith’s video racked up more than 3.1 million views within 72 hours, and thousands of YouTube users commented.
Several responses noted the production value and product placement (including his hat and a water bottle next to him) made Smith’s apology video seem less sincere.
“This video has a script, a crew, lighting, multiple cameras, product placement, and probably a budget. THAT’S HOW YOU KNOW IT’S SINCERE,” one commenter wrote.
Several users replied with thoughtful replies.
“This just feels like damage control. The way he says, ‘That wasn’t the right way to react AT THAT TIME,’ and stuff like, ‘No matter how much disrespect,’ he’s still sitting in a camp where part of him feels he’s in the right,” one person wrote. “But it seems like he’s processing it. Maybe the dude can grow, but I don’t think he’s there yet. Hope he gets there. I love Will.”
“I apologize isn’t the same as asking forgiveness. I have had to learn this myself, and it’s humbling,” another user commented. “I don’t know if posting a YouTube video is the right way to go. I am praying that you both can reconcile.”
“It’s not the event that defines a man. It is the way he responds to the event,” one person wrote.
Smith responded to the Oscars slap by taking four months to say sorry in a meaningful way. He deserves some credit for saying something, but he missed the mark by making himself the focus of the video.
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