Will Smith speaks about Chris Rock Oscars slap in first statement in three months

Will Smith has apologised to Chris Rock over his infamous Oscars slap, in his first public statement in three months. In a five-minute video posted on Instagram, he spoke directly to the camera and answered a series of questions from social media about the incident on March 27.

The Hollywood star stormed the stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her hair loss as a result of the medical condition alopecia. Asked why he did not apologise to Rock during his best actor acceptance speech for King Richard that came minutes later, Smith said: “I was fogged out by that point. It’s all fuzzy.

“I have reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he is not ready to talk and when he is he will reach out. So I will say to you Chris, I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable and I am here whenever you are ready to talk.”

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In the video, Smith also apologised to Rock’s mother, father and younger brother Tony, an actor, who he said had been “my man”, before adding: “But this is probably irreparable.” He said: “I spent the last three months replaying and understanding the nuances and complexities of what happened in that moment.

“And I’m not going to try and unpack all of that right now, but I can say to all of you that there is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment. There is no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle feelings of disrespect or insults.”

Asked whether his wife had prompted his decision to storm the stage and slap Rock in the middle of his presentation of the best documentary award,