Will Smith says Oscars slap fallout was brutal
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Will Smith opens up about the “brutal” aftermath of the Oscars slap and how it shaped his return to music.
Will Smith Reflects on ‘Brutal’ Oscars Slap Fallout and Personal Transformation
Three years after the infamous Oscars incident, the actor opens up about self-reflection, public disapproval, and his return to music.
Hollywood, USA – Will Smith says the fallout from slapping comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars has been one of the most “brutal” and transformative experiences of his life.
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Remi Burgz, the 56-year-old actor admitted that the past few years have been marked by intense self-reflection and healing, following the public backlash that came after he struck Rock during the live broadcast.
“The last few years for me have been really deep reflection,” Smith said. “After the Oscars, I shut it down for a minute and really went into the internal work and just took a big, strong, honest look at myself.”
“An Addiction to Approval”
Smith, who was banned from attending the Academy Awards for 10 years, says the incident forced him to confront a long-held “addiction to the approval of others.”
“For the first time in my career, [I was] having to deal with a level of disapproval that I never had to experience,” he explained. “It was brutal.”
The altercation happened after Rock made a joke about the shaved head of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss. Clips of the incident — Smith walking on stage and slapping Rock — went viral, sparking widespread public debate and condemnation.
Shortly afterward, Smith resigned from the Oscars Academy, describing his actions as “shocking, painful, and inexcusable.”
A Creative Awakening
Despite the trauma, Smith says the experience served as a turning point in his personal and artistic journey.
“It was just like there was a manhole cover over some unexplored areas and the manhole cover came off,” he said. “It was scary for a minute… but then all of a sudden, all these new thoughts, new energies, new creativity came through like a geyser.”
That creative energy led to “Based On A True Story”, Smith’s first music album in 20 years. Before returning to the studio, he says he sought advice from fellow artists Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar.
“Kendrick said you have to say those things you’ve always been scared to say,” Smith revealed. “And Jay-Z said don’t even go near it if you’re not trying to tell the truth.”
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Mixed Reviews, Personal Victory
While the album has received harsh reviews — with Pitchfork calling it “excruciatingly corny” and Rolling Stone describing it as “clunky and dated” — Smith sees it as a deeply personal project.
“It’s the exploration of what I call the ‘despicable prisoners’ — the parts of myself that have been banished,” he said. “Working in that space of authenticity, honesty, and imperfection… that’s where I am as an artist and as a human right now.”
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