American actor Will Smith apologized on his Instagram account for his “inappropriate” gesture made during the Oscars last Sunday. Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock following he made a joke regarding his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
“My behavior last night at the Oscars was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but one joke regarding Jada’s health issue was too much for me and I reacted emotionally. »
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. What I did was inappropriate and I was wrong. I’m embarrassed and my act doesn’t represent the man I want to be. Violence has no place in a world of love and kindness. »
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemns and opens an investigation
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has condemned actor Will Smith’s “actions”. “We have officially begun a formal review of the incident and will consider further actions and consequences consistent with our statutes, standards of conduct and California law,” the Academy said in a statement.
The Academy had tweeted earlier Monday that it “does not condone violence in any form,” but without naming Smith. Los Angeles police said in a statement early Monday that they were aware of the incident. “The individual involved has refused to file a police report,” the LAPD said, referring to actor Chris Rock.
The Academy’s reaction comes following the incident sparked an outcry on social media and the media, with many Americans saying they were shocked at Will Smith’s behavior.
Oscar organizers have come under fire for allowing Will Smith to return to the stage minutes later to receive the Best Actor Oscar for his role in ‘The Richards Method’. According to CNN, who cites sources on condition of anonymity, Academy executives “strongly considered” removing Will Smith from the Oscars broadcast following the incident.