Will Smith is offering his most detailed apology yet over his infamous slap of Chris Rock four months ago at the Oscars. In a newly released video, the actor apologizes not only to Rock, but to Rock's family and to his own, report People and Variety. Some key lines:
- "I've reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he's not ready to talk, and when he is he will reach out," said Smith. "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."
- Delay: Why didn't he apologize in the moment? "I was fogged out by that point. It's all fuzzy." (Smith previously apologized to Rock in a statement.)
- Rock's mother: Smith said he saw an interview in which Rock's mother talked about being distraught watching the slap. "That's one of the things about that moment I didn't realize, I wasn't thinking, but how many people got hurt in that moment," he said. "So I want to apologize to Chris's mother; I want to apologize to Chris's family, specifically Tony Rock [Chris's younger brother]."
- All wrong: “There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment,” said Smith. "I was wrong and out of line." Smith went on stage and slapped Rock after the comedian joked about the hair of Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia.