Will Smith Apologizes To Chris Rock And The Academy For Oscars Slap

“Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada [Pinkett Smith]’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Smith said in the post, referring to his wife’s alopecia condition, which causes hair loss.

Smith apologized to Rock in the post, admitting he was “out of line” and that “there is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

Smith also apologized to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which announced earlier Monday it was launching a formal review of the incident and said it condemned Smith’s actions.

Smith addressed viewers of the Oscars and the family of Richard Williams—whom Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for portraying moments after he slapped Rock—writing “I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.”

Rock compared Smith’s wife to “G.I. Jane,” a fictional female character who is bald.

Following the slap, Smith yelled at Rock to “keep my wife’s name out your f**king mouth” after returning to his seat.