Actor Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock on Monday for the blow he gave him during Sunday night’s Oscar ceremony, Reuters reports. Smith calls his own behavior “unacceptable and unforgivable”.
Smith is going through the dust on Instagram .
“I’d like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I crossed the line and was wrong.”
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Smith took the stage on Sunday night after Rock made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife. He slapped him in the face and used debauched language.
Rock joked that with her cropped hair, Jada Pinkett Smith could play in a sequel to the movie “GI Jane.” In the 1997 film, actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Smith’s wife has a disease that causes hair loss.
“Jokes about me are part of the business, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me and I reacted emotionally,” Smith said Monday. “I am ashamed and my actions did not testify to the man I want to be.”
Rock does not report
On Sunday evening it was announced that Rock did not want to press charges against Smith. After the Oscars ceremony Sunday night, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said it was aware of an “incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program”.
“The incident involved a person hitting another,” police said. “If the person concerned wishes a police report at a later date, the LAPD will be available to prepare an investigation report.”
Smith won Sunday’s Academy Award for Best Actor in King Richard , in which he plays the father of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. Tears rolled down his cheeks during his acceptance speech. He apologized to the Academy for the incident, but kept quiet about Rock.