Will Smith Reflects on Oscar Slap: “It Was Brutal”
Three years after his infamous on-stage altercation with comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, Will Smith is opening up about the emotional aftermath and his personal transformation.
In an interview with BBC 1Xtra's Remi Burgz, the actor calls the public fallout from the 2022 incident “brutal,” saying it pushed him into deep self-reflection.
“A Big, Strong, Honest Look at Myself”
“After the Oscars I shut it down for a minute,” Will said.
“I really went into the internal work and just taking a big, strong, honest look at myself.”
The now 56-year-old actor says the scandal cracked open parts of himself he hadn’t explored.
“It was just like there was a manhole cover over some unexplored areas, and the manhole cover came off. It was scary for a minute… But then all of a sudden, new thoughts, new energies, new creativity came through like a geyser.”
A Recap of the Incident
At the 2022 Oscars in Los Angeles, Chris Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head—caused by alopecia, a medical hair loss condition.
In response, Will Smith walked on stage and slapped him across the face, then shouted:
“Keep my wife’s name out your mouth!”
The moment went viral instantly, with clips circulating globally and sparking intense public debate.
Will was banned from the Oscars for 10 years, and he resigned from the Academy shortly after, calling his actions “shocking, painful, and inexcusable.”
Music Born from Madness
This year, Will returned to music with his first album in 20 years, titled Based on a True Story. He says it was a way to express the chaos he had experienced internally.
“It’s the exploration of what I call the ‘despicable prisoners’… parts of myself that have been banished — even from my own thoughts.”
Will says he leaned into honesty while working on the album and even turned to industry legends for advice:
“I called Jay Z and Kendrick.
Kendrick said, ‘Say what you’re scared to say.’
Jay said, ‘Don’t even go near it if you’re not telling the truth.’”
Critics Aren’t Impressed — But Will Doesn’t Mind
Despite its rawness, Based on a True Story hasn’t been warmly received by critics.
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Pitchfork called it “excruciatingly corny.”
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Rolling Stone gave it just 2.5 stars, calling it “cringey… clunky and dated.”
But Will isn’t chasing approval:
“It was a fun way to express the madness of what goes on in my head… Working in that space of authenticity, honesty and imperfection — that’s where I am right now as an artist and as a human.”
The Takeaway
Will Smith is not trying to escape the past — he’s leaning into it. From Oscars shame to soul-searching and studio sessions, he’s navigating this new chapter with vulnerability and creative freedom.