Jada Pinkett Smith has broken her silence following the altercation that took place between husband Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars.
Rock took the stage and made a joke that compared Pinkett Smith (who suffers from alopecia) to G.I. Jane, the bald action hero played by Demi Moore in a 1997 Ridley Scott film of the same name. Smith walked on stage and slapped Rock across the face, and proceeded to shout “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth” upon returning to his seat.
Shortly after the incident, Smith accepted the Oscar for Best Actor and apologized to The Academy. Pinkett Smith has since spoken out for the first time since the incident, posting an image to Instagram that simply reads: "This is a season for healing and I’m here for it."
Will Smith has since apologised for the incident. "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris," reads a statement posted to Smith's social media account. "I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."
In the post, Smith calls violence, in all of its forms, "poisonous and destructive", and describes his behavior at the Oscars are "unacceptable and inexcusable".
Pinkett Smith first spoke about her journey with alopecia in December 2021 and has been open about the emotional stressors of losing her hair, something that Page Six says Rock was completely unaware of.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has begun an official review into the altercation, which has left some wondering whether Smith will lose his Oscar as a result of violating the Academy's code of conduct.
For more on the 2022 Oscars, check out our recap of the 5 biggest talking points from the ceremony and our full list of winners.
