Will Smith has finally issued an apology for his behaviour during the Oscars, and admitted he was "out of line".
The 53-year-old actor hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons on Sunday night during the prestigious Academy Awards ceremony when he stormed the stage to smack Chris Rock around the face, after the comedian made a joke about Will’s wife Jada Pinkett’s hair.
Just minutes later, the actor won his first-ever Oscar for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis superstars Serena and Venus Williams, for the critically-acclaimed drama King Richard.
But his historic win was marred by his violent and shocking behaviour, and Will has now issued a grovelling statement, in which he has finally apologised to Chris for slapping him on stage.
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” he began.
Will said he had reacted badly to Chris’ joke about Jada’s shaved head because she suffers from alopecia - but cameras caught the Men In Black star laughing at the gag just moments before he leapt onto the stage.
“Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Will explained.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. 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,” he continued.
He apologised to the Academy and his fellow nominees during his emotional acceptance speech at the Oscars on Sunday, but Will extended yet another olive branch to organisers as he hopes to be invited back to the bash next year.
“I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world,” he added.
Serena and Venus were in the audience watching Will accept the Oscar for playing their father in the movie, and Will also reached out to them, as he said sorry for his violent outburst overshadowing what should have been a momentous occasion.
“I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us,” he concluded.
“I am a work in progress. Sincerely, Will.”.
