Jada-Pinkett Smith breaks social media silence after husband Will’s Oscars slap
The actress returned to social media with an apparent reference to the drama
By Joe Goggins
Jada Pinkett-Smith has broken her social media silence after Will Smith’s onstage assault of Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday (March 27).
The actress posted a simple message to her Instagram account on Tuesday (March 29) – a graphic reading “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.” There was no accompanying caption. It is unclear whether the post is in reference to Sunday’s drama, but follows her husband’s apology on the same platform yesterday (March 28).
As he arrived on stage at Sunday’s ceremony to present the award for Best Documentary Feature, Rock made a jibe about Pinkett-Smith’s shaven-headed appearance, telling her he was looking forward to G.I. Jane 2, in reference to the 1997 Ridley Scott film, in which Demi Moore appeared with a shaved head in the title role.
Pinkett-Smith, who suffers from alopecia, was visibly unimpressed. Husband Will, after initially laughing at the joke, then headed to the stage to strike Rock in the face with an open hand, before returning to his seat and furiously telling Rock twice to “keep my wife’s name out your f*****g mouth.” The comedian, clearly flustered, recovered his composure to present Questlove with the prize for ‘Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’.
Smith was not removed from the ceremony, and went on win Best Actor for ‘King Richard’, delivering a highly emotional and at times rambling speech of his own in which he apologised to the event’s organisers, but not Rock. He subsequently issued a full apology on his Instagram account yesterday (March 28), just hours after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced plans to investigate his behaviour. Punishments could include suspension or expulsion from the Academy, or possibly even the revocation of his award.
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive,” Smith wrote in his apology. “My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. 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.”
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I’m embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I wanted to be,” Smith continued. “There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.” Earlier on Tuesday, it was confirmed by broadcaster ABC that Rock’s joke was off-script, after earlier rumours suggested he had not included it during rehearsals.