Will Smith opens up on Oscars slap in US interview 

Will Smith says he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars in March due to his “bottled” rage.

The actor has been given an interview for the first time since the “horrific night”.

Appearing on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Smith said: “I was going through something that night, you know?

“Not that that justifies my behaviour at all.” Smith added that there were “many nuances and complexities to it”, but added: “I just – I lost it.”

Oscars slap – ‘rage bottled up’

Comedian Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s shaved head at the Hollywood awards ceremony, and Smith stormed the stage and slapped Rock before returning to his seat, where he shouted at Rock. 

Alopecia is a condition that causes people to lose their hair. Will’s wife – Jada Pinkett Smith has been open about her hair loss. 

“I guess what I would say is that you just never know what somebody’s going through,” he said, without elaborating on what he was referring to.

It’s the first time Smith has been asked by a TV talk show about the incident. In July, he posted a video online answering questions from the fans about the incident. Before that, he’d only issued written statements about the night. 

“I understand how shocking that was for people… I was gone. That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time,” he told Noah.

“That was a horrific night, as you can imagine.”

Will Smith

New Will Smith film Emancipation

Will Smith appeared on the Daily Show to promote his new film Emancipation. 

Though the film will be eligible for next year’s Oscars, Will Smith is banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years and the actor has also resigned from the Academy, which organises the ceremony.