Jada Pinkett Smith has said it is time for “healing” after her husband Will Smith issued a public apology to Chris Rock over slapping the comedian at the Oscars.
The actress, 50, shared a quote on Instagram as she broke her silence following Smith’s on stage altercation on Sunday night.
It said: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”
It comes after her husband described his behaviour at the 94th Academy Awards as “unacceptable and inexcusable” and said he was embarrassed by his actions.
Smith said in a statement that Rock’s joke about his wife’s medical condition had caused him to react “emotionally”, but “violence in all its forms is poisonous and destructive”.
He concluded his apology by saying: “I am a work in progress.”
The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air star, 53, has been condemned by the Academy as it launched a formal review into his altercation with Rock during the ceremony.
The annual awards show was thrown into chaos when Smith went onstage and slapped Rock in front of the star-studded audience, after the comic made a joke about his wife and her hair loss.
Referring to Pinkett Smith’s buzzcut, Rock said: “Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” prompting the actress to roll her eyes.
The Magic Mike XXL star and Red Table Talk host has previously spoken about her struggles with alopecia and said it is what prompted her to shave her head.
Smith walked up on stage and hit Rock before returning to his seat and shouting twice: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth.”
Later, as he collected the award for best actor for his performance in King Richard, Smith apologised to the Academy and his fellow nominees, but not to Rock, joking that he “looks like the crazy father”.
Black people have a defiant spirit of laughter when it comes to dealing with pain because there has been so much of it. I don’t feel the need to elucidate that for you. But I also don’t mind being transparent and say that this was a very painful moment for me. On many levels. https://t.co/zzgeKIqrHm
— Will Packer (@willpowerpacker) March 28, 2022
Oscars showrunner Will Packer later described the altercation as “a very painful moment for me”.
The incident prompted shock and later criticism from figures across the worlds of Hollywood and comedy.
During his Late Late Show on American channel CBS, James Corden used a sketch to quip that Smith “can’t take a joke”.
The Carpool Karaoke host told viewers: “Seriously though, I applaud Chris Rock for recovering, keeping the show moving. It was an incredibly dignified response.
“I’ll say this, Will Smith can’t take a joke, Chris Rock can take a punch. A steel jaw. Unbelievable.”
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said no report had been filed after the incident.
Rock has not yet commented on the incident.