Three years after the infamous Oscars incident, Will Smith is opening up about the emotional toll and personal transformation that followed. In an interview with BBC 1Xtra’s Remi Burgz, the 56-year-old actor described the public fallout from slapping comedian Chris Rock as “brutal,” sparking a period of intense self-reflection and personal reckoning.
“After the Oscars, I shut it down for a minute,” Will admitted. “I went inward and took a strong, honest look at myself.” The 2022 incident where Smith confronted Rock on stage for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia led to a 10-year ban from the Academy Awards and wide public scrutiny.
“For the first time in my career, I had to face disapproval on a massive scale,” he said. “I had an addiction to approval from others, and letting go of that was painful.”
Clips of the moment quickly went viral, with millions watching as Smith marched on stage and struck Rock. Soon after, he resigned from the Oscars Academy, calling his actions “shocking, painful, and inexcusable.”
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However, Smith now views the experience as a catalyst for growth. “It felt like a manhole cover came off hidden parts of myself. It was terrifying at first, but then came creativity, clarity, and music.”
This emotional rebirth inspired his first album in 20 years, Based On A True Story. Before writing, he sought advice from industry legends. “I called Jay Z and Kendrick,” he shared. “Kendrick said, ‘Say the things you’re scared to say.’ Jay Z told me, ‘Don’t go near it unless you’re telling the truth.’”
While critics have been harsh with Pitchfork calling the album “corny” and Rolling Stone labeling it “clunky and dated,” Will sees it as an honest exploration of his inner world.
“The album is about what I call my ‘despicable prisoners,’ the parts of me I was told to hide,” he explained. “Now, I’m creating from a place of honesty, imperfection, and real growth. That’s who I am today, not just as an artist, but as a human.”
