Willow Smith has urged people to “be kind”, as her father Will faces major backlash.
At the 2022 Oscars on Sunday night, Will stormed onstage and slapped Chris Rock in front of the star-studded audience, after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
Referring to Jada’s buzzcut, Chris said: “Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” prompting the actress to roll her eyes.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face at the #Oscars last night after he made a “GI Jane” joke about his wife Jada.
The comedian was referring to the actress’s bald hair, despite Jada previously revealing this was due to alopecia 😬 pic.twitter.com/H6HO1xMNGF
— Goss.ie (@goss_ie) March 28, 2022
Jada has spoken about her struggles with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss, and said it is what prompted her to shave her head.
When Will returned to his seat, he shouted at Chris: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.”
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star has since apologised for his actions, but there have been calls online for the him to be stripped of the Best Actor award he won on the night for his role in King Richard.
Amid the backlash, Will’s daughter Willow took to her Instagram Stories to share a quote about being kind to others.
The cryptic post read: “You know who’s going through a lot right now? Literally everyone. Just be kind.”
It comes just hours after Will issued a lengthy apology via a statement shared on Instagram.
The actor wrote: “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior 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 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.”
“I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. 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. I am a work in progress. Sincerely, Will,” he signed off.
