Yesterday, March 28, Will Smith issued an apology for slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars the night before. He called his actions “unacceptable and inexcusable” and stated that he acted emotionally toward the joke.
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive,” Smith wrote in an Instagram post. “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.”
At the same time as Smith’s apology, an apology from Chris Rock was floating around the internet as well. However, it was later confirmed that Chris’s apology was false and that he had not issued one.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s Senior Film Editor Rebecca Keegan took to Twitter to dispel rumors that Rock had issued an apology and said that the one floating around the internet was fake.
“Chris Rock has not yet issued a statement” Keegan tweeted. “There is a statement going around purporting to be from Rock that is not from him, per his team. It’s the one that starts, “As a comedian, it can be difficult to understand…”
You can check out the bogus apology below.