Will, who has since resigned from the Academy and has been banned from its events for the next 10 years, also made it clear “there is no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults” and that he chose to slap Chris on his own, noting “Jada had nothing to do with it.”
“I’m sorry, babe,” he added. “I wanna say sorry to my kids and to my family for the heat that I brought on all of us.”
After once more apologizing to his fellow nominees, specifically Questlove who won the Oscar Chris presented, Will addressed any fans disappointed by his actions.
“Disappointing people is my central trauma,” the Pursuit of Happyness star said. “I hate when I let people down. So it hurts. It hurts me psychologically and emotionally to know I didn’t live up to people’s image and impression of me and the work I’m trying to do is I am deeply remorseful and I’m trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself.”
And he promised that he is “deeply devoted and committed to putting light and love and joy into the world.”
